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.

World Series Hangover/The Death Of Josh Hancock

The season was already off to a rough start, as the Cardinals were playing an uninspiring brand of baseball on the heels of their 2006 title. But that was only the beginning of the team's woes. On April 29, tragedy struck when reliever Josh Hancock was killed in a car accident. Their game the next day against the Cubs was postponed and later rescheduled for a doubleheader on September 15.

From there, the Cardinals continued to struggle, ending the month of April with a poor record of 10-14. To honor Hancock's memory, the Cardinals added a black patch with the reliever's number 32 in the center on their left sleeve.

The Cardinals simply couldn't find consistency for most of the year, being unable to match their postseason magic from the previous year. Unlike this year, however, there were glimmers of hope. The team got hot in August and actually forced their way back into the conversation for an NL Central title. On September 7, they had Adam Wainwright on the mound to start a series against the Diamondbacks. They also came into that series a game over .500 and just one game back of first.

However, a three-game sweep began a nine-game skid that the Cardinals never recovered from, as they were ultimately eliminated on September 21 after falling to 71-82, securing their first losing season since 1999.

Pitching, Pitching, Pitching

At the trade deadline this year, we heard John Mozeliak use the phrase "Pitching, pitching, pitching," and with good reason. Like 2023, the pitching staff was a mess in 2007. As previously mentioned, the Cardinals really had to improvise to fill holes and even had to pick some pieces up off the scrap heap.

Troy Percival had been retired, but returned and ended up pitching quite well, posting a 1.80 ERA in 34 appearances. Contrary to this year, the Cardinals added pitching in the offseason, but it didn't work out.

Kip Wells joined the team and went 7-17 with a 5.70 ERA, even being moved to the bullpen at one point. Anthony Reyes had a bad year and didn't win a game until July after his heroic effort in Game 1 of the 2006 World Series against the Tigers. Other veteran pieces such as Ryan Franklin and Russ Springer worked out in the bullpen.

To bolster the rotation, St. Louis added Todd Wellemeyer and Mike Maroth. Wellemeyer would end up being a solid rotation piece for years to come. He started 11 games with the Cardinals that year and made 20 appearances, posting a 3.11 ERA. Maroth on the other hand was less than stellar. He appeared in 14 games, seven of which were starts, and compiled an ugly 10.06 ERA

The biggest move to strengthen the rotation was the trade for Joel Pinero, who also became a viable rotation piece. The Cardinals added him at the deadline in a trade with the Red Sox, who would succeed them as World champions. During his time in St. Louis that year, he started 11 games, going 6-4 with a 3.96 ERA.

Adam Wainwright was the team's best pitcher that year, and this was the first sign that he was going to become someone special. He had the best ERA out of all starters, posting a 3.70 mark. He also won a team-high 14 games.

The Return Of Rick Ankiel

The highlight of the year came in August when Rick Ankiel was called up to the Majors. Scott Spiezio had been placed on the restricted list due to substance abuse issues, and Ankiel was his replacement.

Out of nowhere, Ankiel began hitting bombs. He had made his MLB debut as an ace pitcher in 2000 before developing a bad habit of wildness in the postseason, which plagued him for several years and caused him to quit pitching. As a hitter, he was something else. That year, he hit .285 with 11 homers and 39 RBI in his first year back in the Majors since 2004.

Ankiel also helped provide a spark for the Cardinals, who were well out of contention to start August but found themselves back in the mix by the end of the month. But it wasn't enough to save the season.