There’s no lack of history when it comes to either of the two storied clubs in this year’s World Series. And as the Wall Street Journal pointed out today, there won’t be a tidy David and Goliath narrative to go with this Fall Classic. Just two excellent teams with long histories and remarkable 2013 seasons. Yet despite being part of baseball from the start, these are two clubs that have spent very little time together.
The St. Louis Cardinals franchise reaches back to 1882. They’ve now played 20,161 games as the Perfectos, the Browns, and the Brown Stockings before taking their present name in 1900. Their all-time record is 10,380-9,629, (.519). Only the Braves (20,539) and the Cubs (20,574) have played more games. The Cardinals have won 11 World Championships, 2nd only to the Yankees’ 27. They own 19 National League pennants. 42 of their own have gone on to be honored in Baseball’s Hall of Fame.
The Red Sox, of course, trace their first games to 1901 and through 2013 have played 17,621 games compiling a .517 record along the way having gone 9,075-8,463. The Red Sox have 7 World Championships and 13 American League pennants. 34 Red Sox are in the Hall of Fame.
So little time together
Despite all this history the Red Sox and Cardinals have collectively played just 9 games against each other in the regular season. It’s been three 3-game series. Only the Reds have faced the Red Sox fewer times (6).
In 2003, 2005, and 2008 the Cardinals beat the Red Sox 2 games to 1. There were two 13 inning games, one on June 12, 2003 that Boston lost and another the last time they faced each other, on June 22, 2008 that Boston won. There was one shutout, when Boston blanked St. Louis 4-0 on June 8, 2005.
Of course, Red Sox fans will remember a far more memorable match up between these clubs. That was October 23-27, 2004 when Boston swept St. Louis in the World Series. Four games: 11-9, 6-2, 4-1, and 3-0.
In 2004 the Cardinals were 105-57 in the regular season, the Red Sox 98-64. Coincidentally, both records that year stood as their 11th best marks, respectively, in franchise history. This season both clubs ended with identical records of 97-65, the best records of all of baseball for 2013.
Not really a rematch
There are some fans on both sides who are savoring the idea of a “rematch” in the 2013 World Series but, in truth, these are the same clubs, but not the same teams. Only David Ortiz and Yadier Molina were part of the games in 2004. Instead, this is a matchup of a young, athletic team with great pitching vs an older, more experienced group with tremendous offensive power and camaraderie. These are two worthy teams, who are likely to battle right down to the very end for their rings.
There will be stats and stats and more stats as the games get underway, but for now, in the quiet leading up to that first pitch, I can’t help but feel satisfaction that two solid competitors, two teams that were at the top of the game in 2013, are primed for what lies ahead.