18. 1944 World Champion St Louis Cardinals v. 50. 1912 NL Champion New York Giants
The Cards are the last World Series Champion standing in Region 2; if the Giants win, that means the Region 2 Final will be Giants v. Dodgers, separated by over a century.
The 2017 Dodgers await the winners; having swept Cleveland, their rotation is all lined up - Clayton Kershaw ready to go - the Dodgers will be on the road; whichever team wins this series will be hosting Games 1 and 2.
Cardinals 105-59 (Pythag: 107-47) Mgr. Billy Southworth
Won NL Pennant
d. Browns 4-2 in World Series
d. #111 1914 Braves 2-0 (MVP-Johnny Hopp)
d. #82 2019 Nationals 3-0 (MVP-Walker Cooper)
All Stars: C Walker Cooper, 3B Whitey Kurowski, SP Max Lanier, SS Marty Marion (NL MVP) SP Red Munger, OF Stan Musial (4th NL MVP)
Hall of Famers: Stan Musial, Billy Southworth
The Cardinals dominated WW2 baseball and this team remains in the tournament. They won the pennant in '43, the World Series this year, and finished 2nd in the NL in '45.
Giants 103-48 (Pythag: 100-51) Mgr. John McGraw
Won NL Pennant
Lost World Series 4-3-1 to Red Sox
d. #79. 1993 Braves 2-1 (MVP-Chief Meyers)
d. #15 1937 Yankees 3-2 (MVP-Larry Doyle)
Hall of Famers: SP Rube Marquard, SP Christy Mathewson, John McGraw, Wilbert Robinson (coach)
Like the '84 Tigers from Region 1, the Giants blitzed the league from day one, jumping out to a 54-11 record. They lost a super, super tight World Series with the Red Sox in which game 2 ended because of darkness a 6-6 tie. The Red Sox took the extra game - game 8 in 10 innings; scoring 2 in the bottom of the 10th. Giants center fielder Fred Snodgrass made an infamous error to open the door for Boston.
Giants
2B Doyle (25) (LH) 132 5
C Meyers (31) 147 4.5
1B Merkle (23) 121 2.4
LF Devore (24) (LH) 103 .7
CF Becker (25) (LH) 101 1.2
SS Shafer (23) (SH) 99 1.3
RF Murray (28) 97 2.1
3B Herzog (26) 90 3.4
P Mathewson (31) 161 7.6
Bench:
SS Fletcher (27) 89 3.3
LF Snodgrass (24) 96 1.1
C Wilson (26) 107
Game 2 SP: Marquard (LH) (25) 133 5.7
Game 3 SP: Tesreau (24) 173 3.8
Likely platoons at short and left for McGraw. The ordering of the 3 starters could be quibbled with, but they seem like the right three choices, with Ames the 4th starter if they advance.
Cardinals
CF Hopp (27) 150 (LH) 5.2
RF Musial (23) 174 (LH) 7.9
1B Sanders (27) (LH) 125 2.6
C Cooper (29) 136 4.3
LF Bergamo (27) 117 (LH) 1
3B Kurowski (26) 118 3.8
SS Marion (27) 90 4
2B Verban (28) 62 1.1
SP: Cooper (31) 145 5.4
Bench:
LF Litwhiler (27) 109 2
C O'Dea (31) 99 (LH)
UT Garms (37) 36 (LH)
UT Fallon (29) 55
Game 2 SP: Munger (25) 268 3.3
Game 3 SP: Lanier (28) (LH) 135
P: Wilks (28) 135 3.3
Cards platooning in LF; all 5 Card starters could make cases for the rotation; Cooper's got the most wins, Munger's got the best ERA, Lanier has the best FIP and that means Wilks and Breechen, who are a combined 31-9, are both out. Either of them could be the 4th starter if the Cards advance.
Lineups:
C-Push, Cooper/Meyers really solid for both clubs.
