RetroSimba

Keith Hernandez led Cardinals to opening win at Pittsburgh

November 21, 2015 by retrosimba

Playing for a new manager, Vern Rapp, and with a core of young, highly regarded players, such as Keith Hernandez, Garry Templeton and John Denny, the Cardinals enjoyed a successful opening to the 1977 season.

keith_hernandez5 On April 7, 1977, amid strong winds and a mix of rain and light snow, the Cardinals beat the Pirates, 12-6, at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh.

New approach

The 1977 Cardinals opened the season as a franchise looking to rebuild.

In 1976, the Cardinals finished 72-90. Red Schoendienst, who had managed the Cardinals since 1965, was fired after that 1976 debacle. He was replaced by Rapp, a St. Louis native who had played and managed in the Cardinals’ system but who never had reached the major leagues.

A disciplinarian, Rapp instructed Cardinals players during 1977 spring training to shave off their moustaches and beards and keep their hair trim.

In the opener at Pittsburgh, the Cardinals started Denny, 24, against Jerry Reuss, a St. Louis native who began his career with his hometown team.

Along with established standouts such as left fielder Lou Brock and catcher Ted Simmons, the Cardinals’ lineup included Hernandez, 23, at first base and Garry Templeton, 21, at shortstop.

Denny and Templeton were making their first Opening Day starts in the big leagues.

Helped by three Pirates errors, the Cardinals scored four runs in the opening inning off Reuss. The Pirates’ sloppy start prompted “lusty boos from many of the 35,186 spectators,” the Associated Press reported.

The Cardinals never trailed. Denny held the Pirates to three runs in 5.2 innings and got the win. Templeton had two hits and scored three runs.

Hernandez, a left-handed batter, scored twice and had key hits against a pair of left-handed relievers. Hernandez hit a two-run double off Grant Jackson and a two-run home run (estimated at 425 feet) against Terry Forster. For Hernandez, it was his first four-RBI game in the big leagues.

Playing to win

“The thing about Vern Rapp is that he has us playing aggressive baseball, taking the extra base, playing at our maximum,” Hernandez said after the game. “We don’t have a lot of power, but we do have good hitting and exceptional speed and I think we’re going to make the most of it.”

Asked about playing without his signature moustache, Hernandez replied, “I’m here to play baseball. That’s what is important to me. I’ve got five months in the off-season to grow a moustache and long hair, but right now I want to help the Cardinals play winning baseball.” Boxscore

Behind stellars seasons by Hernandez (.291 batting average, 41 doubles, 91 RBI), Templeton (.322 batting average, 200 hits, 18 triples, 28 stolen bases), Simmons (.318 batting average, 21 home runs, 95 RBI) and pitcher Bob Forsch (20 wins), the 1977 Cardinals improved to 83-79.

Hernandez’s effective hitting against left-handers continued through the season. He batted .313 in 201 at-bats versus left-handers in 1977.

Previously: Cardinals debut was dream come true for Keith Hernandez

Previously: Pete Vuckovich was fearless in great escape for Cardinals

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Albert Pujols and the start of his NL MVP run

November 18, 2015 by retrosimba

With the first of his three National League Most Valuable Player awards, Albert Pujols established himself as a dominant player, producing numbers that hadn’t been reached in decades by any Cardinals player who had earned the honor.

albert_pujols24 On Nov. 15, 2005, Pujols, 25, was named NL MVP in balloting by 32 members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Pujols became the first Cardinals player to earn a NL MVP since Willie McGee in 1985.

Barry Bonds of the Giants had won the award in four consecutive years (2001-04). Pujols won NL MVP in three of the next five years (2005, 2008, 2009).

In 2005, Pujols batted .330 with 41 home runs, 117 RBI, 195 hits, 129 runs and a .430 on-base percentage.

Among the special achievements:

_ Before Pujols, no Cardinals NL MVP winner had hit 41 home runs in a season.

_ The 117 RBI by Pujols were the most by a Cardinals NL MVP winner since Joe Torre had 137 in 1971.

_ Pujols’ 129 runs scored and his .430 on-base percentage each was the most by a Cardinals NL MVP winner since Stan Musial scored 135 and had a .450 on-base percentage in 1948.

_ Pujols and Chris Carpenter in 2005 became the first NL teammates to win the MVP Award and Cy Young Award in the same year since Terry Pendleton and Tom Glavine did so with the 1991 Braves.

