The Cardinals leave out of Pittsburgh with essentially a split series due to the rain out of Tuesday evening, and also with a series that’s a tale of two halves. After an offensive eruption in game one, which they won 10-6 on Monday, they could barely find their way into the hit column two days later, dropping the final game of the series 5-0 to AJ Burnett. Now, as they depart to see the other Pennsylvania based team in the second leg of their current 10 game road swing, they’ve got nowhere to look but up. Here’s what to take from the Pittsburgh series, which was a revelation of some challenges that are remediable, but are becoming problems quickly.

1.Runs Parched: Last season, when the Cardinals were on, they were on. But when they were off, it was an ugly thing to see. The offense would turn off completely, and there would be no chance of scoring it would seem, only to then erupt to be able to produce runs seemingly at will. The rollercoaster hasn’t been too wide thus far this season, with them averaging 5.6 runs per game, good for third in the National League. Yet, the team’s average is still struggling (.248, good for 20^th in the NL), and they are truly living in the moment to produce runs.

The shutout suffered on Wednesday was the club’s second on the season. Burnett took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before Carlos Beltran broke it up. Despite that, they still couldn’t manage to get any runs on the board, and not counting the rained out game on Tuesday, have officially not scored in the last 15 innings. With Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay awaiting, getting out of that funk in this series would have been timely.

2. Free Joe Kelly: Kelly made a rare appearance in Monday’s game, throwing two scoreless innings, while surrendering one hit. He had not pitched since April 7^th versus the Giants, and missed the entire home stand. Kelly made the team partially out of necessity due to the Jason Motte injury changing the bullpen’s capacity, but also due to the flexibility he displayed after moving to the pen late last year and throughout the playoffs. While it is good to have him available, this is still a 24-year-old that is a starter by trait. Finding more opportunities for him to work is essential, because if they are only going to present themselves once a week, he would potentially be better used in Memphis.

3. Warrior without a clue: Lance Lynn has been the definition of a workhorse this season…but one that leaves early every day. In his three starts on the season, he has pitched a total of 15 innings, and has thrown a whopping total of 294 pitches already. That is an awful lot of work for a starts that are reaching to hit the middle point of a ballgame. Although his record is 2-0, the numbers outside of it belie what is really at work for his season. His other read outs look are seven walks against 17 strikeouts, better than one hit per inning surrendered, good for a 1.60 WHIP, contributing to a 5.40 ERA.

The problem with Lynn’s efficiency is approach. While the stuff is good, he does not miss many bats or throw in places conducive to strikes (i.e. the off the plate). Also, due to heavy volume he throws in, he wears down very early in the game and virtually guarantees his starts to be heavy bullpen games. He has once again benefit from a heavy amount of run support (8 runs per game), which makes the bad inning not look as bad, because from a certain perspective, it’s not burying the team. But a pitcher should be able to win games, not just benefit from his environment, and the telling stat is what batters are doing to him the second time around. Batters are managing a whopping .433 average on his 31^st through 60^th pitches, which is usually his second and final time seeing a lineup. Roughly speaking, he’s average one time through, and horrible the next. In order to thrive (or potentially even survive) as a starter, Lynn has to become more deceptive and make location his friend, because the reliever-turned-starter approach he’s taking now is not going to cut it.

Twice a year the group known as the United Cardinal Bloggers gather virtually to discuss the topics that are on everyone’s minds.

The torch gets passed daily to the next person to ask a question while the group of bloggers all sound off with their opinions   The November roundtables have come around and I-70′s turn has come to pass.  This year, we wanted to play to the optimists, the pessimists and the realists of the group with a predictive question towards 2013.

The email that was sent to the group read:

My question for you is two-fold and equally pessimistic and optimistic (with a dash of realistic, for Daniel’s sake)…

- What player will take a substantial injury, shelving him for the majority of the 2013 season?

- What player will gain the opportunity, and seize it, to become a cornerstone of the team next year?

