Read More: Jake Westbrook (P – STL), Roy Oswalt (P – PHI), Kyle Lohse (P – STL), Carlos Beltran (RF – STL), Rafael Furcal (SS – STL), Albert Pujols (1B – ANA), Adam Wainwright (P – STL), Jaime Garcia (P – STL), St. Louis Cardinals

Starting pitching hasn’t really been a major target for the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason, but Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe is reporting that they’re showing interest in free agent Roy Oswalt. Oswalt is reportedly willing to accept a one-year contract, and teams like the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have also shown interest.

Oswalt, 34, spent last season with the Philadelphia Phillies after being a career-long Houston Astro. He only made 23 starts as he battled back issues, but he was effective when he was able to get on the mound. In 139 innings, he posted a 3.69 ERA with solid peripheral statistics, so he can still be a high-quality option even if he’s no longer a top-of-the-rotation staple.

For the Cardinals, interest likely is based on their payroll flexibility. St. Louis has had an expectedly large amount of money to spend this offseason after Albert Pujols’ departure, and while they’ve spent some of it on the likes of Rafael Furcal and Carlos Beltran, there’s probably still a bit more to spend there. Their current rotation includes Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, Jaime Garcia, Kyle Lohse and Jake Westbrook.

Stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the St. Louis Cardinals, be sure to visit Viva El Birdos or drop by Baseball Nation for more news and notes from around the league. Keep abreast of all MLB transactions and rumors at MLB Daily Dish.

Read More: Jake Westbrook (P – STL), Octavio Dotel (P – STL), Kyle Lohse (P – STL), Edwin Jackson (P – STL), Rafael Furcal (SS – STL), Albert Pujols (1B – STL), Adam Wainwright (P – STL), Arthur Rhodes (P – STL), Jaime Garcia (P – STL), St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals have offered salary arbitration to franchise cornerstone Albert Pujols (Type A) and starting pitcher Edwin Jackson (Type B), but have declined to make offers to Rafael Furcal (Type B) and relief pitcher Arthur Rhodes (Type B), per a Twitter report from Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The only remaining player subject to arbitration is relief pitcher Octavio Dotel, but the team is not required to offer salary arbitration to Dotel because his compensation status was adjusted downward from Type A to Type B by the league on Tuesday.

The decision to approve or decline salary arbitration does not act as a proxy for the team’s interest in keeping each player in a Cardinals uniform, as MLB.com explains:

Of the four, the Cardinals retain some interest in return engagements with Dotel and Furcal, and possibly Rhodes, but Jackson isn’t expected to return. The Cardinals have five starting pitchers under contract for 2012 — Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter, Jaime Garcia, Kyle Lohse and Jake Westbrook — and traded for Jackson with the expectation that he would depart via free agency.    

As noted by Dan Moore of SB Nation St. Louis earlier in the week, Albert Pujols is not expected to accept salary arbitration, and the site will have timely updates on any decisions made the other players and all other off-season moves as well.

For more updates and analysis on the St. Louis Cardinals, check out Viva El Birdos. Stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis for more breaking news on all matters St. Louis sports. For MLB Off-Season news make sure to visit MLB Daily Dish.

They did it! The most improbable ending to one of the most amazing comebacks in baseball history has given the St. Louis Cardinals a World Series Championship.

Chris Carpenter, the ace pitcher for a club that was 10 1/2 games out of the National League Wildcard lead in late August, gave up only two runs in six innings in Game 7 of the World Series as the Cardinals beat the Texas Rangers 6-2.

It was the third World Series championship for Manager Tony LaRussa, who has won two titles in the National League with St. Louis, and one in the American League with Oakland. ”This is what you dream about,” LaRussa said. There isn’t anybody on this team, too, that when you’re a young kid you don’t think about winning the World Series, and it’s always in Game 7. Truly a dream come true. It’s hard to imagine it actually happened.”

St. Louis third baseman and hometown hero David Freese, who ended one the biggest games in Cardinals history with a walkoff home run in Game 6, was named the World Series Most Valuable Player. He batted .348 with three doubles, a triple, a home run, seven RBI and four runs scored during the Fall Classic.

KTTS News asked Freese about going from being injured while being on a rehab assignment with the Springfield Cardinals last season, to being on top of the world now. “I think you’ve got to kind of take a step back and understand all the work you’ve put into it, and then you realize how many people are the reason why you’re here, starting with my folks” Freese said. “You know, I quit out of high school, and they were the only two people that supported that decision. If I listened to everybody else, I wouldn’t be here right now.” 

Freese was a key player in the finale. After Texas jumped out to a 2-0 1st inning lead on back to back RBI doubles by Josh Hamilton and Michael Young, it was Freese’s two run double to left center that allowed the Cardinals to tie the game 2-2 before the second inning ever started.

Former Springfield Cardinal Allen Craig homered in the 3rd inning, giving St. Louis a 3-2 lead, and the Redbirds never looked back.