Asked by St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz about Pujols being the NL MVP winner, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said, “Our club gets a lot of its competitive nature from his personality. That’s what an MVP should be all about.”

Pujols received 378 vote points and 18 first-place votes in the balloting for the 2005 NL MVP Award.

Braves outfielder Andruw Jones was a close runner-up, with 351 vote points and 13 first-place votes. Jones batted .263 with 51 home runs, 128 RBI, 154 hits, 95 runs and an on-base percentage of .347.

“I think he deserved it,” Jones said to the Associated Press about Pujols winning the award. “The voting was the right vote. He was the right choice.”

Finishing third in balloting was Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee, with 263 vote points and one first-place vote. Lee hit .335 with 46 home runs, 107 RBI, 199 hits, 120 runs and a .418 on-base percentage.

Previously: Albert Pujols joins Stan Musial with 4 MVP seconds

Previously: Albert Pujols achieves unofficial Triple Crown

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World Series duels: Norm Siebern vs. Bob Gibson

November 16, 2015 by retrosimba

(Updated April 29, 2018)

Like Yogi Berra, Hank Bauer, Elston Howard and Whitey Herzog, Norm Siebern was a St. Louis-area athlete who was bypassed by the Cardinals and began his professional baseball career in the Yankees organization. Toward the end of his big-league career, Siebern faced the Cardinals in the World Series and got three at-bats _ all against Bob Gibson.

norm_siebern Born in St. Louis and raised in the nearby town of Wellston, Mo., Siebern was an outfielder and first baseman for 12 years in the big leagues with the Yankees, Athletics, Orioles, Angels, Giants and Red Sox. He three times was named to the American League all-star team: 1962 and 1963 with the Athletics and 1964 with the Orioles.

Siebern was a basketball and baseball standout at Wellston High School in St. Louis County. He caught the attention of Yankees scout Lou Maguolo, who signed Siebern after he graduated from high school in 1951. During the baseball off-seasons, Siebern pursued a journalism degree from Missouri State (then known as Southwest Missouri) in Springfield. While there, he played on the 1952 and 1953 basketball teams that won NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) championships.

In 1957, Siebern had a breakout season with the Yankees’ Class AAA affiliate at Denver. He batted .349 with 45 doubles, 15 triples, 24 home runs, 118 RBI and 97 walks.

Boston bound

Ten years later, Siebern, 34, primarily was a pinch-hitter and role player. He began the 1967 season with the Giants and was dealt to the Red Sox in July.

The Red Sox were seeking a left-handed pinch-hitter and manager Dick Williams recommended they pursue Siebern. Williams, a St. Louis native, and Siebern were teammates with the 1960 Athletics.

Siebern hit .205 in 33 games for the 1967 Red Sox, but Williams kept him on the World Series roster.

Siebern vs. Gibson

In Game 1 at Boston, with Bob Gibson protecting a 2-1 Cardinals lead in the seventh inning, Reggie Smith was on first base with two outs when Williams sent Siebern to bat for catcher Russ Gibson. As Bob Gibson delivered a pitch, Smith attempted to swipe second and was thrown out on Tim McCarver’s peg to shortstop Dal Maxvill, ending the inning.

“He went on his own,” Williams said to The Sporting News. “I didn’t want him to go at that time.”

Because Siebern was at-bat, Williams was faced with either lifting him and wasting a plate appearance, or keeping him in the game. Williams opted for the latter, sending Siebern to play right field in place of Ken Harrelson.

Siebern led off the eighth with a single, moved to second on a bunt by Elston Howard and was stranded there. Gibson completed a six-hitter and got the win in a 2-1 Cardinals victory. Boxscore

In Game 4 at St. Louis, Siebern, batting for pitcher Dave Morehead, led off the eighth and flied out to center. The Cardinals won, 6-0, behind Gibson’s five-hit shutout. Boxscore

Final showdown

The decisive Game 7 in Boston was a matchup of aces: Gibson for the Cardinals and Jim Lonborg for the Red Sox.

Gibson again dominated.

In the eighth, the Red Sox, who trailed, 7-1, mounted their final threat. Rico Petrocelli doubled and advanced to third on Gibson’s wild pitch. Dalton Jones followed with a walk, putting runners on first and third with none out and “stirring the Boston crowd into shouts of encouragement,” The Sporting News reported.

Williams sent Siebern to bat for pitcher Jose Santiago.

In his book “From Ghetto to Glory,” Gibson said, “I was struggling. I decided to junk the fastball and go with the slider.”

