Looking back on the last time the Cardinals finished under .500

As we move closer to September of this disastrous 2023 season, the Cardinals are inching ever closer to recording their first losing season since 2007. At 56-72, they are on track for an even worse finish than that year. But as we approach the end of this year, now is a good time to look back on everything that went into that season.

The roster was loaded with talented stars such as Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen, Jim Edmonds, David Eckstein, Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina, Chris Duncan, Braden Looper, Mark Mulder, and more. However, the team finished 78-84 and in third place in the NL Central in '07, seven games back of the Cubs, who won the division.

It was also the first time the Cardinals had missed the postseason since 2003 after three consecutive division titles, two National League pennants, and a World Series title the previous year. However, after raising their 2006 championship banner, they got swept by the Mets to open the season and endured many struggles. Only one player from the current roster, that being Wainwright, was with the team in 2007.

The season was full of ups and downs. Injuries took their toll on the team, with players such as Carpenter, Mulder, Edmonds, Molina, and Rolen all missing significant time at various points in the season. Juan Encarnacion suffered the worst injury out of everybody, being hit in the eye with a foul ball from Aaron Miles. That injury ultimately ended his career. And like this year, the pitching staff was atrocious. The Cardinals were forced to pick up pitchers off the scrap heap in order to bolster their staff, much like 2021.

We'll dive into some of the key takeaways from the 2007 season and how that team compares to this year's squad.