The Cardinals increased the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the 5th without the benefit of a hit. They used three walks and two hit batters to begin to pull away from the Rangers.

Yadier Molina had an RBI single in the 7th to give the Cardinals a four run cushion, 6-2, and that’s all they needed. Arthur Rhodes, Octavio Dotel, Lance Lynn and Jason Motte shut down Texas’ mighty offense.

Matt Harrison, who gave up three runs on five hits in four innings for the Rangers, took the loss.

The contest marked what may have been the last game for slugger Albert Pujols in a Cardinal uniform. Pujols, who’s eligible to become a free agent at any time, was asked by outfielder Lance Berkman to “Come back. Let’s do this again.” And what did Pujols tell him? ”Just the same thing that I’m going to tell you,” Pujols said. “I was enjoying the moment. Look, I’m going to be prayerful about it. Whatever decision I make hopefully is the best decision I make for my family and the fans and everybody.”

On this night, at least, Pujols is a proud Cardinal who celebrated his second World Series title. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

 

Times wires

In Print: Friday, October 28, 2011

---

The Cardinals’ Matt Holliday upends Rangers infielder Elvis Andrus in the fourth inning on Thursday night in Game 6.
	[Getty Images]

ST. LOUIS — Twice down to their last strike, the Cardinals kept rallying to win one of baseball’s greatest thrillers.

David Freese completed a startling night of comebacks with a home run leading off the bottom of the 11th to beat Texas 10-9 Thursday night, and suddenly fans all over got something they have waited a long time to see: Game 7 in the World Series.

“Man, that was incredible,” Freese said. “But we fought back, we made some mistakes early on, but the way we have been playing lately, you expect to come back like this. This is just a good feeling, and I’m pumped we’re playing (tonight).

“Just an incredible feeling, seeing all my teammates at the dish waiting for me.”

Freese, the hometown boy who made good, had already written himself into St. Louis lore in Game 6 with a two-strike, two-out, two-run triple in the ninth off Rangers closer Neftali Feliz that made tied the score at 7.

“Initially I was like ‘Are you kidding me? My first (at-bat) off Feliz in this situation ever,’ ” Freese said. “I just beared down, got a pitch to hit. Initially I thought I hit it pretty good, I thought (rightfielder Nelson Cruz) was going to grab it, so just a lot of emotions on that one.”

After banged-up Josh Hamilton hit a two-run homer in the Texas 10th, St. Louis again tied it when Lance Berkman hit a two-out single on a 2-and-2 pitch from Scott Feldman.

Busch Stadium was still in frenzy when Freese opened the 11th with a leadoff shot over the centerfield wall off Mark Lowe. Freese thrust his arm in the air as he rounded first base, and the crowd was delirious.

“You had to be here to believe it,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said.

The collapse was unprecedented. No team had ever come from behind twice in the ninth inning and later to tie a World Series game or take the lead.

“I understand it’s not over till you get that last out,” Texas manager Ron Washington said. “I was just sitting there praying we got that last out. We didn’t get it.”

A night that started off terribly for both teams turned terrific for everyone watching.

After it was over, La Russa, a Tampa native, wasn’t willing to announce his starter for Game 7 — many believe it will be ace Chris Carpenter on three days’ rest. Matt Harrison is set to start for Texas.

Home teams have won the last eight Game 7s in the World Series, a streak that started with the Cardinals beating Milwaukee in 1982.

Texas trudged off the field as Freese circled the bases after connecting off Lowe, having been so close to that elusive title.

Much earlier, team president Nolan Ryan was high-fiving friends in the stands as Adrian Beltre and Cruz opened the seventh inning with home runs that helped Texas take a 7-4 lead.

Allen Craig’s solo homer in the eighth began the Cardinals’ comeback. Jake Westbrook wound up with the victory.

Hardly the ending anyone imagined in a game that started out with a bevy of errors and bobbles — none more surprising than the routine popup that Freese simply dropped at third base.

“I’m just glad I had a chance after I looked like an idiot on that popup,” Freese said.

The Cardinals made it 4-all in the sixth when Alexi Ogando relieved starter Colby Lewis and walked Yadier Molina with the bases loaded.

Then came a key play — catcher Mike Napoli and Beltre teamed up to pick off Matt Holliday at third with the bases loaded.

With one out, Napoli zipped a throw to Beltre, who neatly used his cleat to block the diving Holliday from reaching the base. That also ended Holliday’s night with a severely bruised right pinkie.

Texas wasn’t quite out of trouble as Nick Punto walked to reload the bases. But Derek Holland, the star of Game 4 with shutout ball into the ninth inning, trotted in from the bullpen and retired Jon Jay on a comebacker.

[Last modified: Oct 28, 2011 06:54 AM]

Click here for reuse options!

Copyright 2011 St. Petersburg Times

You must enable javascript to view and add comments.

