One more time... with feeling

After watching the St. Louis Cardinals' final regular season game this past Sunday, it has finally dawned on me that these are indeed the last days of Busch Stadium. It is appropriate, for a stadium that has hosted 48 post season games, that the swan song didn't end in September. If this year's team can live up to their potential there is no reason why she cannot enjoy 6 to 10 more October games within her confines. Serving as the sacrificial lamb to Boston's world championship dry spell last year will be forgotten if the Cardinals can say goodbye to the old Busch Stadium with a world championship of their own. To add to the franchise's 16 National League pennants and 9 World Series championships would serve as the perfect farewell to our old friend that has seen so many winners in the last 5 decades. In her 40 year history only 13 sub .500 teams have played at Busch; how many clubs can make that kind of statement? During that same time frame, 1966 thru 2005, the Chicago Cubs have had 25 losing seasons at Wrigley; but then again what would you expect from the "second city."

The list of players who were fortunate enough to don the birds on the bat and play at Busch during its 40 year tenure reads like a who's who of Major League baseball. You can go position by position and start listing players who are borderline HOFers if not already in or at least on their way to Cooperstown. Managers: LaRussa, Torre, Herzog, & Schoendist are some of the best skippers of all time; Pitchers: Gibson, Forsch, Andujar, Sutter, Tudor, L. Smith, & Worrel to name a few; Catchers: Simmons, Matheny, McCarver, Porter, Pena, & Pagnozzi; First Base: Hernandez, McGwire, Pujols, & Clark; Second Base: Herr, Sizemore, Oquendo, Vina; Third Base: Rolen, Boyer, Pendleton, Torre, & Rietz; SS: Ozzie, Renteria, & Templeton; Outfielders: Edmonds, Brock, Maris, Cepeda, Flood, McGee, Coleman, Van Slyke, & Shannon for starters.

Considering all of Busch Stadium's history and all of the great players that have played in the shadows of the 96 arches that encircle the field, the current roster of players comprise one of the best Cardinal teams of all time as they have posted back-to-back 100+ win seasons- a baseball rarity to say the least. True blue (actually red would be a more succinct description) Cardinal fans will remember the 2005 season fondly regardless of how this post season ends up; however, a World Series win would bookend one of the most prolific venues of baseball history and entrust her legendary status within the baseball annals of time.

We Cardinal fans have been in anguish since 1982. Yes, we have enjoyed post season success, but the final prize has eluded us a number of times. We've also endured more than our share of player injuries and baseball anomalies. Whether it was Dekinger's call, the man eating tarp, Matheny's hunting knife, or Carpenter's sudden and rare nerve disorder it seems that we always have an uphill battle come October. 2005 is no different. Rolen has another bum shoulder (see 2002 NLDS game 1 vs. AZ)and our #1 bullpen pitcher goes down with a blown elbow on the last game of the season. Even with less than our full roster at LaRussa's disposal you still have to like our chances if everyone plays up to their abilities. Tony said Sunday that, "these players will give it their best shot... and I believe we have a very good shot." All of Cardinal nation believes too.