The answers were varied at times and very agreeable at others.  Here’s a look at what the UCB thinks…

Dennis Lawson – PitchersHitEighth
It’s hard not to be pessimistic about injury considerations.  I’m going to try and be positive and say that the substantial injury has already happened, and it’s Jaime Garcia.  Lance Lynn could be the guy who seizes the opportunity to be a consistent guy.  Knowing what lies ahead makes it easier for Lynn to really train for 200 innings, and he can do so without looking over his shoulder.  This gives him an opportunity to look past the bullpen “demotion” and move ahead with his focus on being the kind of rock the team needs him to be.

Daniel Shoptaw - Cardinal70
I agree with Dennis that Garcia’s the injury, but I’ll say Shelby Miller takes that opportunity and puts together a season that at least puts him into consideration for Rookie of the Year.

Daniel Solzman – RedbirdRants
I have to go with Garcia on the injury.

Nick – PitchersHitEighth
Matt Holliday’s back makes me nervous, and since we’re just playing around here (please don’t ACTUALLY miss any time, Matt) I’ll say he gets shelved for some extended period of time and Oscar Taveras goes bonkers with the available at-bats.

Wes Keene – KeeneOnMLB
In the spirit of making things interesting, I’ll go a different route. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Beltran experiencing some significant downtime. The alternate lineup will look very similar to what we got in the NLCS with Craig in right and Matt Carpenter at 1st. In this scenario, I think Carp does what he does and shines. Beltran being out, while unfortunate, is one of the missing pieces the Cards are relatively well equipped to cover, provided they don’t have other significant injuries happening concurrently.

Mary Clausen – MLBVoice.com
Part 1: Jaime Garcia.  He seems to be on the DL more than is isn’t as of late.  Part 2: Shelby Miller.  I’m excited to watch this young pitcher mature onto a spot in the Cardinal rotation. Hopefully they will take him slow. We don’t want another Rick Ankiel. It’s funny (not ha ha ) that rumors say that Ankiel might pitch again. What timing? It will be Fun! to follow Rick. He’s a very gifted athlete.

Editor’s Note: The rumor about Ankiel returning to the mound has been denied by Ankiel and his agency

Tom Knuppel – CardinalsGM
I have already stated I don’t trust the health of Chris Carpenter so he is the most likely for me to choose. I don’t see him going past 10 starts and I hope that I am wrong about this.

Dathan Brooks – CardsTiedForFirst
Injuries are so tough to try and predict, and the 2nd part of the question is almost fully reliant on the 1st.  I suppose age/track record are some indicators.  Garcia, Furcal, & Beltran are all good candidates I suppose, given what we know & have seen at this point.  ’course, never count Freese out when we’re talking about health concerns, and Jon Jay could easily take a foul ball off the foot or Yadi be HBP on the hand….ya just never know.

Brian Vaughan – StanGraphs
Realistically, I already feel like Jaime Garcia is all but tied to the disabled list. The whole “not having surgery” thing seldom seems to pay long-term dividends for a player and usually only delays the inevitable. I’m going to assume he winds up watching most of the season rather than participating, and if he does, I think it’s entirely possible we see multiple starters solidify themselves.

Spencer Hendricks – StanGraphs
To be honest, none of the Cardinals are especially durable, neither the veterans (Beltran, Furcal) nor the younger guys (Freese, Craig, even Jay missed ample time this season) for that matter. There are plenty of obvious picks to make in regards to who might spend a large chunk of the season on the DL, but I’m going to make a wild, random guess just for entertainment and hope very fervently that my words don’t become prophetic. I’ll say that Molina will get off to another great start in April and then find himself tragically struck by a serious injury, missing the rest of the season. Maybe he’ll have to endure another nasty home plate collision, maybe he’ll run into Hee Seop Choi on the way to first base, who knows? All I’m saying is Molina’s going to have a 1.200 OPS in April and then be lost for the season shortly thereafter.

Mark Tomasiks – RetroSimba
Carlos Beltran likely will follow Lance Berkman in having an injury-plagued second season with the Cardinals.

Not to worry, though, because Oscar Taveras will replace him and do well.

