Noted Cardinals author Larry Underwood sat down with Black Mesa recently to discuss 2011 and look ahead to 2012. Look for a special free Amazon Kindle Promotion at the end of the interview as well as special deals on printed copies of St. Louis Cardinals IQ, Volumes I & II.

BM: Did you think the Cardinals had any chance of winning the World Series before the 2011 season began?

LU: I was optimistic after the Cardinals signed Lance Berkman.  I thought he’d welcome the chance to get back into the NL Central after the Astros traded him to the Yankees mid-way through the 2010 season.  Going over to that pressure-cooker environment in New York had to be tough, especially since he was unfamiliar with most of the pitchers in the American League.  On top of all that, he was playing hurt most of the year.  I felt if he could stay healthy in 2011, he’d give the Cards a big offensive boost, although I never expected the boost to be as big as it turned out to be!

Of course, before Spring Training even began, the announcement came out that Adam Wainwright was going to miss the entire season with Tommy John surgery.  So there goes twenty wins.  I thought they were pretty much dead; even if they got into the post season, I didn’t think they’d have enough pitching to get very far.  The Phillies seemed to be invincible; who could possibly beat them?

Then there was the issue of Albert Pujols’ pending free-agency; it was a huge distraction which obviously hurt his performance.  So yes, in the early going, the Cardinals looked like anything but a championship team.

BM: When did you begin to think they might have a chance of at least reaching the post season?

LU: I had some false hope early on; they were somehow managing to win more often than not for the first couple of months of the season, despite having a horrible bullpen.  Then Pujols broke a bone in his hand just when he was starting to hit, which was supposed to sideline him for over a month.  Even though he came back after just a couple of weeks, the bullpen woes continued; they blew game after game, in the most agonizing ways imaginable.  When the Brewers started pulling away in late July, it was apparent the Redbirds had no chance of winning the Central division; meanwhile, the Wild Card seemed out of reach as well; the Braves were playing extremely well, and they had a great bullpen.

To answer your question, I started getting a glimmer of hope in mid-September after the Cardinals swept a three-game series at home over the Braves, which put them only four and a half games back in the Wild Card race.  My optimism peaked when the red-hot Cardinals won a thrilling come-from-behind game over the Mets at Busch Stadium on September 21.  David Freese’s opposite-field home run was the game winner.  They were now only two games out, with six games to play.

BM: I think I know where you’re headed with this.  The next day, the Cardinals blew a five-run ninth-inning lead, losing to the Mets, 8-6.  Then they lost the first game of a three-game series at home against the Cubs; when the Braves won, that put the Cards three games back with only five to play.  How were you liking their chances now?

LU: Realistically, I thought they were dead again.  I underestimated their unrelenting desire to win as well as the extent of the free-fall the Braves were experiencing.  Little did I know, the Braves would fail to win any of the five remaining games; the Cardinals, on the other hand, would fail to win just one of their five remaining games.  Unbelievable!

BM: Albert Pujols finished strong, to say the least.  After the Redbirds rallied in Game 6 of the World Series, then came back to win Game 7, did you think he would finally come to terms with the front office on a long-term contract that would allow him to finish his career with the Cardinals?

LU: Yes, I was hopeful that he would put aside whatever bothered him about the way the negotiations were handled, and stay where he belonged – in St Louis, as a Cardinal.  I’m disappointed that he decided to walk away from the millions of fans who idolized him; to forsake his great Cardinal legacy; and to walk away from his teammates after they had fought off so much adversity, to win it all.  Certainly, his new contract is paying him top dollar, so he went where the money was.  In the end, it was a business decision; for the fans who became emotionally attached to this amazing ballplayer, it’s a bitter pill to swallow.  Where’s the loyalty to all those fans who supported him, unconditionally?  Cardinal Nation will survive, but there will always be a lingering feeling of resentment about his decision to walk away.

BM: Were you surprised by Tony LaRussa’s decision to finally retire as manager of the Cardinals?

LU: Yes, initially I was completely shocked by it.  But, he was going out on top, so it was the perfect ending for the greatest manager this franchise has ever known.  It’s definitely the end of an era in St Louis Cardinals baseball – first with TRL’s retirement, followed up by Albert’s departure.  But change is inevitable, and usually for the better.  I’m optimistic for the future of this franchise; at least for the next couple of years.

BM: Would you be surprised to see the Cardinals repeat in 2012?

LU: Normally, I would be very surprised; the franchise has never won back-to-back World Championships.  In fact, they usually have a very sub-par year following a World Series championship.  Making things more challenging is losing the services of the game’s greatest player and trying to regroup with a new field manager on the job for 2012.  However, after the impossible events that happened this past season – especially in the post season – most notably, in Game 6 of the World Series, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see them win it again in 2012; not even in the slightest!

BM: Thanks, Larry! Now readers … for a limited time, beginning Saturday, 7 January through Monday, 9 January, you can use the link below to purchase Larry Underwood’s St. Louis Cardinals IQ: The Ultimate Test of True Fandom, Volume II for FREE in the Amazon Kindle Store. Take advantage of this limited time offer and enjoy a great book. We’d ask that you also take the time to come back to Amazon after you’ve read it and consider writing a positive review for the book.

FREE KINDLE EDITION: St. Louis Cardinals IQ: The Ultimate Test of True Fandom

For those who do not own a Kindle, there are many Kindle apps available for smart phones and desktop and laptop computers … but you can also take advantage of the following offer and purchase both printed editions of Cardinals IQ, Volumes I & II for the incredibly low price of just $6.95! This offer will be good for one week only, so please order now.

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