ST. LOUIS — There are lots of reasons why the Cardinals are successful. One of the big ones is their ability to find talent in the draft, especially in the later rounds.
This is a baseball organization that gets it done no matter how many essential parts they lose. No Albert Pujols, no problem. No Carlos Beltran, no problem.
The Cardinals battled through a three-hour and 28-minute rain delay last night, getting a six-out save from closer Jason Motte and a monster two-run, go-ahead home run from rookie Matt Carpenter, who was pressed into service because Beltran came up with a strained left knee in the first inning, to beat the Giants, 3-1 at Busch Stadium.
The Cardinals own a 2-1 lead in the NLCS, thanks, in large part, to their draft picks.
Motte is a 19th-round draft pick out of Iona in 2003 and a converted catcher. Carpenter was a 13th-round selection in the 2009 draft. The 13th round has been lucky for the Cardinals. Ten years before they drafted Carpenter, they drafted Pujols in the 13th round.
Carpenter, a corner infielder, learned to play the outfield this offseason by chasing down fly balls hit to him from his brother, Tyler, who was a catcher in the Mets’ organization the last two years before retiring.
Keep working to get better, that’s what it is all about. Carpenter’s home run came in the third inning off Matt Cain, making Carpenter 5-for-5 against Cain this season. Carpenter’s parents arrived here earlier yesterday after driving from Texas.
“We would have walked this far to see him do that,’’ Carpenter’s dad Rick told a national TV audience.
Rick Carpenter was also his son’s high school coach.
“My parents watch every game at home, but live, it hasn’t been many games,” Matt Carpenter said. “I know they came to Wrigley and I actually hit a home run there.’’
The Cardinals keep find ways, often through the draft, to pick up the pieces. Center fielder John Jay is a second rounder from the 2006 draft. Their starting shortstop Pete Kozma, a first-round pick in 2007. First baseman Allen Craig is an eighth-round selection from 2006. Catcher Yadier Molina was a fourth-round pick in 2000. Second baseman Daniel Descalso came out of the 2007 draft, a third-round selection.
St. Louis has not been hesitant to draft college players who have strong hitting skills. It’s the old adage: if you hit, they will find a position for you. That philosophy helped the Cardinals win the World Series last season.
The Cardinals also found gold in the 21st round of the 2009 draft when they selected Trevor Rosenthal, a righty reliever who regularly hits 100 mph on the radar gun. Rosenthal came on to get former Met Angel Pagan to ground out to end a scoring threat in the sixth.
Making the most of the draft has enabled the Cardinals to be in the position they are today. Jeff Luhnow, now the Astros general manager, played a major role in shaping the Cardinals procurement of amateur talent, but this is an organizational strength based on solid scouting that has made the difference for the Cardinals.
Since 2004 the Cardinals have won 40 postseason games. In that same span, the Yankees have won 31 games. The Mets own a lonely six postseason victories over that same time period.
The Cardinals, enjoying their seventh trip to the NLCS since 2000, are proof that if you do well in the draft, success is around the corner.
Drafting wisely allows a team to have a reserve of players in case of an emergency. The shortstop Kozma didn’t join the Cardinals until Aug. 31 and was never expected to contribute as much as he has, getting a series of big hits for Mike Matheny’s club.
The Cardinals buy into the team concept and are not out just for themselves. That is why they have been so successful.
“We really all pull for one another,’’ Motte said.
With two more victories, the team that won just 88 games during the regular season is back in the World Series.