What Went Wrong: The Last Hurrah

Without question, the centerpiece of the St. Louis Cardinals' 2022 season was the return of their beloved legend, Albert Pujols. The Cards were coming off a 2021 season that saw them go on a winning tear in September to nab one of the National League's Wild Card spots. This year, the winning tear started about a month or so early, basically nabbing control of the National League Central from the Milwaukee Brewers, and never looked back. The Cardinals faced off against the Philadelphia Phillies in the Wild Card Series, and Game One looked like it would be quiet, until Juan Tepez struck with a pinch-hit two-run HR in the sixth inning.

Even after the HR, the Cards pitching had things in control...until they didn't. The ninth inning saw the Phillies explode offensively: six runs--five of them scored with less than two outs. The Cards ended up dropping Game One by a score of 6-3, and that's where the team's offense ended. Game Two saw St. Louis unable to do anything against Aaron Nola, and Bryce Harper's solo HR in the 2nd held up. Philly would add a second run, and that was that: the Cardinals' season came to an abrupt end.

That wasn't all that ended.

Two things come to mind with this image. First off, a story I wrote about the Pittsburgh Penguins' elimination and the possibility of their core breaking up (they remain together and will do so for at least three more seasons). Secondly, legendary music bands having farewell tours all over the world; we always hear about those. We have the same situation with this band that got back together this season. Pujols' return to the Cardinals was definitely a farewell tour, but he would go out in style, as he reached 700 career home runs (finishing with 703 total). He would return to a mostly different team, but there were still two constants: Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright.

Pujols, Molina, and Wainwright were part of the Cardinals' championship runs in 2006 and 2011, with the latter coming despite Wainwright being out for the entire season. The band broke up when Pujols signed with the Los Angeles Angels, but this year brought the trio back together for one last hurrah. And sadly, it is a last hurrah, as it's not only Pujols who is hanging it up, but Molina as well, and possibly Wainwright.

As for what went wrong for the Cardinals in this series, two things stand out the most. First off, that ninth inning. I honestly thought that the Phils would be completely shut down, but they managed to pull so many rabbits out of their hats in that ninth inning. It was a mix of bad pitching and missteps in fielding, as well as some mismanagement. Seriously, why was no one in the pen once the inning was getting out of hand? When it was 3-2, someone should have been throwing pitches, and possibly entering the game to stop the proverbial bleeding. Game One could have been salvaged if that happened.

Honestly, I expect the Cardinals to rule the NL Central until someone steps up. The NL Central is not good; the Cubs are starting over, the Reds are a mess, and the Pirates exist. That leaves the Brewers, but I have a feeling that if the Brewers do have a window, it's padlocked shut. The NL Central belongs to the Cards until they either fall off or someone else steps up to the plate. As for the Cards' own window, well, that's another story. With the Dodgers, Mets, and Braves being powerhouses, I can't see the Cardinals getting past any of them. But we should still see them every October.

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