1B-Push, Sanders/Merkle just too close to call
2B-Doyle, he's the Giants best position player
SS-Marion
3B-Kurowski, narrowly over Herzog
LF-Litwhiler/Bergamo, not by much, but the Cards platoon is a tick stronger than the Giants platoon
CF-Hopp
RF-Musial, best position player in the series by a wide margin; the Cards easily have the superior lineup
SP1-Mathewson - best pitcher in the series
SP2-Marquard
SP3-Tesreau - so, as good as this Cardinal rotation is, the Giants will have the advantage every day.
Bullpen-Cards
Cards 6 Giants 4 -- Cards have the better bats, Giants have the better arms, Cards do have the better pen, they've got Musial, they've got the better seed. Mathewson could always just lay them out twice and that might be enough - but you've got to say the Cards are favored here.
GAME ONE
1st: The 2017 Dodgers await the winner of this one; Mort Cooper is a 31 year old RH on the Sportsmans Park mound, 22-7, 2.46. It's Cooper's third straight 20 win season; he led the league in shutouts and finished 9th in the NL MVP. Chief Meyers singles with one out, after the second out, Josh Devore singles - that's all.
1st: The legendary Christy Mathewson goes for the Giants; He's a 31 year old RH, 23-12, 2.12. Led the league in FIP and K/BB. From 1901-13, Mathewson won less than 20 games once and won more than 30 games 4 times. Johnny Hopp singles to right center, then steals second - Mathewson gets the next two, but Walker Cooper comes through with a run scoring single. Giants 0 Cards 1
2nd: Buck Herzog doubles with 2 out. Herzog hit .400 in the '12 World Series. That's all.
2nd: 1-2-3
3rd: 1-2-3
3rd: Hopp singles with one out; these Cards have yet to lose a game in the tournament; I'm not sure any other teams have that distinction - Hopp was the MVP in the round one win. Hopp was bad in the '44 Series, hitting .185 with 8 Ks. That's all.
4th: Devore singles again. Devore's platooning in left for McGraw; playing against the RH Cards pitchers. He hit .250 in the '12 Series. Two outs later Tillie Shafer singles, but Cooper maintains the shutout.
4th: Ray Sanders singles; he hit .295 this year, he'll never have a higher average. Walker Cooper singles - Augie Bergamo singles and it's 2-0. Mathewson gets one - Marty Marion grounds out - it scores another run. Giants 0 Cards 3
5th: Herzog singles. Cooper gets two - and then Chief Meyers singles home the first Giants run. It's the best season of Meyers' career, he leads the league in OBP and is third in MVP. Giants 1 Cards 3
5th: 1-2-3
6th: Beals Becker singles with one out, Becker was 0-4 with 2 walks in the '12 Series.
6th: 1-2-3, 9 straight for Mathewson.
7th: Red Murray gers hit - he hit .323 in rhe '12 Series; Cooper gets two - and then Larry Doyle singles Murray home and the Giants draw closer. Meyers singles - Doyle goes to third - and Fred Merkle comes through with a game tying hit - the Giants get 2 runs with 2 out and tie this score. 30 year old RH Blix Donnelly comes on, 2.12 and ends it. Giants 3 Cards 3
7th: Donnelly is left in to hit for himself with 2 out and he singles, but nothing results. We head to the 8th.
8th: Donnelly gets 2 and then Murray doubles. Herzog follows with a single and the Giants have come all the way back and taken the lead. 22 year old George Burns had 51 at bats this year and he comes on to hit for Mathewson, he walks --- Donnelly limits the damage. Giants 4 Cards 3
8th: Doc Crandall is a 24 year old RH, 13 wins, 3.61, can he get the last 6 outs? He walks Stan Musial - Musial is 23, his 4th season, he was MVP last year - this year he finished 4th, led the league in hits, doubles, OBP, SLG, OPS, OPS+ and next year he leaves for the military. Crandall gets one - but then gives up a Waler Cooper double that ties this game at 4. Giants 4 Cards 4
9th: All tied up as we go to the 9th, Freddie Schmidt is a 28 year old RH with 7 wins and a 3.15 ERA -- 1-2-3
9th: Crandall still on for McGraw --- he gets 2 and then the Cards go to the bench for the veteran Pepper Martin.
