Tag Archives: 2006 World Series

Some Cardinals Alternatives To Watching This Year’s World Series

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Even though the 2016 World Series gets underway tonight, you might not be in the mood to watch it. Want to look back on some better days instead? Here, and all available on YouTube, are some alternatives that will make for more pleasant viewing.

The videos are the complete games, so watching these should keep you busy … and able to avoid whatever might be happening in this year’s World Series.

Game One – 1968 World Series

Starting off with an absolute classic in a year that didn’t result in a Cardinals World Series championship, but began with an incredible performance by that year’s NL Cy Young Winner and Most Valuable Player, Bob Gibson. His 17 strikeouts in the game are a record that still stands.

Game Seven – 1982 World Series 

Ah, nothing like a Game Seven — especially when it’s a Game Seven win! Watch the Cardinals win their ninth World Series championship, and first since the days of Bob Gibson in 1967, when they beat the Brewers 6-3 behind Joaquin Andujar and Bruce Sutter.

Game Six – 2004 NLCS

The 2004 National League Championship Series between the Astros and Cardinals was an incredible one, yet mostly overlooked by the national media due to the ALCS that was going on at the same time. We remember, though, these hard-fought seven games in which the home team was victorious in each — and the MV3 was in their prime and all making big contributions. Jim Edmonds was the walk-off hero in this one, as you no doubt remember. (Also, in case you forgot, Carlos Beltran and Lance Berkman were the enemy.)

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10 Years Ago Tonight: Game Seven of the 2006 NLCS

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Yes, it’s fun to look back five years ago into the AMF archives and see how we captured the magic of September and October 2011 during the blog’s first year. In fact, had that run not happened, I was planning to write about the fifth anniversary of the Cardinals 2006 World Series run.

Somehow, I’m glad I didn’t have that chance …

Still, tonight is the anniversary of another milestone in recent Cardinals history: the 10th anniversary of Game Seven of the NLCS between the Cardinals and the Mets. And, to honor that milestone, the three iconic plays from a truly incredible game.

From the sixth inning, with the scored tied 1-1.

From the top of the ninth inning, Scott Rolen on first, scored still 1-1, and the reason why Yadi is still booed by Mets fans today:

And, of course, from the bottom of the ninth with the Cardinals up 3-1. There were two outs, but the bases were loaded …

Ten years later, it doesn’t get old.

Throwback Thursday – Chris Carpenter: A Warrior’s Final Stand

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Note: As I said last week, I’m not planning on writing much here anymore. But today I’m posting an article I wrote for the United Cardinal Bloggers 2013 season in review publication, which is still available for purchase. Like last week’s from the 2012 UCB publication, it’s also on Chris Carpenter. 

Chris Carpenter: A Warrior’s Final Stand

It can’t be how he expected his career to end.

The final pitch of Chris Carpenter’s career came on Oct. 4, 2013, fittingly on the Busch Stadium pitcher’s mound. Fall sunshine bathed the ballpark with a golden glow as more than 40,000 Cardinals fans stood and cheered.

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Photo: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Unfortunately, that final pitch was of no consequence. His last was a ceremonial one delivered just before Game Two of the National League Division Series between the Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Touchingly, he was accompanied to the mound by his daughter, Ava, and tossed the baseball to his son, Sam, behind home plate.

Perhaps surprisingly, the emotion of the moment was visible on Carpenter’s face as he tipped his Cardinals cap to the crowd and, moments later, embraced his children as they all walked off the mound.

Then again, emotion from Chris Carpenter on a pitcher’s mound – though of a different sort – was never a surprise. It was expected. Emotion defined Chris Carpenter’s career nearly as much as his signature curveball.

And nearly as much as injuries.

Injury definitely defined the final two years of Carpenter’s career, 2012 and 2013. Yet it also defined how he became a Cardinal, when the Toronto Blue Jays – the team that chose him in the first round of the 1993 draft – removed him from their 40-man roster after the 2002 season ended, and after he’d had shoulder surgery. The Jays wanted him to sign a minor-league contract with incentives.

He instead chose to become a free agent, signing with St. Louis in December. He missed the entire 2003 season, finally making his Cardinals debut on April 9, 2004, at Arizona. His 2004 season was better than any he’d ever had as a Blue Jay, as he went 15-5 with a 3.46 ERA. But he didn’t pitch after Sept. 18, as a right biceps strain kept him from the mound. Tests later revealed a nerve irritation to his upper arm, a condition we would become all too familiar with in the future.

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Countdown To Opening Night: 22

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As the days slowly pass by, we’re now just 22 days from the Cardinals Opening Night against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Several notable names to mention, including the newest No. 22 Jason Heyward, as well as the most recent one to wear the number, Mike Matheny, in his playing days and managerial career (who was the spotlight over at the Cards Conclave this morning). Also on the list: Edwin Jackson for his months-long Cards tenure (did I really write this? Or perhaps the better question is how long did that 2011 World Series hangover last?), Jack Clark and this scrappy little World Series MVP.

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Just in case you need a reminder of how inherently gritty Eck was, these photos will certainly remind you.

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The way he choked up on the bat!

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Continuing The Opening Day Countdown: 26 Days

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Sure, it would have been simple (and obvious) to spotlight either of the most recent Cardinals to wear 26 today, as we’re now that many days until the Cardinals take on the Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 5. I could have written hundreds of words on Trevor Rosenthal (more than I have, anyway) or Kyle Lohse, but I’m always a sucker for good stories.

And what’s a more iconic baseball story than one about a father and a son — especially a father and son winning World Series championships for the same team?

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Neither Ed Spiezio, No. 26 for the Cardinals from 1964 to 1968, nor Scott Spiezio, who wore his dad’s number as a Cardinal in 2006-2007, was a star player. Ed only played in 132 games total in his Cards career, with 281 plate appearances and one World Series at-bat in 1967 and one in 1968. Scott played in 201 games, and did very well in the 2006 NLCS — hitting a game-tying triple in Game Two at Shea Stadium before So Taguchi won the game with a homer off Billy Wagner. And probably the less said about the ending of Scott’s Cardinals (and baseball) career, the better. (Let’s hope this encouraging story from last May is still holding true today.) Continue reading →