So, it’s October. Or, as many are putting it these days, “Wach-tober.” I kind of like the way that sounds, so we’ll go with it. I have to say that out of all of the post seasons that I have witnessed as a Cardinal fan, this is the one that has been the most fraught with resentment and bitterness coming from media outlets all over the country. Am I alone here? Was I just trapped in my red-hued bubble these past few go-rounds and didn’t notice the hate? I’m fairly certain that the constant barrage of media attacks on the Cardinals as a team and as a fan base has reached a new high this year, and I can’t quite put my finger on why. Reasoning aside, though, I present my arguments against all of the individuals who just can’t seem to stand the red and white these days. Most of this argument is in refute to this BuzzFeed post that went up last week, so you can follow along for reference if you’d like.
1. In case the author of this article was unaware, the World Series match up this year is the first time since 1999 in which the teams representing the best records in baseball will square up in the Fall Classic. In that time period, the Cardinals have won the NL Central 8 times and appeared in the World Series 3 times. In 2006, when St. Louis came out on top over Detroit, the Cardinals hobbled into the post season with a shaky 83-78 record and somehow gritted it out. I am not sure how having a less than stellar record and winning the World Series make a team abominable, but apparently BuzzFeed correlates the two. In reality, the 2006 series is a show of grit, determination, and heart, which is exactly how any Cardinal would describe their team even today.
2. Can we put this “Best Fans in Baseball” back and forth argument to rest once and for all? No one outside of St. Louis will ever agree with the statement that Cardinal fans are the best in baseball as much as the locals do. However, many polls of current and former MLB players have shown that even they take notice of the baseball culture that St. Louis has cultivated. Bleacher Report ranks Chicago as the number one fan base (I think this is based on loyalty, and for the fan base to be as solid as it is now, even after so many losing seasons upon losing seasons, they may very well deserve that title, but that’s a whole other argument.), and you could ask 10 different media outlets or sportswriters their opinion and likely get 10 different answers. Let’s just leave it at this: baseball in St. Louis is a way of life. You won’t see a standing ovation for an opposing player in many places, but you will see one at Busch Stadium. You won’t hear us chanting John Lackey or Jake Peavy’s name over and over again, and you won’t see us throw garbage into the outfield over a blown call. You just won’t, and those facts alone elevate this fan base over a lot of others.
3. The BuzzFeed article I linked to in my intro mentions the fact that we got rid of Albert Pujols “before he started sucking.” I apologize – did I miss something here? Is that not more or less a big reason why a player may have his tenure ended with a team? Why would a team want a player who will suck money from the payroll while failing to produce numbers that are worth his salary? Albert Pujols was an integral part of this team for 10 years. 10 astounding, wonderful years. You couldn’t find a Pujols shirt to save your life during the height of Pujols-mania. But then what happened? In 2012, Pujols declined a hefty deal offered by the Cardinals offices and opted instead to sign his big ticket with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. We can go back and forth over whether he did it for the money or the opportunity to finish his career in the AL as a DH, etc. but the fact of the matter is he left and his production declined almost immediately. Meanwhile, the Cardinals went on to a strong 2012 season followed by an even more remarkable 2013 season – all without the number five. Oh, and another side effect of losing Pujols? A guy named Michael Wacha.
4. I don’t think I am alone when I say that I would appreciate it if everyone would stop harping on the fact that we ended what would have been a storybook season for Pittsburgh or a rare turnaround for LA. I am highly doubtful that Wainwright and Co. sat around the clubhouse the night before the NLDS began and said “Alright, guys, let’s screw those Pirates out of their first post season in 20 years.” The fact of the matter is that the Pirates and the Dodgers both could not hold up against a solid, albeit at times lucky, Cardinal team. A best of five and best of seven series is about as accurate of a gauge as you will ever have to determine the best team in a series. The ending to Pittsburgh and LA’s otherwise remarkable seasons is unfortunate, sure, but so would an ending to an equally remarkable year for a young, young, young Cardinal team who relied on so many new faces to get them to this point. No matter which way you look at it, someone loses out – sorry, we aren’t sorry.
5. Stop calling the Cardinals a dynasty already. Or at least stop using it in a negative connotation. Last I checked, “dynasty teams” are exemplified by headline hogging signings and “bought” championships. Let’s check the facts on this one, shall we? The Cardinals came in 10th on this year’s list of payrolls with a $116.2M payroll. We have 5 “top dollar” starters that account for the 8-figure salaries on our payroll: Matt Holliday ($16.2), Yadier Molina ($14.2), Carlos Beltran ($13.0), Adam Wainwright ($12.0), and Chris Carpenter ($11.9). I am not sure that I know of a person who would argue with the necessity and usefulness of having these heavy hitters on our roster. Yes, Chris Carpenter was unable to play this year and recently announced his retirement, but where would Michael Wacha be without that priceless tuition? Roughly half of our team hovers around the major league minimum of $480,000. Meanwhile, the Yankees, who boast the top payroll of 2013, clocking in at $232.9M, and who are most often labeled a dynasty team, have 11 players making 8 figures this year, and 11 players scraping in closer to the minimum mark. The Yankees finished the season a distant third in the AL East, failing to make the playoffs for the first time in 5 years. I’m not sure the anomaly that is a dynasty can really be used as a fair term anymore (not that it ever could be). Without a salary cap, the sport will always be known (and resented) for its ridiculous salaries and team payrolls. Teams that are repeatedly successful will be labeled as championship purchasers, even if all statistics point to the complete opposite.
The biggest signing the Cardinals had in 2013 was the acquisition of closer John Axford from the Brewers – not exactly headline grabbing stuff. They did not take the bait on big free agents Zack Greinke or Josh Hamilton in the off season, why? Because they didn’t need them. The biggest headlines this year were the call ups of rookie after rookie to bolster the bullpen or boost the rotation or bench. Those headlines do not a dynasty make, my friends – they make a team with a working formula for success centered around a healthy farm system.
The reasons to feel the need to defend the Cardinals against a media onslaught go on endlessly. Arguments will continue to be made in sports bars across the country and people will continue to post rants on Facebook in favor of or against the Cardinals as they make their bid for a 12th World Series title. As for me? I will continue to sit back and enjoy the drama as it unfolds, now that I have put my two cents in. Thanks for reading.
