The 2012 St. Louis Cardinals season was the 131st season for the St. Louis Cardinals, a Major League Baseball franchise in St. Louis, Missouri. It was the 121st season for the Cardinals in the National League and their 7th at Busch Stadium III.
The Cardinals made their 25th trip to the postseason in 2012 after taking the NL Wild Card title by one game over the Atlanta Braves on the last day of the regular season in 2011. They began the 2012 season away against the Miami Marlins on April 4. St. Louis was coming off a 90–72 (.556) season, a second-place finish in the National League Central Division, the aforementioned wild card berth, and their National League-leading 11th World Series championship.
In 2012, they finished with an 88–74 (.543) record and second place in the NL Central. By virtue of coming in second to the Atlanta Braves, they won the second National League Wild Card spot, and then beat the Braves in the NLWC Game. They then played the NL East champion Washington Nationals in the NLDS and beat them in five games to advance to the NLCS against the San Francisco Giants. However, they lost to the Giants in seven games after leading the series 3 games to 1.
Offseason departures and acquisitions
Management On October 31, 2011, Tony La Russa announced his retirement after 16 years as manager of the Cardinals. After interviewing several candidates, the Cardinals announced, in a press conference on November 14, that former Cardinals catcher Mike Matheny would be the team's new manager, the 49th in team history. At 41, he was the youngest active manager in the majors. He holds the catching major league record for consecutive errorless games at 252, and for consecutive errorless chances with 1,565.
On November 16, Matheny and the Cardinals announced the new coaching staff: Dave Duncan stayed on as the pitching coach for the 17th year as he was the only coach under contract, with third-base coach Jose Oquendo, hitting coach and former Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire, and bullpen coach Derek Lilliquist. 50-year-old Mike Aldrete moved from assistant hitting coach to bench coach. Chris Maloney also 50 years of age, moved from manager of the AAA Memphis Redbirds of the Pacific Coast League to first-base coach in St. Louis; his first time on a major league staff. Former bench coach Joe Pettini and first-base coach Dave McKay moved to other roles in baseball operations for the team.Cards retain Duncan, McGwire, Oquendo: Aldrete takes over as bench coach, Maloney new first-base coach, MLB.com (November 16, 2011)
On December 2, former Cardinals outfielder John Mabry was named assistant hitting coach.St. Louis Cardinals' tweet, (December 2, 2011)
Hitters On December 8, Albert Pujols signed a 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels worth $254 million, declining a 10-year $220 million offer by the Cardinals. His old contract paid him $111 million over eight years from 2004 to 2011. Pujols departed among the leaders in virtually every major offensive category in Cardinals franchise history. At the time of the signing of the contract, he was fourth all-time in hits, third in runs and second in total bases, doubles, home runs, RBIs and walks. He was behind only Stan Musial in the five latter categories. He was seventh in games played and could have climbed as high as third with two more seasons in a Cardinals uniform.Not in the Cards: Pujols departs for Angels: Star opts for more lucrative 10-year deal in Southern California, MLB.com (December 8, 2011) He was paid $14,508,395 in 2011.Albert Pujols, Baseball-Reference.com ('Salaries') His former teammates were stunned by his decision.Former teammates stunned by Pujols' decision, MLB.com (December 8, 2011)
On December 10, the team re-signed Rafael Furcal to a two-year deal worth $14 mil.Furcal re-ups with Cardinals for two years, MLB.com (December 10, 2011)
On December 12, the Cardinals refused to offer a contract to Ryan Theriot, making him a non-tendered free agent. On the same day, utilityman [2B/OF] Skip Schumaker accepted a two-year deal worth $3 mil. avoiding free agency after 2012. He was paid $4.7 mil. in his just completed two-year deal.Cardinals shaping roster for 2012, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (December 13, 2011)
On December 22, the Cardinals signed outfielder Carlos Beltrán to a two-year deal.Cardinals sign All-Star Beltran, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (December 22, 2011)
On March 1, 2012, the Cardinals announced the extension of catcher Yadier Molina's expiring $7 mil. contract at the end of 2012, for 5 years (with a 6th year $15 mil. option for 2018) for $75 mil., making him the second-highest-paid catcher (to Twins catcher Joe Mauer) in all of baseball. He leads all catchers with 39 pickoffs since 2005, and has thrown out 44% of all basestealers in his eight years. He led all Cardinals batters in 2011 with a .305 batting average, starting more games behind the plate than any other catcher, and established career-highs with 55 runs scored, 32 doubles, 14 home runs, and 65 RBIs.Molina opts for long-term deal with Redbirds: Catcher signs five-year, $75 million contract with mutual option , MLB.com (March 1, 2012)
Pitchers On December 15, 2011, the Cardinals signed 35-year-old lefty reliever J. C. Romero to a one-year contract.Cardinals lay groundwork for more moves, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (December 15, 2011)
The Cardinals invited nineteen players to spring training camp.Cards invite 19 players to Major League camp, MLB.com (January 14, 2012)
The team finished setting its 25-man roster on March 30. Placed on the DL were pitcher Chris Carpenter, utilityman Skip Schumaker, and outfielder Allen Craig.Cardinals set 25-man roster for opening night, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (March 30, 2012)
Regular season
April On Sunday, April 22 at Pittsburgh, the Cardinals became the first defending world champion team since the 1922 New York Giants to open their title defense with six consecutive series win.Cardinals secure six series with win over Pirates, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (April 22, 2012) They had a record of 11-5 (.688) during that streak. The series streak ended on April 24, with a second consecutive loss to the Cubs in Chicago, although winning the final game of the series on April 25.
