Cardinals Have Had Some Memorable Openers

Whenever the time comes this year, I will have covered 42 consecutive Cardinals opening-day games. The Cardinals’ record in the first 41 has been a modest 21-20.

Post-Dispatch

Why Cardinals Chose Bobby Bonds To Replace Lou Brock

Bobby Bonds, expected to bring power and balance to the lineup, symbolized the dysfunction of the 1980 Cardinals.

RetroSimba

Fernando Tatis, Jr. Ends First Half With Home Run History, Suffocating Defense

Fernando Tatis Jr. didn’t sleep very well on Saturday night. Hours earlier, he’d been hit by a pitch in the left elbow, and he felt pain every time he moved. The Padres’ rookie phenom arrived at Dodger Stadium on Sunday morning unsure whether he’d be able to play. An hour before first pitch, Tatis was given the green light.

San Diego Official Site

Ten Players You Forgot Were Cardinals

A recent article by MLB.com's Will Leitch highlighting 10 former Yankees who you may not remember as former Yankees got us thinking about what such a list might look like for other baseball franchises.

St. Louis Official Site

Gaylord Perry & His Masterpiece Vs. Cardinals

On a night when Juan Marichal was supposed to start for the Giants, Gaylord Perry got the call instead and outdueled the most dominant pitcher in baseball.

RetroSimba

Jordan Hicks Makes Memorable Debut

In the 40 consecutive Cardinals season openers I’ve covered, there have been many notable moments involving players who were starting their first full season with the club.

Post-Dispatch

They All Wanted To Be Like Bobby Bonds

Dusty Baker has had a distinguished baseball career, through 19 seasons as a major league player and 22 more as a manager (and three Manager of the Year awards).

The Press Enterprise

Talking Ball With John D'Acquisto About "Fastball John"

Every Christmas, my father used to buy me at least one baseball book. With little exception, It was the gift that I most looked forward to unwrapping each holiday season. Perhaps that’s why I became such a fan of the game, and eventually a baseball writer and author.

Hardball Times

Black MLB Players Get Little Hall Of Fame Help From Veterans Committee

When Harold Baines and Albert Belle appeared on the Today’s Game Committee ballot in November for the Baseball Hall of Fame, they’d have been forgiven for not getting their hopes up.

Sporting News

Why Power Pitching, Hitting Were Not Enough For Bob Gibson

In a matchup against the Giants, Cardinals ace Bob Gibson pitched a complete game, including seven hitless innings, struck out 14 batters and slugged a home run. Still, it wasn’t enough to win.

RetroSimba

Matt Carpenter Stakes Claim To The Leadoff Crown

Way back during the spring of 2007, near one of the Cardinals’ practice fields at Roger Dean Stadium, a small group of reporters, team officials, and other talent evaluators had a discussion that began with a simple question. If they were to start a team at that moment, what player — considering age, contract status, position, all the necessary ingredients — would they pick?

Bird Land

Is This Sammys Sosa's Final Year On The Hall Of Fame Ballot?

We're zeroing in on the January 6 reveal of the BBWAA 2016 Hall of Fame class, one certain to include Ken Griffey Jr. and maybe another player or two. As we lead up to that announcement, CBS Sports' Eye on Baseball scribes are running through the serious candidates one day at a time.

CBS Sports

Why Cardinals Wanted Royce Clayton As Their Shortstop

Seeking a replacement for Ozzie Smith, the Cardinals needed a shortstop who possessed exceptional fielding skills, self-confidence and diplomacy. They chose Royce Clayton.

RetroSimba

George Genovese Dies At 93

Legendary baseball scout George Genovese, who left his family's Clove Road home for the minor leagues in the days before World War II and remained in the game for the next 75 years, scouting and signing the likes of Bobby Bonds, Dave Kingman and George Foster, died Sunday in Burbank, Ca.

Staten Island Live

Free Of Pain, Carlos Beltran Sees Good Days Ahead

Yankees outfielder Carlos Beltran points to the scar on his right elbow and attempts to find some context for a frustrating 2014 season.

New York-A Official Site

How Cardinals Played A Role In Whiff Record Of Mark Reynolds

While facing the Cardinals at St. Louis in 2008, Mark Reynolds of the Diamondbacks became the first big-league player to strike out 200 times in a season.

RetroSimba

How Jim Kaat Appeared Forever Young

Jim Kaat is a candidate for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame because of his pitching and fielding achievements. He also accomplished base running and hitting feats for the Cardinals that enhance his status as a special baseball player.

RetroSimba

Pete Vuckovich Was Fearless In Great Escape For Cardinals

Facing the defending World Series champion Pirates, Cardinals starter Pete Vuckovich knew he couldn’t look scared.

RetroSimba

Cardinals Going After Heath Bell, Jason Bartlett A Good Thing?

And it would make a lot of sense for the St. Louis Cardinals to work hard on a Bell deal. It would be interesting to see if St. Louis would expand the talks with San Diego in an effort to land a shortstop -- Jason Bartlett, who the Cardinals tried to land in the offseason.

ESPN

Some "Teams" Based On The Hall Of wWar

As I was putting together the Hall of wWAR, I kept myself amused by putting together a few "teams" from the pool of players I had before me—a team of Hall of Fame snubs, best to miss the Hall of wWAR, etc. I figured Saturday morning was a good time to throw some of these out for discussion.

Beyond The Boxscore