Martin is 40 years old, a career Cardinal - a St Louis favorite, after 3 seasons away, he came back this year and had a 118 OPS+ in 40 games. He doubles.
That's the winning run - can the Cards get him home?
Nope. Extras.
10th: 34 year old RH Harry Gumbert takes the ball for the Cards in the top of the tenth. He's got a 2.49 ERA. Becker greets him with a base hit -- and he comes all the way around to score on a Tillie Shafer double. Shafer's the utilityman for this Giants team; McGraw's got him platooning at short to get a little more bat against the Cards RH and he comes through huge here with a double to give the Giants the lead. Billy Southworth is back out to the mound for the pitching change, Al Jursich is a 22 year old RH, 7 wins, 3.39. He ends it. Giants 5 Cards 4
10th: Doc Crandall stays on - can he get three outs?
Sanders grounds to first.
Cooper flies to center.
Bergamo singles on an 0-2 pitch; there's the tying run.
McGraw goes to the pen - his 5th starter is 32 year old lefty Hooks Wiltse, 9 wins, 3.16 -- he enters now. Can he get one more?
He can - he picks Bergamo off first base and that's how game one ends.
Giants 5
Cards 4
WP Crandall
LP Gumbert
Sv Wiltse
25 hits for these two teams and its the Giants who prevail in 10; utility man Tillie Shafer getting the big game winning double.
Doyle 1x
Meyers 3x
Merkle 1x
Devore 2x
Becker 2x
Shafer 2x/double, game winner
Murray 2x/double
Herzog 3x/double
Hopp 2x
Musial 1x
Sanders 1x
Cooper 3x/double
Bergamo 2x
Martin 1x/double
One more in St Louis - can the Cards get the split?
2B Doyle (25) (LH) 132 5
C Meyers (31) 147 4.5
1B Merkle (23) 121 2.4
LF Devore (24) (LH) 103 .7
CF Becker (25) (LH) 101 1.2
SS Shafer (23) (SH) 99 1.3
RF Murray (28) 97 2.1
3B Herzog (26) 90 3.4
Game 2 SP: Marquard (LH) (25) 133 5.7
C Cooper (29) 136 4.3
RF Musial (23) 174 (LH) 7.9
CF Hopp (27) 150 (LH) 5.2
1B Sanders (27) (LH) 125 2.6
3B Kurowski (26) 118 3.8
LF Litwhiler (27) 109 2
SS Marion (27) 90 4
2B Verban (28) 62 1.1
Game 2 SP: Munger (25) 268 3.3
GAME TWO
1st: Red Munger is a 25 year old RH, 11-3, 1.34 -- 2nd year in the bigs, best he'll ever have. Munger made the All Star team. Threw a complete game in his only WS start, gave up 1 earned and got the win. He walks Doyle to open, but that's all.
1st: Rube Marquard is a 25 year old lefty, 26-11, 2.57. Marquard was 8th in the NL MVP this year, this will be his career high in wins. He was lights out - absolutely lights out - in the World Series this year, 2 starts. 2 complete game wins. Gave up a total of 1 earned run. Walker Cooper singles - Musial walks -- Marquard gets one and then Sanders singles and the Cards have loaded them up. Whitey Kurowski singles - it scores 2 - and in one inning, Marquard has allowed double the runs he allowed in 18 innings in the 1912 World Series. Giants 0 Cards 2
2nd: 1-2-3
2nd: 1-2-3
3rd: Buck Herzog singles, the Giants first hit. Marquard reaches on an error and when Larry Doyle walks, the bases are loaded with nobody out. Doyle's the Giants best position player and won the NL MVP this season. He hit .242 in the Series. Chief Meyers clears the bases with a double and the Giants have taken the lead. Devore draws a one out walk, it ends here. Giants 3 Cards 2
3rd: Walker Cooper homers to right center and the score is tied. Cooper made the All Star team for the third straight year in '44 and was 8th in the MVP. He hit .318 in the Series. Musial follows with a triple and the Cards are making loud contact here in the third. Marquard holds them here. Giants 3 Cards 3
4th: 1-2-3
4th: Emil Verban singles with 2 away. Verban's a 28 year old rookie, he hit .412 in the World Series this year.
