MLB 2012: St. Louis Cardinals journey from regular season to NLCS – Part 1
The 2012 Major League Baseball season ended with the San Francisco Giants’ World Series sweep. Last year, the same title was proudly claimed by the competition-oriented and unbeatable St. Louis Cardinals. Clinching the World Series in 2011, the Redbirds’ pursuit for this year was upholding the dominance they established last year and successfully defend the title.
However, unexpected turn of events proved utterly costly for the Cardinals, consequently ending with St. Louis' loss in the National League Championship Series where they were competing the San Francisco Giants.
However, before the final analysis of the best-of-seven game series is done, it is relevant to point out how the year began, progressed and ended. The Cardinals had a relatively tough first half of the season, immensely struggling until they assumed a fresh vigour to take on the rivals.
Resultantly, the second half was solid enough to seal their fate – booking a deserving spot for them in the Wild Card. For those who have been following the club, they know the Cardinals had secured Wild Card berth last year as well, successfully speeding their way into National League Division Series, National League Championship Series and the World Series.
This year, it was the Atlanta Braves that the Cardinals had to contend in the Wild Card playoff. It was Matt Holliday here whose homer brought the Cardinals much-awaited and thrilling victory, helping them cruise past the Atlanta Braves 6-3.
At Atlanta, Cardinals inflicted the loss on the Braves in most striking fashion, substantiating their credentials as unsurpassable rivals. The highlight of the game, while the Cardinals’ victory remained a prominent one, was Turner Field being filled with a trash heap after a disputed infield fly call.
As Braves’ Chipper Jones was playing his last game, the eighth inning umpiring decision triggered a flurry of activities in the field, especially throwing of trash that littered the ballpark, bringing a 19-minute delay in the game.
"It was scary at first," St. Louis' catcher Yadier Molina said. "I've never seen that before."
For the Major League Baseball executive Joe Torre, it was a serious issue.
"I talked to Fredi (Gonzalez, Braves manager) after the game and it's unusual circumstances based on a one-game playoff, 24 hours and waiting for a written report, didn't make sense, spoke to them, asked them what they were basing their protest on and I ruled basically to disallow the protest based on the fact that it was an umpire's judgment call," Torre said.
The game took on a whole different angle as the trash was thrown all over the field. The fans were furious at the umpiring of the game, especially because of the fact this was a crucial game for their team and to lose it would mean the Braves would be out of the playoffs.
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