DJ McClure - WelcomeToBaseballHeaven
The Cardinals rolled the dice with Lance Berkman in 2011 and hit the jackpot. Rolled it again with him in 2012 and busted. Hopeful we won’t see a similar story with year two of Carlos Beltran after a very good first season with the Cardinals but it’s tough to stay ahead of Father Time when injuries have already been in the equation. Carlos avoided extended time on the DL this season but did have a number of nagging injuries. If that’s the case next season compensating for those could lead to more serious problems. Of course hopefully not.

As for who would pick up the slack? Yep,  Mr. Oscar Taveras (AKA Minor League Guy). He’s definitely not a secret in STL and hasn’t seen a pitch in AAA yet, but I think they’d give him a legitimate shot if needed as long as he was progressing in Memphis. He’s only a year younger than Mike Trout who was in a similar spot as Oscar last year and look how that turned out.

Christine Coleman – AaronMilesFastball
As many have already said, I think the substantial injury waiting to happen is Jaime Garcia and his shoulder. I was already a little nervous reading a week or so ago when John Mozeliak said they are holding their breath a bit regarding Garcia not having surgery now, so that just seems like a serious problem waiting to happen.

Chris Reed - BirdBrained
It’s hard to believe, but the most durable guys on this team seem to be Yadier Molina and Jason Motte. Jaime Garcia, Rafael Furcal, and Chris Carpenter seem to be the most obvious choices for the long-term DL since they’re practically there already, with Carlos Beltran also a solid choice. And don’t forget the ever-present questions surrounding the young careers of David Freese and Allen Craig. Ugh. It makes ME hurt just thinking about it.

I honestly don’t think we’re going to see a lot–if any at all–of Garcia next year. A shoulder injury is just about the worst thing that can happen to a pitcher. He may be able to pitch through it for a while, but surgery or no this will catch up to him in a hurry. I’m guessing Garcia takes the ball less than six times in 2013. And, consequently, it becomes Miller Time in St. Louis. Shelby Miller will step into the role and have a very nice rookie season–perhaps even make some noise in the Rookie of the Year voting. But you said “cornerstone,” and I have trouble attaching that label to most rookies. What will really propel the 2013 rotation to greatness will be the return to Ace form of Adam Wainwright. His leadership on and off the field will be what holds the starting five together in the absence of Garcia (and Carp, if necessary).

It’s easy for Kansas City Royals fans to become cynical when the team is playing yet another meaningless September and likely another losing season. But this year, three of the Royals Minor League affiliates are in the playoffs: the short season Rookie Burlington (NC) Royals, the High A Wilmington (DE) Blue Rocks and the AAA Omaha (NE) Storm Chasers.

The Burlington Royals won the Appalachian League East division 41-25 and played a three game series against the Johnson City Cardinals, a Cardinal affiliate. The Royals won the series two games to one, advancing to the three game League Championship Series against the Elizabethton Twins, a Twins affiliate. The Royals and Twins split the first two games, the Royals winning 3-2 in the first contest and the Twins winning the second game 4-3.

The final game was at Elizabethton and with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Royals were ahead 6-1 and were one out away from winning the championship.

Then Kansas City Royals luck struck the Burlington Royals. The Twins had a walk, a hit batsman scored a run, a wild pitch scored another run and then a three run homer tied the game 6-6. The Royals would get the final out and extra innings would decide the winner of the contest. But in the bottom of the 12th, the Twins got three walks before first baseman D.J. Hicks hit a grand slam, winning the final Appalachian League Championship game 10-6.

It was a crushing loss to the Burlington Royals, but the good news was only 573 people saw the final game and it will prepare the young Royals for disappointment. Yes, I’m cynical, but that’s what Royals fans do.

Class High A Wilmington won the Carolina League Northern division with a 37-33 second-half record. Yesterday the Blue Rocks started a three game Division Championship series against the Lynchburg Hillcats, a Braves afilliate, who was a first-half Northern division winner. The Blue Rocks lost the opening game of the series 8-0 at Wilmington. The winner of the series will face the winner of the Winston-Salem Dash (CWS) and Myrtle Beach Pelicans (TEX) series for the Carolina League Championship.

The last time the Blue Rocks were in the playoffs was in 2009, when they had players like Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Johnny Giavotella, Louis Coleman, Danny Duffy and Everett Teaford on the team. By the way, the 2009 Blue Rocks lost in the first round of the playoffs against the Hillcats.