5th: 1-2-3, 8 straight for Munger
5th: After an out, Musial homers to right and the Cards regain the lead. Giants 3 Cards 4
6th: Blix Donnelly is back on for the Cards; Becker doubles with one away, then steals third -- and then scores on a Shafer sac fly and once again this game is tied. Murray and Herzog single back to back - but that's all. Giants 4 Cards 4
6th: Danny Litwhiler singles with one away. Litwhiler's platooning in left, getting the start against the lefty Marquard. He led the league in being hit by pitches this year. Litwhiler struggled in the Series, going 4-20, but he did homer. Marquard gets the second and then Verban singles. That's where it ends.
7th: Freddy Schmidt enters for St Louis - he gives up back to back singles by Doyle and Meyers. Go ahead run in scoring position - but the Giants can't advance.
7th: Musial singles with one out - he's a double short of the cycle; only DiMaggio has accomplished that so far. Marquard stops it here.
8th: Shafer doubles - Shafer won the game with a 10th inning double in game one and here the Giants utilityman is again today with a leadoff double in the 8th. Murray bloops a single to right center -- Shafer comes around and it is the Giants who take the lead Schmidt gets the next 3. Giants 5 Cards 4
8th: Doc Crandall enters for New York 6 outs from taking both in St Louis. He gets two, but then Marty Marion reaches on an error. Marion's the NL MVP despite an sub 100 OPS+, he hit .227 in this year's Series. Verban singles - 2 on, 2 out. Augie Bergamo is on to pinch hit and he draws a walk to load them up.
Bases loaded. 2 out. Cards trail by a run - this is the big spot in the series.
Cooper lines sharply - but right at Shafer.
9th: Harry Gumbert is the new Card pitcher; 1-2-3
9th: Well, here we are - you can't like the Cardinals chances in the series if they go down 0-2.
Musial singles. Big day for Musial. Hopp singles. Crandall walks Sanders on 4 pitches and man oh man -- bases loaded -- nobody out - this sold out Sportsman's Park crowd absolutely howling.
Infield in - Kurowski grounds to short - Shafer -- can't come up with the ball - everyone is safe - the Cards have tied it up and still - still nobody is out.
Litwhiler singles to right and it's done -- Hopp crosses the plate - the Cards mob him at the plate - the St Louis Cardinals come from behind and take game 2.
Giants 5
Cards 6
WP Gumbert
LP Crandall
Tight game - back and forth the whole way - and it was the Cards who came up with 2 in the bottom of the 9th to even up this series.
Hopp 3x
Musial 6x/HR, triple
Sanders 3x
Kurowski 1x
Litwhiler 2x
Verban 3x
Cooper 5x/double, HR
Bergamo 2x
Martin 1x/double
Doyle 3x
Meyers 5x/double
Merkle 1x
Devore 3x
Becker 3x/double
Shafer 3x/2 doubles
Murray 4x/double
Herzog 5x/double
CF Hopp (27) 150 (LH) 5.2
RF Musial (23) 174 (LH) 7.9
1B Sanders (27) (LH) 125 2.6
C Cooper (29) 136 4.3
LF Bergamo (27) 117 (LH) 1
3B Kurowski (26) 118 3.8
SS Marion (27) 90 4
2B Verban (28) 62 1.1
Game 3 SP: Lanier (28) (LH) 135
C Meyers (31) 147 4.5
1B Merkle (23) 121 2.4
2B Doyle (25) (LH) 132 5
RF Murray (28) 97 2.1
LF Snodgrass (24) 96 1.1
CF Becker (25) (LH) 101 1.2
3B Herzog (26) 90 3.4
SS Fletcher (27) 89 3.3
Game 3 SP: Tesreau (24) 173 3.8
GAME THREE
1st: The Giants came back and won game 1, the Cards did the same in game 2 and so we now spend games 3 and 4 at the Polo Grounds. Winners to advance to the Regional Final to face the 2017 Dodgers. 24 year old RH Jeff Tesreau on the Giants mound; 17-7, 1.96. It's Tesreau's rookie year, led the league in ERA, ERA+, H/9. Tesreau started 3 times in the 1912 Series, went 1-2 with a 3.13 ERA. Musial singles with one out, he's now reached 7 times after his huge game 2 and that leads both clubs. Sanders singles him to third and Musial scores on a Cooper sac fly. Cards 1 Giants 0
1st: St Louis turns to Max Lanier; 28 year old lefty, 17-12, 2.65. He's an All Star, led the legue in K/9. He got two starts in the '44 Series, went 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA. 1-2-3.
