A fitting end to a rough season. I have to admit, this title defense has been pretty pathetic. After making it to within a half-game of the division lead, the wheels have definitely fallen off the Redbird bandwagon. However, the injury bug has not been kind. The following Cardinals have been sidelined for significant portions of the season:
- Ace Chris Carpenter, arguably the best pitcher in the NL, pitched only 6 innings all season.
- 3B Scott Rolen, after playing only 112 games, is done for the year.
- SS David Eckstein missed more than a month with a bad back.
- 2B Adam Kennedy has played only 87 games with a balky knee.
- #2 starter Mark Mulder missed virtually the whole season recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
- RF Juan Encarnacion is done after only 78 games.
- LF Chris Duncan, the Cards only other legitimate power threat besides Pujols, is out right now with a sports hernia.
- CF Jim Edmonds missed significant time with a pinched nerve in his back.
- C Yadier Molina has played in only 109 games with a fractured left wrist.
- Backup infielder Scott Spiezio, after dealing with an infected finger, checked himself into a substance abuse rehab facility.
- Reserve OF Preston Wilson has missed most of the season as has RP Josh Kinney.
If you’re keeping score at home, that’s the starting infield, the starting outfield, 40% of the rotation and several key reserves and relievers. Of course, it should also be noted that this team had to endure the emotional loss of RP and teammate Josh Hancock who, you’ll remember, died in an automobile accident in April. All that said, I still don’t think the ’07 Cardinals were a very good team to begin with. But given all their injuries this season, I honestly think they’ve overachieved. Here’s hoping for a productive offseason and a Cubs collapse down the stretch.
Go Cards!
already & not yet 
Some would argue that Juan Encarnacion, despite having a last name that my wife and kids love to pronounce, was “done” around 2004. Certainly one of the more baffling Jocketty signings.The way I see it is that the 2006 and 2007 Cards are flip-sides of the same coin. In 2006, everything broke their way to make and then run through the playoffs. In 2007, you pretty much have the same team with most of the breaks going the other way. In most years, both the 2006 and 2007 Cardinals are .500 teams.
I will say, I’m proud of how hard we fought down the stretch here. We couldn’t overcome the injuries was the only thing. Sure the defense wasn’t very good and the offense didn’t produce at times, but we did pull close and had the chance, but heart couldn’t make up for talent in this case. If we can stay health and improve our bullpen in the offseason, I think we can be back in the hunt next year, especially in the weak Central. GO CARDS!
3 years for Encarnacion was excessive, which we all knew at the time. At the time, I guess the thinking was he was a healthier version of Reggie Sanders (whom he was replacing). Then again, who isn’t healthier than Reggie Sanders? Tough to justify the move any way you look at it. But the ’06 Cards were a much better team than the ’07 version, in my opinion, largely because of the starting pitching. Not that any of them were worldbeaters (excepting Carpenter) but I’d take Suppan, Weaver and Marquis over Looper, Kip Wells and Mike Maroth any day. Plus, this is the year that Edmonds and Rolen have both looked a lot older. Last year they at least were kinda formidable. Now they’re both below league-average.