St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa made two key mistakes in Game 5 of the 2011 World Series , both of which he admitted. First was that LaRussa miscommunicated with his bullpen . The wrong pitchers were warming up and facing the wrong batters. Then he let superstar Albert Pujols(notes) call a hit-and-run situation from the batter’s box. Unfortunately, Allen Craig(notes) was caught stealing as Pujols failed to swing at the pitch.

Watching the game, I was aghast that St. Louis unraveled so thoroughly in two innings after commanding much of Game 5. The normally solid bullpen choked.

Hopefully LaRussa won’t make critical errors in Game 6. His club has to win two games in a row to win a world championship. Although not out of the realm of possibility, the way St. Louis lost two games in the World Series is startling. Game 2 saw the bullpen collapse and give up a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1. The same thing happened in Game 5 when Chris Carpenter had a 2-0 lead and then gave up two solo home runs to tie it. The bullpen lost it in the eighth.

After losing two close games, the franchise is on the brink of elimination during one of its greatest late-season runs into the playoffs. Frankly, Cardinals fans deserve this World Series in the final year of Pujols’ contract. The most feared hitter in Major League Baseball may be with another team next year. With his meteoric numbers in 11 seasons, it has been a joy to watch Prince Albert play in St. Louis.

Luckily the World Series isn’t over yet. St. Louis can learn from its mistakes. Winning at home has been a specialty of the Cardinals this year, especially in August and September. The team’s magical comeback to end the season was surreal even to get to this point.

Earlier in the World Series and throughout the NLCS, fans saw the brilliance of LaRussa who is sure to be a hall of fame manager. Yet for two ugly innings Oct. 24, the Cardinal skipper looked like a rookie.

LaRussa himself said he had never seen anything like the phone incident ever in his managerial career. If St. Louis loses the World Series, he may never get a chance to rectify his mistake. The best thing he can do is win two for the fans over the next two nights. His job may even depend upon it.

William Browning was born in St. Louis and is a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. He currently resides in Branson, Mo.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The St. Louis Cardinals are now just three wins away from a World Series championship after beating the Texas Rangers 3-2 Wednesday night in Game One of the Fall Classic at Busch Stadium.

Chris Carpenter pitched six solid innings, allowing two runs on five hits, striking out five. Then, the bullpen took over and slammed the door on the Rangers’ dangerous offense.

Fernando Salas, Marc Rzepczynski, Octavio Dotel, Arthur Rhodes and Jason Motte combined to allow only one hit in the final three innings. Motte retired the Rangers in order in the 9th inning to earn his first World Series save.

C.J. Wilson gave up all three of the Cardinals’ runs in his 5 2/3 innings pitched, allowing four hits and striking out four.

St. Louis jumped in front 2-0 in the bottom of the 4th. Albert Pujols was hit by a pitch, then Matt Holliday hit a double down the right field line, sending Pujols to third. Both runners scored on Lance Berkman’s single.

The lead didn’t last long because Mike Napoli hit a two run homer over the right field wall in the top of the 5th to tie the game 2-2.

But pinch hitter Allen Craig came up big for St. Louis in the bottom of the 6th, scoring David Freese on a base hit to right field, putting the Cardinals back in front 3-2. They’d never look back.

Craig says he appreciates the confidence Manager Tony LaRussa has in him. “Having Tony having confidence in me as a player and wanting me in that big spot definately means a lot,” Craig said. “I’ve worked hard over the past year and a half, two years to kind of earn that trust and for him to believe in me.  It’s just a cool experience to have that trust and have him want me up there in that situation.”

LaRussa says what Craig did in Game One is pretty impressive. “Cold weather game, sitting on the bench. World Series, (Rangers reliever) Ogando. It’s not a very good situation, but he’s got a history in our system. That’s why we like him so much. He’s got a good history of taking great at-bats, especially with runners in scoring position, so he should have a really great career.”

Pujols says with a Rangers team that can score runs in bunches, it’s important for the Cards’ offense to get to the opposing pitcher. “Obviously, you look at the lineup and it’s pretty dangerous up and down,” Pujols said. “I’m pretty sure it’s the same way with them. They look at the lineup (for St. Louis) and there’s not really an easy out. Even our pitchers can hit.”

More than 46,000 fans, each given a rally towel on their way into the ballpark, made a lot of noise to inspire the home team.

The Cardinals will try to keep it going Thursday night in Game Two at 7:05 as Jaime Garcia takes the mound for the Redbirds. He’ll be opposed by the Rangers’ Colby Lewis.

We’ll have complete coverage from Busch Stadium on 94.7, Today’s KTTS and online at KTTS.com.

World Series Notes: 

The winner of the first game of the World Series has gone on to win the Fall Classic 65 times out of the previous 106 series. Since 1993, every home team to win Game One has gone on to win the World Series.

The eighth career postseason win by Carpenter sets a new Cardinals all-time postseason mark, surpassing the seven career wins by Bob Gibson.