The third Royals affiliate to make the playoffs are the AAA Omaha Storm Chasers. The Chasers won the Pacific Coast League title last season and this year they won the American Northern division with a 83-61 record. Yesterday, the Chasers opened a best of five game American Conference Championship series against the Dodgers affiliate Albuquerque Isotopes and as of 10pm Wednesday, the Chasers were ahead 8-4.

The Chasers have top prospects Jake Odorizzi and Baseball America and USA Today Minor League Player of the Year Wil Myers, along with solid minor leaguers Irving Falu, Clint Robinson, Mitch Maier and Nathan Adcock. And current Royals Johnny Giavotella, Everett Teaford, Will Smith, Vin Mazzaro, Tony Abreu and David Lough contributed to the Chasers successful season.

If the Chasers win the series, they will face the winner of the Reno Aces (ARI) Sacramento River Cats (OAK) for the Pacific Coast League Championship in a best of five game series.

It’s encouraging, but despite some of the current Royals players having Minor League playoff experience, it hasn’t translated to winning in the Major Leagues. The playoff success of the Royals minor league teams shows the strength of the farm system, but that success hasn’t translated to the Major Leagues yet.

Time will tell if the Blue Rocks and Storm Chasers win their league titles or go down like the Burlington Royals. The Blue Rocks and Storm Chasers have one thing on their side. They aren’t named the Royals. Sorry, I’m being cynical again. But that’s what Royals fans do.

With the Hall Of Fame election announcement coming on January 9, 2012, it is time to review the ballot, go over the names, and decide who belongs in the Hall Of Fame.

There are twenty seven men on the ballot this year and we will take a look at each one individually prior to official announcements. You can find all of the profiles in the I-70 Baseball Exclusives: Cooperstown Choices 2012 menu at the top of the page.

Tune in Saturday, January 7, 2012 as I-70 Baseball Radio will host a panel of writers discussing the Hall Of Fame Ballot in a 2-hour special.

In this article, we take a look at Jeff Bagwell

Jeff Bagwell
One of the “Killer B’s” that spent his entire fifteen year career with the Houston Astros, Jeff Bagwell was one of the National League’s premier first baseman from his debut in 1991 until his final game in 2005. Bagwell is on the ballot for the second time.

Why He Should Get In
Bagwell’s career was littered with league leading statistics, consistent all-around play, and consideration as the premier player on his team. Bagwell was awarded the Jackie Robinson Award as the top rookie in 1991, the Most Valuable Player Award in 1994, appeared in four All Star games, won one Gold Glove, and three silver slugger awards. His home run total may clock in at 449, which many consider to low for automatic induction, but backed by 488 doubles, 202 stolen bases, and 1529 runs batted in as well as a career .297 batting average and Bagwell looks like a player that deserves to be bronzed in the halls of Cooperstown.

Why He Should Not Get In
On numbers alone, he falls short of the home run and hit totals that voters will look for. His career was cut short due to injuries, preventing him from reaching many career milestones. Though he did receive awards and recognition, it was up and down and not consistent year over year. He is from the steroid era and many raise an eyebrow due to his general size, but it should be noted that he has never been connected to performance enhancing drugs and that should not be a factor.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball as well as the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.com.
Follow him on Twitter here.

With the Hall Of Fame election announcement coming on January 9, 2012, it is time to review the ballot, go over the names, and decide who belongs in the Hall Of Fame.

There are twenty seven men on the ballot this year and we will take a look at each one individually prior to official announcements. You can find all of the profiles in the I-70 Baseball Exclusives: Cooperstown Choices 2012 menu at the top of the page.

Tune in Saturday, January 7, 2012 as I-70 Baseball Radio will host a panel of writers discussing the Hall Of Fame Ballot in a 2-hour special.

In this article, we take a look at Brian Jordan.

Brian Jordan
The two-sport superstar trying to follow in the footsteps of Bo Jackson, Brian Jordan arrived on the Major League scene in 1992 as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. The team would soon sign him to a baseball only contract and the former All-Pro Safety would concentrate his efforts in the outfield. He would play his final game in 2006 with the Atlanta Braves, making this his first year on the ballot.