Siebern, fooled by the slider, hit a groundball to Julian Javier at second. Javier tossed to Maxvill, retiring Jones at second on the force play, and Petrocelli scored from third. Siebern got a RBI, but Gibson, emboldened by the success of the slider, used it to retire the next two batters and defuse the threat.

Gibson completed a three-hitter in a 7-2 Cardinals victory, earning his third win of the World Series and carrying St. Louis to its second championship in four years. Boxscore

Siebern had this consolation: a World Series batting average of .333 (with a RBI) against the great Gibson.

The World Series duels versus Gibson were a last hurrah for Siebern. In 1968, his final big-league season, Siebern batted .067 in 27 games for the Red Sox before he was released in August.

Previously: Dick Williams couldn’t intimidate 1967 Cardinals

Previously: George Scott: Bob Gibson ‘won’t survive 5’ in Game 7

Previously: Do Cardinals still win if Dick Groat gets dealt for Roger Maris?

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Consistency key to Chris Carpenter winning Cy Young Award

November 13, 2015 by retrosimba

(Updated Nov. 10, 2019)

In 2005, Chris Carpenter had 21 wins, seven complete games and four shutouts for the Cardinals. No St. Louis pitcher has achieved even one of those totals in a season since.

chris_carpenter10 On Nov. 10, 2005, Carpenter joined Bob Gibson (a two-time winner, 1968 and 1970) as the only Cardinals pitchers to earn a Cy Young Award.

Displaying remarkable consistency, Carpenter, 30, was a dominant and durable force for the 2005 Cardinals.

His 2005 statistics: 21-5 record, 2.83 ERA, 33 games started, seven complete games, four shutouts, 241.2 innings pitched and 213 strikeouts.

Carpenter received 132 vote points and 19 first-place votes from the 32 members of the Baseball Writers Association of America who were allowed to take part in the balloting.

The runner-up was the Marlins’ Dontrelle Willis, who received 112 vote points and 11 first-place votes. Willis in 2005 was 22-10 with a 2.63 ERA, 34 games started, seven complete games, five shutouts, 236.1 innings pitched and 170 strikeouts.

Roger Clemens of the Astros was third in the balloting, receiving 40 vote points and two first-place votes. Clemens in 2005 was 13-8 with a 1.87 ERA, 32 games started, one complete game, no shutouts, 211.1 innings pitched and 185 strikeouts.

“It’s a great feeling and honor,” Carpenter said to the Associated Press after learning he had won the award. “A couple of years ago, I didn’t think I’d even play again.”

While with the Blue Jays, Carpenter had shoulder surgery in September 2002. He became a free agent, signed with the Cardinals and had shoulder surgery again in 2003.

After a successful comeback with the Cardinals in 2004 _ Carpenter was named winner of the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award _ Carpenter emerged as the Cardinals’ ace in 2005.

Carpenter “had from the first day of spring training (in 2005) that feel that he could energize our rotation,” manager Tony La Russa said to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “Right from the beginning he was setting the tone for our rotation and for our ballclub. He just kept elevating his performance.”

After a loss to the Red Sox on June 8, 2005, Carpenter was 8-4 with a 3.49 ERA. After that, he was, well, Cy Young-like.

The Cardinals won 17 consecutive games Carpenter started from June 14 through Sept. 13. Carpenter was 13-0 with four no-decisions in that stretch.

Also during that period, Carpenter had 16 consecutive starts of at least seven innings per start and never allowing more than three earned runs.

The 2005 season was the only one in Carpenter’s 15-year big-league career with the Blue Jays and Cardinals that he achieved 20 wins and 200 strikeouts.

According to the Post-Dispatch, Carpenter in 2005 was:

_ Quickest Cardinal to 20 wins since Dizzy Dean did it in his 23rd start of the 1934 season.

_ First Cardinal to strike out 200 batters since Jose DeLeon in 1989.

_ First Cardinal to win 20 games since Matt Morris in 2001.

_ First NL pitcher to win 10 consecutive road starts since Gibson won 12 consecutive in 1970.

Previously: Nobody did it better than Chris Carpenter in 2005

Previously: Cardinals debut helped ease doubts about Chris Carpenter

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Why John Tsitouris forever will be linked to Cardinals

November 10, 2015 by retrosimba

In September 1963, Reds pitcher John Tsitouris helped end the National League pennant chances of the Cardinals. A year later, Tsitouris helped the Cardinals become champions.

john_tsitouris Tsitouris pitched 11 seasons with the Tigers, Athletics and Reds. His major-league career record was 34-38 with a 4.13 ERA, but against the Cardinals he was 8-4 with a 2.36 ERA.

