The 5 most devastating World Series losses in St. Louis Cardinals history

#2 - 2004 World Series

The first of Boston's World Series championships in the 21st century came in 2004, where their team of destiny upset the juggernaut Cardinals to break the "Curse of the Bambino".

The Red Sox, who sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1920, were in an 86-year championship drought entering the 2004 season, and many believed the team was cursed due to that horrible deal they made with their arch-rival.

The Cardinals won 105 games in 2004 on their way to the World Series and looked like the best team in baseball all season long. The "MV3" was in full force that season, as Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen, and Jim Edmonds finished third, fourth, and fifth in NL MVP voting. Each of them posted an OPS north of 1.000 that season, with Rolen and Edmonds both taking home Gold Gloves as well at third base and center field. On top of them, the Cardinals also had future Hall of Famer Larry Walker and Cardinals' Hall of Famers Ray Lankford and Edgar Renteria.

On the pitching side of things, the Cardinals' rotation was led by Chris Carpenter, Jeff Suppan, Jason Marquis, and Matt Morris, with a strong bullpen headlined by Jason Isringhausen, Jualin Tavarez, Ray King, and Steve Kline. Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa had everything he needed at his disposal, and it's hard to look at that roster and believe they did not win the World Series.

But they didn't, because coming out of the American League that year was the team of destiny, one that the baseball gods were not going to allow to lose that series.

The Red Sox had just pulled off the most improbable and epic comeback in MLB history in the ALCS over the Yankees, who were the face of the curse that had plagued them for so long. The Red Sox lost the first three games of the ALCS, including being humiliated by a score of 19-8 in Game 3, and I don't think there was a soul on earth who thought Boston was going to win that series after that.

Well, the Red Sox became the first team in MLB history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit, including two epic extra innings wins in Game 4 and Game 5, and rode into the World Series with all of the momentum in the world.

While the mighty Cardinals stood there waiting for them, the Red Sox made quick work of St. Louis. Each game of the series was at least a bit close in the final score, but the Red Sox were in command the entire time, and Boston would break their curse in just four games. The Cardinals' offense was especially disappointing in the series, as outside of Pujols, Walker, and Renteria, no one else showed up. Edmonds and Rolen both posted an OPS south of .200 in the four games, and St. Louis' legendary season went out with a whimper.