2nd: 1-2-3
2nd: Fred Snodgrass singles with one out; it's his first start of the series, going against the lefty Lanier. Snodgrass struggled in the World Series and really struggled in his World Series career; in 3 apperances he hit .182. That's all.
3rd: After an out - Musial singles again. He steals second - after the second out, Cooper singles him home - the Cards extend the lead. Cards 2 Giants 0
3rd: Tesreau helps himself, singling with one out, Meyers and Merkle single and the Giants have them loaded up -- a Doyle sac fly gets New York on the board. Cards 2 Giants 1
4th: 1-2-3
4th: 1-2-3
5th: After an out, Hopp and Musial walk. Musial reached 5 times in game 2 and 3 here in game 3. Sanders then walks and when Cooper singles, it's his 3rd RBI of the day. Bergamo walks, it's 4-1. Kurowski singles, it's 5-1. Marion singles home two and it's 7-1, the Cards add one more on a Verban groudout and just like that -- this one seems done. Cards 8 Giants 1
5th: Art Fletcher walks - it's Fletcher's first start of the series; he ledt the league in getting hit by pitches. Fletcher was bad in this year's World Series, hitting .179 and in 4 career World Series he hit .191. George Burns comes off the bench and he walks. That's all.
6th: Doc Crandall on for New York. He gets one - and then Musial singles again. Musial on base ten times now in this series. That's all.
6th: 1-2-3
7th: 1-2-3
7th: 1-2-3, 9 straight retired by Lanier, the Giants have just 4 hits today.
8th: Lanier singles - two out later Cooper singles, it scores a run, 4 RBI today for Cooper. Bergamo singles, that's another run. The Giants 4th starter is Red Ames, 29 year old RH, 11-5, 2.46, he comes on and ends it. Cards 10 Giants 1
8th: 1-2-3
9th: Marion singles, that's all.
9th: Lanier's going to finish up for himself, Murray singles with one away, and it ends here.
Cards 10
Giants 1
WP Lanier
LP Tesreau
After two tight games the Cards come to New York and blow out the Giants. They're a game away from moving on.