Why He Should Get In
The case for Brian Jordan to reach Cooperstown is a fairly weak one. A career riddled with injuries towards the end, he can boast 1,454 hits and 184 home runs while driving in 821 runs. In an era where corner outfielders were power hitters that ranked high in the league in most categories, Jordan was average and had a solid career, albeit not a legendary one. His lone All Star appearance came in 1999.

Why He Should Not Get In
Jordan, as said above, had a solid career and was a key component for many clubs. He was not, however, the central part of any of those teams. His lone All Star appearance is the only “award” he ever received and his career numbers keep him well below that of a Hall Of Famer.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball as well as the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.com.
Follow him on Twitter here.

With the Hall Of Fame election announcement coming on January 9, 2012, it is time to review the ballot, go over the names, and decide who belongs in the Hall Of Fame.

There are twenty seven men on the ballot this year and we will take a look at each one individually prior to official announcements. You can find all of the profiles in the I-70 Baseball Exclusives: Cooperstown Choices 2012 menu at the top of the page.

Tune in Saturday, January 7, 2012 as I-70 Baseball Radio will host a panel of writers discussing the Hall Of Fame Ballot in a 2-hour special.

In this article, we take a look at Bernie Williams.

Bernie Williams
Bernie patrolled center field in the Bronx for sixteen seasons, spending his entire career with the New York Yankees. A young man who made his debut in 1991 and played his final game in 2006, this will be the first year that Bernie appears on the ballot.

Why He Should Get In
Bernie was one of the premier center fielders of his generation, hanging just behind the big names like Ken Griffey, Jr. His 2,300 hits, lifetime .297 batting average, 287 home runs and 1,200 runs batted in are all solid number for the voters to consider. His four consecutive Gold Glove awards (1997 – 2000), five straight All Star appearances (1997-2001), and 2002 Silver Slugger award display his abilities and place high above his peers in multiple facets of the game. He took home a batting title in 1998 and holds a lifetime .381 on base percentage and .858 OPS (On Base Plus Slugging Percentage). Baseball-Reference ranks him with a Hall Of Fame score of 48 where the average Hall Of Famer ranks a score of 50.

Why He Should Not Get In
Bernie Williams is a bubble Hall Of Famer that will find his way into Cooperstown at some point. However, being his first time on the ballot, no matter how weak the class, will hold him out this year due to many voters feeling that first ballot is not a place for such a player. His stats are just under the marks for most Hall Of Famers, but he played during a time that is tainted with steroids and has never been connected to them himself, which will allow some voters to tout his ability to play a clean game. He fell short of some of the milestones most players feel they need to hit for induction. It will take time for Bernie Williams.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball as well as the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.com.
Follow him on Twitter here.

Game six rolls around and the Cardinals find themselves in yet another do-or-die situation. The team must win to extend their 2011 season. Extending the season is required at this point to keep a lifelong Cardinal in the home team uniform for one more game.

No, I’m not talking about Albert Pujols. I speak of Skip Schumaker.

I do not sit here and pretend that Skip Schumaker is not replaceable, nor do I feel he is a future Cardinal legend of any kind. He simply has never been in that category. What he has been, however, is a player that has given the team and the fans everything he has on a daily basis. He is an outfielder who has spent the better part of the last three seasons playing second base because that is where the team needed him. He has been a near .300 hitter for his career while batting almost everywhere in the lineup.

I have been one of the biggest critics of the second base transition for Skip Schumaker. I am also a very big fan of Schumaker as a St. Louis Cardinal, but feel he is much more valuable in the outfield. He is a speedy fielder with a live arm and good instincts. He can play all three outfield positions very well and projects well as a fourth-outfielder in key spots, such as filling in for Jon Jay in the centerfield in the World Series.

Skip Schumaker’s Career Stats

When it comes time to decide who stays and who goes at the end of this season the name Skip Schumaker will be batted around. If his name comes up as a solution to the middle infield rebuilding process, then it is time to let Skip find his way onto another roster. If, however, there is room for Schumaker to be the fourth (or fifth) outfielder on this team, I think he deserves to remain a part of this franchise.

