I’m not ready for this season to end. I’m convinced that I would not be ready for the season to end even if the Cards had somehow gotten to game seven and won it all. That is just how much I love baseball. That is just how much I love the Cardinals.
This has been a special season for me. My whole life I have lived in Northern Illinois, Central Indiana, or West Michigan. This was the first full season that I have lived in the St. Louis area. (St. Peters, about 28 miles from Busch Stadium). What a season it has been!
For the first time in my life, I have experienced the excitement of actually being there on opening day. For the first time in my life, I was actually at the ball park for a meaningful Cards-Cubs game. (The one where Rolen hit a gaper against Farnsworth to win in extra innings 1-0.) For the first time in my life, I was able to see a game from a green seat. (I have never walked DOWN to my seats and looked UP to see a fly ball before.) For the first time in my life, I was able to attend eleven ballgames in one season. (In the past, it’s been tough just getting to ONE game a season, let alone eleven!) For the first time in my life, I was able to attend a playoff game. (Game 2 of the NLDS; an 8-3 win against Los Angeles). For the first time in my life, I was able to experience a ‘clinch’ game. (Game 7 of the NLCS; a 5-2 win over the Astros – and the energy was indescribable!)
Have I mentioned that I’m not ready for the season to end? I am so proud to be a Cardinal fan. I am so proud to be a part of a fan base that appreciates moving the runner over; a suicide squeeze; scoring a run from third with less than two outs; going from first to third on a single. I love being at Busch and hearing the crowd roar because of a nice defensive play or because a reliever comes in throwing strikes. I was at Busch the day Larry Walker made his Cardinal debut. How many fans will give a player a standing ovation for striking out?
There have been so many people that have said to me this year: “Soak this season in, because you will rarely see a team play so good for so long. Cherish this season, because it might be another 20 years before you see another 105 win team.” I tried. But man, how can you remember every great moment? There were so many! I don’t ever remember a season where I sat down each night to watch or listen to the game expecting to win regardless of opponent or starting pitcher. I don’t ever remember a year where I would be MORE inclined to continue to watch a game late into the night even when they fell behind, because it wasn’t a matter of IF they would come back, it was a matter of WHEN and HOW they would come back.
I tip my cap to an organization that entertained and delighted me in so many ways this year. I love how classy this team was both on and off the field. There were a lot of reasons why this team won. Some would say talent… to which I would partially agree. But I have my own theory. This team won because they had more heart and guts then anybody else. This team won because they remained calm under pressure. (Minus Julian Tavarez) This team won because of their implicit trust in each other. This group of guys won because their team was more important than the individual.
I’ve heard fans and media say things like: “Without a World Series championship, this season will be a disappointment and a failure.” Horse crap. I know that their World Series showing was a major disappointment, but we’re talking about a team that was predicted to finish third in their division by all the ‘experts’. We’re talking about a team that was criticized in the spring for not having a second baseman, or a lead-off hitter, or a left fielder, or a deep bench, or any substantial improvement in the bullpen. This was a team that was absolutely blistered when starting pitching was the topic of conversation. Those were all reasons why the Cards could not possibly win.
This was a team that had built a ten game lead by mid-July and the Baseball Tonight geniuses were STILL saying that the Cubs would catch them by September. This was a team that was continually being written off by media in all parts of the country… including our own in St. Louis, in some cases. Yet, these guys kept coming to the ballpark ready to play the game hard and ready to play the game smart.
How special was this season? Ask Chris Carpenter. Ask Tony Womack. Ask Ray Lankford. Ask Rick Ankiel. Those are all guys that were coming back from serious injuries and were still able to contribute. How special was this season? Ask Danny Haren. Ask Yadier Molina. Ask So Taguchi. Ask John Mabry. Those were all guys that were called up from the farm and gave the team a lift. How special was this season? Ask Larry Walker. Ask Roger Cedeno. Ask Reggie Sanders. Ask Jason Marquis. Ask a whole crew of guys that thrived in their first season as a Redbird. How special was this season? Ask Albert Pujols. Ask Scott Rolen. Ask Jim Edmonds. All three put up incredible, almost unbelievable, numbers. All three should be considered for the league’s MVP award. Just how special WAS this season?
As the leaves fall and another winter in the midwest settles in for the long haul, I know that a small part of me is a little less alive when baseball is not being played. I will miss seeing a 12 to 6 breaking ball. I will miss second guessing the manager. I will miss watching a baserunner score from first on a gaper. I will miss watching this lineup go to work. I will miss this great game. I will miss watching this great team. I’m not ready for this season to end…
By the way, Opening Day 2005 is 160 days away.
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