Hopp 4x
Musial 10x/HR, triple
Sanders 6x
Kurowski 3x
Litwhiler 2x
Verban 3x
Marion 2x
Cooper 9x/double, HR
Bergamo 4x
Doyle 3x
Meyers 6x/double
Merkle 2x
Devore 3x
Becker 3x/double
Shafer 3x/2 doubles
Murray 5x/double
Herzog 5x/double
Snodgrass 1x
Fletcher 1x
Cardinals
CF Hopp (27) 150 (LH) 5.2
RF Musial (23) 174 (LH) 7.9
1B Sanders (27) (LH) 125 2.6
C Cooper (29) 136 4.3
LF Bergamo (27) 117 (LH) 1
3B Kurowski (26) 118 3.8
SS Marion (27) 90 4
2B Verban (28) 62 1.1
SP: Cooper (31) 145 5.4
Giants
2B Doyle (25) (LH) 132 5
C Meyers (31) 147 4.5
1B Merkle (23) 121 2.4
LF Devore (24) (LH) 103 .7
CF Becker (25) (LH) 101 1.2
SS Shafer (23) (SH) 99 1.3
RF Murray (28) 97 2.1
3B Herzog (26) 90 3.4
P Mathewson (31) 161 7.6
GAME FOUR
1st: Christy Mathewson is who you'd want on the mound if you needed to win a game to stay alive, that's who goes today for the Giants. In 101 career postseason innings pitched - Mathewson had a 0.97 ERA. So, just sit with that for a second. He gives up a leadoff double to Hopp; an out later Ray Sanders singles him home. After the second out - Bergamo drives home another run with a base hit. St Louis is off to a good start today. Cards 2 Giants 0
1st: Mort Cooper is staked to the lead, in his 45 career postseason innings, he had an ERA of exactly 3.00. Doyle singles - Meyers gets hit - but nothing results.
2nd: Marion walks, that's all.
2nd: Back to back base hits by Devore and Becker - a Shafer groundout scores a run - Cards 2 Giants 1
3rd: 1-2-3
3rd: 1-2-3
4th: 1-2-3, 8 straight for Mathewson
4th: 1-2-3, 9 straight for Cooper - tight one here in Game 4
5th: Cooper helps himself with a one out single, Hopp singles after the second out, nothing results.
5th: Shafer singles - he's back in the lineup against the RH, Cooper gets two and then walks Herzog. That's all and we are going to the 6th.
6th: Musial singles. First time he's reached today; unless Mathewson's on the mound, Giants pitching just can't get this guy out. Sanders walks - Walker Cooper singles and it's now 3-1 Cards in the 6th inning and they can smell the Regional Final. Bergamo singles to load the bases - Mathewson might be near the end; he gets a Kurowski double play - but that scores another. Marty Marion singles home one more -- this could be the knockout. Cards 5 Giants 1.
6th: Fred Merkle singles with 2 out, just 23, this is already his 6th season. Nothing happens and there are 9 outs left.
7th: Hopp doubles with one out - even one more run could end this series, Musial singles to score it. Time to start booking travel plans for the Dodgers to fly east to Missouri. Doc Crandall comes on - give up a Sanders single, walks Walker Cooper to load the bases - then gives up a 2 run Bergamo single -- done, it's done. Cards 8 Giants 1
7th: Beals Becker homers. Shafer singles - Red Murray triples him home; thunder from the Giants in the 7th. Cooper stays in the game - gets an out -- McGraw lets Crandall hit for himself and he singles home another run That's 3 quick Giants runs. Blix Donnelly gets the call to put out the fire. He gives up a Larry Doyle double and the Giants have men on second and third -- if they can get them across they still have a shot. Donnelly gets the second out and then walks Merkle. Bases loaded. 2 out. Giants trail by 4 - they lose this game and they go home. Donnelly gets through it and it's over. Cards 8 Giants 4
8th: Verban singles after an out, after the second out, Hopp singles -- and that's all.
8th: 1-2-3
9th: Bergamo walks with 2 out -- McGraw goes back to the pen for Hooks Wiltse, he ends it.
9th: 3 outs left for the Cards. Freddy Schmidt comes on to get them.
He hits Herzog.
George Burns comes on to hit -- foul pop near the third base dugout, Kurowski makes the play.
Doyle lines hard -- terrific leaping play by Marion.
Meyers grounds to Marion -- onto first -- that's it.
Cards 8
Giants 4
WP Cooper
LP Mathewson
The Cards take games 2-4, almost dead in game 2, they came back and won and then really beat the Giants handily in New York and they will host game 1 of the Regional Final.
Hopp 8x/2 doubles
Musial 12x/HR, triple
Sanders 9x
Cooper 11x/double, HR
Bergamo 8x
Bunch of really productive Cards hitters in the series - let's say it's Musial/Walker Cooper sharing the MVP.