When game six plays out, and game seven follows if necessary, the fans will stand and applaud Albert Pujols as he takes what may be his final at bat in front of a home town crowd that realizes he is a once in a lifetime player. At some point during that game, Schumaker will possibly take his final at bat in front of that same crowd. The young man has bled Cardinal baseball since he was drafted in 2001. He has given the fans everything he has had in the outfield, infield, and even on the mound. If you are lucky enough to be in attendance for whichever game proves to be the end of the 2011 season, I ask but one favor: recognize Skip Schumaker for the player that he has been for this team and show him that St. Louis appreciates him.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball as well as the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.com.
Follow him on Twitter here.

It was one month ago today when Cardinals fans packEd Busch Stadium for the final regular season game of 2011. As the crowd of 41,469 passed through the turnstile, many knew in the back of their minds it could very well be the last home game Albert Pujols ever played in a Cardinals’ uniform. St. Louis was still 2 games back of the Atlanta Braves for the final playoff spot in the National League with just 4 games to play. Though everyone hoped that the Cardinals would make the postseason tournament, or better yet – that Pujols would resign, no one was willing to take any chances.

So on September 25^th in a game versus the Chicago Cubs, Pujols received ovation after standing ovation from the sellout crowd. Win or lose, stay or go, fans let Albert know how much his play was appreciated over the last 11 seasons. Up to that point, Pujols had led the Cardinals to 2 World Series appearances and one championship, collecting three MVPs, a Rookie of the Year Award, and amassed dozens of other accolades along the way. Thanks to an 8^th inning go-ahead home run by shortstop Rafael Furcal, the Cardinals won that game and eventually clinched a playoff spot on the final game of the season.

So on October 4^th and 5^th, Cardinals fans got to see Albert a couple more times wearing the home red and white uniform. With the Cardinals trailing 2-1 the best of 5 series versus the National League’s best regular season team, fans again braced themselves for the worst in Game 4. For the second time in a week, it could’ve been Pujols’ final game in a Cardinal uniform. But thanks to a big 2-run home run by 3^rd baseman David Freese… and a lights out 3-hit shutout of the Philadelphia Phillies by Chris Carpenter in Game 5, the Cardinals again advanced.

So on October 14^th, fans once again packed Busch Stadium for what could have been Albert’s final home game as a Cardinal. The Cardinals cruised to a 7-1 victory, clinched the National League Pennant two days later in Milwaukee, and once again set the stage for Albert to return home.

So on October 20^th, the Cardinals hosted the Texas Rangers for Game 2 of the World Series. Win or lose, it once again could’ve been Pujols’ last home game as a Cardinal. In the bottom of the 8^th inning, it what could’ve been his final at bat at Busch Stadium in a Cardinal uniform… Pujols launched a ball back… to the track… to the wall… caught. The next inning, Albert made a critical fielding error that led directly to the game-winning run for the Rangers. Could that really be the final memory Cardinals fans would get of perhaps the greatest baseball icon in franchise history?

Of course not.

Wednesday, the World Series (and Pujols) returns to Busch Stadium for Game 6. For the 5^th time in a month, it could very well be Pujols’ final home game in a Cardinal uniform. Thursday’s Game 7 (if necessary) could be the 6^th. Like great theatre, the Cardinals season – and Pujols’ tenure in St. Louis – simply does not want to end until every last moment of heart-racing drama has taken place. In this drama’s previous 4 acts… our protagonist has come up short. Pujols has gone 1 for 16 with no HRs and 1 RBI in the other four games that could’ve been his last. There’s no telling what we can expect tomorrow in Game 6… or what possibly might lie ahead in Game 7… but I do want to remind you of a couple things: This is the same man who, with the team one out from elimination in the 2005 NLCS… hit a 3-run home run off the best closer in baseball to give the Cardinals a 1-run victory. The same man who just had a “down” year… hitting .299 with 38 home runs. The man who drove in the game tying run in Game 7 of the 2004 NLCS… and the man who scored the winning run that same inning. This is the man who hit walk-off home runs on consecutive days earlier this year to keep the Cardinals’ season afloat. This is the man who just 3 days ago become the 3^rd man in baseball history to hit 3 home runs in a World Series game, the 3^rd man in history to drive in 6 runs in a World Series game, and the 2^nd man to have 5 hits in a World Series game… and reached all three of those benchmarks with 1 swing of the bat in the 9^th inning.