The right-hander yielded 71 hits in 91.1 career innings against the Cardinals and had six complete games. Tsitouris had more wins versus the Cardinals than he had against any other club in his career.

September shutouts

A son of a Greek immigrant father, Tsitouris was acquired by the Reds in a January 1961 trade that sent pitcher Joe Nuxhall to the Athletics.

In 1963, Tsitouris had his best big-league season, posting a 12-8 record that included a pair of September shutouts against the Cardinals.

The 1963 Cardinals had moved within a game of the first-place Dodgers entering a three-game series against them Sept. 16-18 at St. Louis. The Dodgers swept, moving four ahead of the Cardinals.

In desperate need of a win to keep alive their pennant hopes, the Cardinals opened a series against the Reds at Cincinnati on Sept. 20. Tsitouris started for the Reds against Ray Sadecki and shut out the Cardinals, holding them to three singles in a 1-0 victory. Boxscore

The Cardinals’ loss, paired with a Dodgers victory that night over the Pirates, dropped St. Louis five games out of first with six to play. The Dodgers clinched the pennant on Sept. 24

Three days later, on Sept. 27, Tsitouris, matched again against Sadecki, pitched a two-hit shutout against the Cardinals at St. Louis. The Reds broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the top of the ninth. In the bottom of the inning, Dick Groat singled and Bill White walked with two outs before Tsitouris retired Ken Boyer on a groundout, sealing the Reds’ 3-0 victory. Boxscore

“John Tsitouris has become even harder for the St. Louis Cardinals to hit than his name is to spell,” the Associated Press reported.

Fateful Phillies

In 1964, Tsitouris continued to dominate the Cardinals. He was 3-1 with a 1.98 ERA against St. Louis in five starts, including a win on July 3 when he struck out 10. Boxscore

His success against the Cardinals might have kept them from winning the 1964 pennant if not for two September performances _ a win and a loss _ by Tsitouris versus the Phillies.

After play on Sept. 20, 1964, the Phillies were in first place, holding a 6.5-game lead over the second-place Cardinals and Reds with 12 to play.

The next night, Sept. 21, the Reds opened a series against the Phillies at Philadelphia and Tsitouris was matched against Art Mahaffey. In the sixth inning, with the game scoreless, Chico Ruiz was on third base, two outs and Frank Robinson at the plate for the Reds. On an 0-and-1 count, Ruiz streaked down the third-base line as Mahaffey delivered a pitch. The throw was wide and wild, skipping past catcher Clay Dalrymple, and Ruiz stole home. Tsitouris did the rest, shutting out the Phillies on a six-hitter in a 1-0 Reds victory. Boxscore

“He surprised me,” Reds manager Dick Sisler said to The Sporting News of Ruiz’s daring dash. “I would never have called for the move.”

Said Ruiz: “I was hoping I’d be safe because I didn’t want to hear what the manager would say if I was out.”

The play did more than provide a win for the Reds. It triggered a momentum change that sent the Phillies reeling. The Phillies lost 10 in a row, allowing the Cardinals and Reds to surpass them.

On the morning of Oct. 4, the final day of the regular season, the Cardinals and Reds were tied for first, a game ahead of the Phillies. The Cardinals closed with the Mets at St. Louis and the Reds were at home against the Phillies.

The Phillies started their ace, Jim Bunning. The Reds chose Tsitouris. Jim Maloney was the Reds’ ace, but he had pitched 11 innings on Sept. 30 and Sisler thought starting him on three days rest was too risky.

The Phillies broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the third off Tsitouris, who was lifted after 2.1 innings, and cruised to a 10-0 victory. Boxscore

When the Cardinals beat the Mets, 11-5, St. Louis was the NL champion for the first time in 18 seasons. Boxscore

“I can’t agree with anyone who says I should have pitched Maloney,” Sisler said. “Percentages favored Tsitouris in this game.”

Previously: 20th win for Ray Sadecki put 1964 Cardinals into 1st place

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Don Kessinger kept Cards seat warm for Garry Templeton

November 7, 2015 by retrosimba

After more than a decade with the Cubs as one of the premier shortstops in the National League, Don Kessinger joined the rival Cardinals and stabilized the position until a phenom was ready to take over.

don_kessinger On Oct. 28, 1975, the Cardinals acquired Kessinger from the Cubs for reliever Mike Garman and a player to be named, infielder Bobby Hrapmann.