May The Cardinals announced they would retire former manager Tony La Russa' #10 prior to the game on May 11. His number will be the 12th retired by the Cardinals. He ranks third on the managers' all-time wins list with 2,728. 1,408 of those came with the Cardinals in his 16-year tenure there, and his .544 winning percentage with the team is his best of the three clubs he managed in his 33 seasons.Cardinals to retire La Russa's number: Former skipper will be honored before May 11 game vs. Braves, MLB.com (May 2, 2012)
On May 14, Carlos Beltrán was named the National League Player of the Week for the week of May 7–13 after posting six home runs, 13 RBIs, eight runs scored, 30 total bases, and a 1.200 slugging percentage. He collected hits in five of the six games, homering in four of them. This is Beltran's ninth Player of the Week Award and his sixth in the National League. He leads the National League with 15 home runs, and is second in RBIs, with 32.Red-hot Beltran named NL Player of Week: Cardinals right fielder rapped six homers, had six-RBI game, MLB.com (May 14, 2012)
At home on May 22, Adam Wainwright threw his first complete game shutout since August 6, 2010, in a 4−0 victory over the San Diego Padres. Wainwright missed the entire 2011 season recovering from elbow surgery. It was his ninth career complete game and just his third shutout.Wainwright throws first shutout since 2010, MLB.com (May 23, 2012)
June Johan Santana threw the first no-hitter in New York Mets' 51-year history (totaling 8,019 regular season and 74 post-season games previously) with an 8−0 shutout over the Cardinals and Adam Wainwright at Citi Field on June 1. 27,069 witnessed the no-hitter, with Santana throwing a career-high 134 pitches. He walked five, and struck out eight. (box score) Left fielder Mike Baxter robbed Yadier Molina with a great catch in the seventh inning for the 20th out. Umpire Adrian Johnson ruled a hard grounder by former Met Carlos Beltrán (in his first return to New York) down the third-base line 'foul' although the ball made a mark on the chalk in the sixth inning. Beltran subsequently grounded out to third base on the next pitch. The no-hitter was the eighth against the Cardinals in their long history, the first time by Hall-of-Famer Christy Mathewson on July 15, 1901. The previous no-hitter against the Cardinals was by Fernando Valenzuela on June 29, 1990, at Dodger Stadium.In Beltran's return to NY, Cardinals get no-hit: Throwing 134 pitches, Santana first Mets pitcher to achieve feat, MLB.com (June 1, 2012)Santana makes history against Cardinals, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (June 1, 2012) The Cardinals were also the first defending World Series champion to be pitched a no-hitter against since the Oakland Athletics in their 1990 pennant season. On the opposite side, Cardinals' pitchers have thrown 10 no-hitters against opponents, the last one by Bud Smith against the San Diego Padres on September 3, 2001. The Padres are now the only present team without a no-hitter.
On June 7, Jaime García (left-hander), landed on the disabled list after his 2-inning June 5 start with a left shoulder sprain. He is the eighth player on it, one-off the season high of nine—at the same time with the seven others which include two starting pitchers (he and Chris Carpenter), two relievers (Scott Linebrink and Kyle McClellan), two infielders (Lance Berkman and Matt Carpenter), and two outfielders (Jon Jay and Skip Schumaker).Cards place Garcia on DL, bring back Salas, MLB.com (June 7, 2012)
On June 15, batting against his old team the Kansas City Royals, Carlos Beltrán became the first switch-hitter in MLB history to attain 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases, with his seventh stolen base in the second inning. Seven other hitters also are members of the 300-300 club.
July Carlos Beltrán (of) and Rafael Furcal (ss) won the fan voting to be starters at their positions for the 83rd All-Star Game in Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium on July 10. Yadier Molina (c) was selected by the players as a reserve for his fourth consecutive year; he ranked second in the voting to starter Buster Posey. Lance Lynn was also selected by the players as a reserve pitcher; his first time going to the All-Star Game. Retired Cardinals' manager Tony La Russa will un-retire for the one game. Coaches Derek Lilliquist, Jose Oquendo and Mark McGwire will also be participating in the event, as all are members of La Russa's All-Star staff. Former St. Louis coaches Joe Pettini, Dave McKay and Dave Duncan are members of that coaching staff, as well. Beltran is leading the NL with 61 RBIs, and second in home runs with 20. He also ranks in the top 10 with a .310 batting average. It will be his fourth time as an All-Star fan-vote starter, seventh overall.Beltran, Furcal to start among four Cards All-Stars: Molina headed to fourth straight Midsummer Classic; Lynn a first-timer, MLB.com (July 1, 2012) As an added bonus for Beltran, he was also picked to participate in the Home Run Derby contest on July 9, the night before the All-Star Game. It will be the first time for him in that fan-favorite event.Beltran to be participant in Home Run Derby: Cardinals outfielder, and former Royal, to blast off at Kauffman Stadium on July 9, MLB.com (July 1, 2012)