This is the man who we’ll all be telling our grandkids about someday, and his final script in St. Louis has not yet been written. Sit back enjoy the final days of an unforgettable baseball season.

The St. Louis Cardinals find themselves one win from their 18th World Series appearance after beating the Milwaukee Brewers 7-1 Friday night to take a three games to two lead in the NLCS. The Cards got timely hits, capitalized on numerous Milwaukee mistakes, and turned in another stellar bullpen performance in the last NLCS game at Busch Stadium for 2011.

It is interesting to note that three times in the last three weeks, the Cardinals have played a home game that could have turned out to be the final game at Busch for the year. Each could also have been the final home game for Albert Pujols and/or Tony LaRussa (among others) as a Cardinal. Yet they have won each of these games, and eventually clinched some type of victory that allows this 2011 season to continue on to the next level. And they have to do it once again.

Maybe it was a nod from the baseball gods that the Cardinals won. October 14th is the anniversary of another pivotal Game 5: the 1985 NLCS. And with Ozzie Smith in the house to throw out he first pitch while Jack Buck’s golden voice set the scene over the video replay from 26 years ago, it really felt like there was no way the Cardinals could lose this game. The difference in this year’s Game 5, of course, was the absence of the heart-stopping, dramatic ending. But a win is a win, and the most unenviable position imaginable would be having to go win two games in a row in Milwaukee in order to win the series. Instead, the Cards enjoy one more “Happy Flight” that hopefully isn’t their last.

That’s not to say the Cards have no shot at winning at Miller Park. Obviously they’ve already won one game there this series and they won several there during the regular season. If nothing drastic happens, the Cardinals definitely have the better starting pitcher going in Game 6 (Edwin Jackson over Shawn Marcum) and at the very least carry a slight advantage for Game 7 (Chris Carpenter over Yovani Gallardo). And with momentum on their side, the Cards have to be the favorites—if only by a hair—to win this thing and move on to the World Series.

Had the Cardinals not given up the lead in Game 4, all the discussion about games in Milwaukee would be moot; they would have wrapped up the series Friday. But it was the Brewers who played themselves out of the game this time. They committed four errors, their pitching wasn’t very good, and they came up empty in clutch situations. As a result, their backs are against the wall for however long this series lasts.

And now, the NLCS shifts back to Milwaukee. Maybe the Cards can wrap this thing up Sunday and give everyone all the rest they need back home before the World Series starts up in St. Louis. Maybe we’ll see a go-ahead bomb from Pujols while Nyjer Morgan watches it fly over his head then throws his glove down in disgust.

Regardless, Game 5 was just another must-win game for the St. Louis Cardinals. They’re probably getting pretty used to them these days, considering every game has been a must-win since the end of August. And that’s how they should view Game 6 as well.

The year 1982 marked the first of three 1980′s appearances in the World Series for the St. Louis Cardinals. It also marks the one and only time that the Milwaukee Brewers reached the World Series.

With the two teams, now in the same league, prepared to face off for the National League Pennant, i70baseball brings you a look back to that series in 1982. A monumental series that took all seven games to decide a winner. A series that would see would see both teams win a game by a double digit margin as well as each team winning a game by two or fewer runs.

You can read more about Game One by clicking here.

After being blown out of game one by the underdog Brewers, the Cardinals would look to salvage a split at home before heading to Milwaukee for three games. The Brewers on the other hand would be out for blood, hoping to take both games at Busch Memorial Stadium and head back home with a huge advantage. The second game of this series was played on Wednesday, October 13…

Game Two: October 13, 1982
The Brewers would turn to Don Sutton, acquired at the end of August from the Houston Astros in a trade, to pitch game two. Sutton had on overall record that season of 17-9 with a 3.06 earned run average with his Milwaukee numbers being 4-1 with a 3.29 ERA. Sutton was on the backside of his 23-year, major league career but had proven effective for the Brewers.