Shortstop had become a weakness since the Cardinals dealt Dal Maxvill to the Athletics in August 1972. The Cardinals had tried an array of shortstops, including Ray Busse, Mario Guerrero, Ed Brinkman and Mike Tyson, but none excelled.

The Cardinals had selected a high school shortstop, Garry Templeton, in the first round of the 1974 draft and saw him as the solution to their problem.

In the meantime, they hoped Kessinger, 33, could hold down the position while Templeton developed in the minor-league system.

Cardinals country

Kessinger, an Arkansas native, had been a baseball and basketball standout at the University of Mississippi. “I used to listen to (Cardinals) games on radio and (Stan) Musial was my favorite,” Kessinger told The Sporting News.

He signed with the Cubs as an amateur free agent in 1964 and debuted with them that year. Kessinger, possessing a strong arm and wide range, was a six-time NL all-star with the Cubs and twice (1969 and ’70) was a winner of the NL Gold Glove Award.

By September 1975, though, the Cubs were looking to rebuild with younger players. Published speculation was the Cubs would trade Kessinger.

Teams expressing the most interest were the Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals and Braves. The Yankees were reported to be offering reliever Sparky Lyle and the Cardinals were said to be offering pitcher John Curtis.

Before the season ended, Kessinger _ “acting for all the world like a displaced person,” The Sporting News wrote _ sold his house in suburban Chicago.

“I can do more to help a club now than ever before … I’ve taken care of myself and now is the time to reap the benefits from that,” Kessinger said. “I know that I’m still able to do anything on the field that I ever did. I don’t smoke, drink or run around.”

Infield shifts

Tyson had been the primary shortstop for the 1975 Cardinals. He replaced Brinkman, an American League veteran who couldn’t adjust to the artificial surface at Busch Stadium.

After acquiring Kessinger, the Cardinals traded second baseman Ted Sizemore to the Dodgers and decided to shift Tyson from shortstop to second.

During spring training in 1976, Cardinals instructor George Kissell helped Tyson adapt to his new role.

“We wanted Mike Tyson down early (in spring training) as the new second baseman so that he could get used to working with Kessinger,” Kissell said. “It’s easier for Kessinger to get used to Tyson than it is for Tyson to get used to Kessinger.”

Said manager Red Schoendienst: “If we can catch the ball, we can win.”

Fielding woes

Unfortunately for Schoendienst, the Cardinals fumbled a lot _ and lost.

Meanwhile, Templeton, 20, was establishing himself as a force. Like Kessinger, a switch-hitter, Templeton batted .321 for manager Ken Boyer at Class AAA Tulsa in 1976. He produced 142 hits in 106 games, with 24 doubles, 15 triples and 25 stolen bases.

On Aug. 9, 1976, the Cardinals called up Templeton from Tulsa and placed him in the starting lineup at shortstop. With Tyson injured, Kessinger moved to second base, a position he hadn’t played since college.

Boyer endorsed the promotion of Templeton. “I’d pay to see him play,” Boyer said.

The 1976 Cardinals committed 174 errors. Only the Giants had more errors that season among NL clubs. The Cardinals finished 72-90.

Hector Cruz, who had replaced the smooth-fielding Ken Reitz at third, had 26 errors for the 1976 Cardinals. Templetom made 24 errors in 53 games at shortstop.

Kessinger also committed 24 errors _ 18 in 113 games at shortstop and six in 31 games at second base.

Batting primarily in the No. 2 spot in the order, Kessinger hit .239 overall, with 22 doubles and 120 hits in 145 games. He was better as the No. 8 batter (.290 in 33 games) than he was in the No. 2 spot (.230 in 74 games).

Changes and transactions

After the 1976 season, Schoendienst was fired and replaced by Vern Rapp, who in 1977 started Templeton at shortstop, Tyson at second base and moved Kessinger to a utility role.

In 59 games, including 16 starts at second base and 13 starts at shortstop, Kessinger again hit .239 for the 1977 Cardinals before he was traded in August to the White Sox for minor-league pitcher Steve Staniland.

Two years later, Kessinger was named player-manager of the 1979 White Sox. He was fired in August (with a 46-60 record) and replaced by a rookie big-league manager named Tony La Russa.

Posted in Hitters, Prospects, Trades | Leave a Comment »

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