World Series - Cardinals Roster

As a public service for Boston fans who may not be familiar with the Cardinals - here are some tidbits you may find interesting and some of the story-lines you should be aware of in the series (read this and impress your friends in barroom conversation!)

Starting Line-Up:

Edgar Renteria - SS: He's a free agent at the end of the season and many folks in Boston were looking at Renteria as the natural replacement for Nomar Garciaparra if Nomar left Boston as a free agent. Now that Orlando Cabrera is here - this is moot.

Larry Walker - RF: The greatest Canadian baseball player of all-time (please no Fergie Jenkins arguments). Walker is also a good friend of Boston Bruins great Cam Neeley.

Albert Pujols - 1B: If he keeps up the pace he's started his career off with - you are looking at one of the all-time greats. Put it this way - if Pujols keeps it up Stan may no longer be the Man in Cardinals history.

Scott Rolen - 3B: Generally regarded as the best 3rd baseman in baseball. In 2002 he was traded from the Phillies (along with flotsam Doug Nickle) to the Cardinals in a deal that sent Placido Polonco, Bud Smith and Mike Timlin (yes our Mike Timlin) to the Phillies. Rolen was drafted in the second round in the 1993. That was the draft that Alex Rodriguez went first overall and which the Sox drafted Trot Nixon and the Mariners took Jason Varitek in the first round.

Jim Edmonds - CF: One of the most under-rated players in baseball. A 6-time Gold Glover and a threat to hit a HR every time he comes to the plate (302 career HR). Edmonds is as dangerous with the bat as Gary Sheffield but because he is so good in the field people overlook his offense to some degree.

Reggie Sanders - LF: He went to Spartanburg Methodist College in South Carolina which would be the New England equivalent of going to St. Joe's in Maine.

Tony Womack - 2B: You will hear plenty of how Womack was traded from the Red Sox to the Cardinals in spring training in exchange for Duffman. Womack was good for the Cardinals but Red Sox fans were pretty happy with Mark Bellhorn. Sure Womack had a higher batting average (.307) but Bellhorn was better in OBP (.373 to .349) and SLG (.444 to .385). Bellhorn also had more HR (17 to 5) and more RBI (82 to 38) while still managing to score more runs (93 to 91).

Mike Matheny - C: Classic good defense no offense catcher. You know you can't just put down the trumpet and pick up the flugel. That's all I have to say about that.

Woody Williams - SP Game 1: Has a career 4.62 ERA at Fenway (10 games incluing 4 starts). His real first name is Gregory. Maybe we'll hear chants of "Greg-ory, Greg-ory" from the Boston stands tonight.

Jason Marquis - SP Game 2: He could be a wild card. Everyone will be focused on Curt Schilling in game 2 but Marquis has the ability to match Curt pitch-for-pitch. In three games at Fenway (including 2 starts) - Marquis has an impressive 2.87 ERA and an even more impressive 0.96 WHIP and .200 BAA. Game 2 is the proverbial "trap-game".

Matt Morris - SP Game 3: Matt Morris is supposedly the staff ace but he can be hit (witness the 4.72 ERA this year). The story for game 3 will be free-agent to-be Morris against free-agent to-be Pedro Martinez.

Jeff Suppan - SP Game 4: Suppan pitched for the Red Sox last year after the trade deadline and he soon came to be known as "Suck-pan" (because of his 5.57 ERA). He could be just one of those guys who can't pitch in Fenway because the Green Monster gets into his head. The Cardinals would be wise to only pitch Suppan at home in this series.

Julian Tavarez - RP: Best known for playing Bennie on LA Law

Jason Isringhausen - closer: Capable of shutting a team down. Doesn't give up a lot of home runs (jinx, jinx).