This time, the Cardinals might remember to actually show up.
Not only is the “Bambino’s Curse” ancient history, but the “Idiots” are gone and the Red Sox are just another team trying to win the World Series.
In fact, among the least remembered things about the Red Sox’s 2004 world championship run was the actual World Series. The Cardinals offered little resistance and became one of the best teams nobody remembers.
Starting on Wednesday at Fenway Park — in the fourth World Series matchup between these storied franchises — the Cardinals can’t help but make a better showing than in 2004. Unless they get swept again.
“One through nine that year, I really don’t think there was a better team in baseball,” pitcher Jason Marquis said referring to his 2004 Cardinals.
It was team that won 105 games in the regular season and outlasted Carlos Beltran and the Astros in Game 7 of the NLCS before going absolutely flat in the World Series. The Red Sox led for the final 29 innings of the series and were never in serious jeopardy of losing a game following the opener at Fenway Park.
The Cardinals had a lineup that featured Albert Pujols, Larry Walker, Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen. Marquis was joined in the rotation by Jeff Suppan, Woody Williams and Matt Morris.
But the Red Sox, who had just beaten the Yankees in Game 7 of the ALCS to become the first team in baseball history to erase a 3-0 postseason deficit, had Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling and Derek Lowe in their rotation. Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz and Johnny Damon were the focal points of the lineup.
“At that point I don’t think our team was going to be denied,” former Red Sox first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz said. “Nobody gave us a shot being down 3-0, and I think we could have beaten the ’27 Yankees at that point. I really feel that our team was rolling. It was amazing how we went from getting thumped by New York in Game 3 and then a completely different team came out after that.”
Kevin Millar, who played first base and designated hitter for that Red Sox team and now co-hosts MLB Network’s “Intentional Talk,” said he is giving the Cardinals the edge for this series.
“We are having the changing of the guards with Michael Wacha and this younger generation, the power arms of the Cardinals against some veterans,” Millar said. “If I had to pick one I would probably say the Cardinals are a tad favorite. But I don’t think you will see anything less than six games. You will see an absolute dogfight of a series.”
Ortiz is the only holdover from the last World Series meeting between these teams. The Cardinals even play in a different ballpark — Busch Stadium was replaced by a newer version following the 2005 season.
And since the last World Series meeting between the teams, the Cardinals have won two world championships (2006 and ’11) and the Red Sox one (2007).
Damon, who headlined Boston’s “Idiots” in 2004, doesn’t have an official prediction on the World Series, but said these current Red Sox are a formidable threat.
“I love the camaraderie and the chemistry and those things are tough to beat,” Damon said. “It seems to be coming from the guys they brought in. New guys sometimes light it up. Guys like [Jonny] Gomes, [Mike] Napoli and [Shane] Victorino. They were picked to finish dead last in the AL East and the new infusion helped with the chemistry and confidence.’’