The Cardinals countered with rookie hurler John Stuper. The young man received his first call to the majors in June of that year and compiled a 9-7 record with a 3.36 earned run average. His career would see him split time between the bullpen and the rotation with moderate success prior to coming to an end in 1986. His final game was as a Cincinnati Red in 1985 prior to being traded to the Montreal Expos that offseason. He never appeared for the Expos.

Stuper would not help his cause in this game, getting into trouble early after walking Robin Yount in the first. His defense would come to his aid and turn a double play to get out of the inning and Cards fans would hope for some momentum to build. In the second inning, Stuper would again issue a free pass, this time to Gordon Thomas. Thomas would be erased on a fielder’s choice ground out by Roy Howell, who would advance to second on a wild pitch from the ineffective Cardinal starter. Charlie Moore‘s double to left-center would put the Brewers on the board and the Cardinals were playing from behind once again.

The third inning would not yield better results for Cardinal fans. Paul Molitor would lead off the inning with a base hit, following it up with a steal of second base and moving to third on another wild pitch. Robin Yount’s ground out to second base would allow Molitor to score and the Brewers would take a 2-0 lead. Two batters later, Ted Simmons would take on a run with a solo blast to right field and the Brewers were now on top 3-0 after two and a half innings.

For the first time in the series, the Cardinals offense would get going in the bottom of the third and they would start chipping away at the lead. Dane Iorg would get the inning started with a single before being erased on Willie McGee‘s groundout. McGee would steal second and move up to third on Ozzie Smith‘s groundout. Second baseman Tommy Herr would put a run on the scoreboard for the Cardinals for the first time in the series with a ground rule double to right-center field. Herr would then score on Kent Oberkfell’s single and when the third inning came to a close, the Cards had pulled within one.

After an uneventful fourth inning, the question of “How short is Stuper’s leash?” would be answered quickly in the fifth, as he was removed from the game after surrendering a leadoff double to Yount. Jim Kaat would enter the game in relief and immediately surrender a run scoring single to Cecil Cooper, putting the Brewers on top 4-2. The book on Stuper would be closed at four innings, six hits, four runs (all earned), three walks, three strikeouts and a home run.

Both teams would roll along until the bottom of the sixth when the Cardinals would surge back. The term Whiteyball would be used often in the 1980′s to describe the Cardinals and it was represented well in the sixth inning of the second game of the 1982 World Series. With one out, Kent Oberkfell would single to right field. Oberkfell would then steal second base and advance to third on Keith Hernandez‘s flyball to right. George Hendrick would work a walk and catcher Darrel Porter would shoot a line drive down the left field line scoring both men and tying the game at four runs a piece.

The bullpens would battle into the eight with Bob McClure now on the hill for the Brewers and Bruce Sutter on for the Cards. In the bottom of the eighth inning, McClure would be lifted from the game with one out after walking Hernandez and surrendering a base hit to Darrel Porter. The Brewers would hand the ball to Pete Ladd. Ladd had pitched well in limited action in 1982 and the Brewers needed him to stop the bleeding with runners at first and second and only one out. Ladd, however, would walk Lonnie Smith to load the bases and issue a second free pass to Steve Braun to force in the go-ahead run. He would get McGee to line out to the shortstop before surrendering a base hit to Ozzie Smith. Unfortunately for Cardinal fans, it is only a base hit in the record books. The ball would hit Steve Braun as he was running from first to second and bring an end to the inning with the Cardinals now in the lead for the first time in the series.

Sutter, and Porter, would nail down the victory in the ninth inning. A leadoff single from Molitor would be erased when Porter would throw him out attempting to steal second base and Sutter would close the door on Yount and Cooper to preserve a victory and even the series at a game a piece. The Cardinals had come from behind and won game two by a score of 5-4.

The teams would travel the following day before resuming the series in Milwaukee for game three. Check back on Wednesday as i70baseball continues to bring you the 1982 World Series.

Stay tuned as i70baseball brings you game recaps for all seven games of the 1982 World Series on game days of the 2011 National League Championship Series.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball as well as the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.com.
Follow him on Twitter here.