1985 St. Louis Cardinals season

The St. Louis Cardinals' 1985 season was the team's 104th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 94th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 101-61 during the season and finished in first place in the National League East division by three games over the New York Mets. After defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games in the NLCS, they lost in seven games in the World Series to their cross-state rivals, the Kansas City Royals in the I-70 Series. The World Series is known for the infamous "safe" call on the Royals' Jorge Orta by umpire Don Denkinger.

This article is about the Major League Baseball team. For the National Football League team, see 1985 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season.

1985 St. Louis Cardinals
NL Champions
NL East Champions
Major League affiliations
Location
Results
Record101–61 (.623)
Divisional place1st
Other information
Owner(s)August "Gussie" Busch
General manager(s)Dal Maxvill
Manager(s)Whitey Herzog
Local televisionKSDK
(Jack Buck, Mike Shannon, Jay Randolph, Al Hrabosky)
Local radioKMOX
(Jack Buck, Mike Shannon)
< Previous season     Next season >

The Cardinals switched back to their traditional gray road uniforms for the first time in ten seasons.

Outfielder Willie McGee won the National League MVP Award this year, batting .353 with 10 home runs and 82 RBIs. Outfielder Vince Coleman won the National League Rookie of the Year Award this year, batting .267 with 107 runs scored and 110 stolen bases. Shortstop Ozzie Smith and McGee both won Gold Gloves this year.

During the 1985 playoffs, the Cardinals used the slogan The Heat Is On, in reference to the song that was released earlier that year.

Offseason

Regular season

Opening Day starters

Season standings
NL East W L Pct. GB Home Road
St. Louis Cardinals 10161 0.623 — 54–27 47–34
New York Mets 9864 0.605 3 51–30 47–34
Montreal Expos 8477 0.522 16½ 44–37 40–40
Chicago Cubs 7784 0.478 23½ 41–39 36–45
Philadelphia Phillies 7587 0.463 26 41–40 34–47
Pittsburgh Pirates 57104 0.354 43½ 35–45 22–59

Record vs. opponents
1985 National League Records

Sources:
Team ATL CHC CIN HOU LAD MON NYM PHI PIT SD SF STL
Atlanta —5–77–118–105–133–92–1010–26–67–1110–83–9
Chicago 7–5—5–65–75–77–114–1413–513–58–46–64–14
Cincinnati 11–76–5—11–77–118–44–87–59–39–912–65–7
Houston 10–87–57–11—6–126–64–84–86–612–615–36–6
Los Angeles 13–57–511–712–6—7–57–54–88–48–1011–77–5
Montreal 9–311–74–86–65–7—9–98–109–85–77–511–7
New York 10–214–48–48–45–79–9—11–710–87–58–48–10
Philadelphia 2-105–135–78–48–410–87–11—11–75–76–68–10
Pittsburgh 6–65–133–96–64–88–98–107–11—4–83–93–15
San Diego 11–74–89–96–1210–87–55–77–58–4—12–64–8
San Francisco 8–106–66–123–157–115–74–86–69–36–12—2–10
St. Louis 9–314–47–56–65–77–1110–810–815–38–410–2—

Notable transactions

Roster
1985 St. Louis Cardinals
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

 Outfielders Manager

Coaches

Player stats
= Indicates team leader

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
CTom Nieto9525357.225034
1BJack Clark126442124.2812287
2BTom Herr159596180.3028110
SSOzzie Smith158537148.276654
3BTerry Pendleton149559134.240569
LFVince Coleman151636170.267140
CFWillie McGee152612216.3531082
RFAndy Van Slyke146424110.2591355

Other batters
Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
Darrell Porter8424053.2211036
Tito Landrum8516145.280421
Mike Jorgensen7211222.196011
Lonnie Smith289625.26007
César Cedeño287633.434619
Steve Braun646716.23916
Iván DeJesús597216.22207
Tom Lawless475812.20708
Brian Harper435213.25008
Mike LaValliere12345.14706
Randy Hunt14193.15801
Curt Ford11126.50003
Art Howe430.00000

Pitching

Starting pitchers
Player G IP W L ERA SO
John Tudor362752181.93169
Joaquín Andújar38269.221123.40112
Danny Cox352411892.88131
Kurt Kepshire32153.11094.7567
Bob Forsch34136963.9048

Other pitchers
Player G IP W L SV ERA SO
Todd Worrell1721.23052.9117
Joe Boever1316.10004.4120
Pat Perry612.11000.006
Matt Keough4100104.5010
Andy Hassler10100101.805
Doug Bair220000.000

Relief pitchers
Player G IP W L SV ERA SO
Jeff Lahti5268.152191.8441
Ricky Horton4989.23212.9159
Ken Dayley5765.144112.7662
Bill Campbell5064.15343.5041
Neil Allen23291425.5910

NLCS
Main article: 1985 National League Championship Series

The NLCS against the Dodgers featured two game-winning home runs by shortstop Ozzie Smith in Game 5 and first baseman Jack Clark in Game 6, both off Dodgers reliever Tom Niedenfuer. In a rare display of power-hitting, Smith hit his in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the ninth inning, prompting the famous call of "Go crazy, folks! Go crazy!" by Jack Buck. This play is considered one of the key highlights in all of Cardinals' history.

Game 1

Wednesday, October 9 at Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles)

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
St. Louis 000 000 100 181
Los Angeles 000 103 00X 480
W: Fernando Valenzuela (1-0)  L: John Tudor (0-1)   SV: Tom Niedenfuer (1)
HRs: LAD – None   STL – None

Game 2

Thursday, October 10 at Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles)

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
St. Louis 001 000 001 281
Los Angeles 003 212 00X 8131
W: Orel Hershiser (1-0)  L: Joaquín Andújar (0-1)   SV: None
HRs: LAD – Greg Brock (1)   STL – None

Game 3

Saturday, October 12 at Busch Stadium (St. Louis)

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Los Angeles 000 100 100 272
St. Louis 220 000 00X 480
W: Danny Cox (1-0)  L: Bob Welch (0-1)   SV: Ken Dayley (1)
HRs: LAD – None   STL – Tom Herr (1)

Game 4

Sunday, October 13 at Busch Stadium (St. Louis)

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Los Angeles 000 000 110 251
St. Louis 090 110 01X 12150
W: John Tudor (1-0)  L: Jerry Reuss (0-1)   SV: None
HRs: LAD – Bill Madlock (1)   STL – None

Game 5

Monday, October 14 at Busch Stadium (St. Louis)

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Los Angeles 000 200 000 251
St. Louis 200 000 001 351
W: Jeff Lahti (1-0)  L: Tom Niedenfuer (0-1)   SV: None
HRs: LAD – Bill Madlock (2)   STL – Ozzie Smith (1)

Game 6

Wednesday, October 16 at Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles)

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
St. Louis 001 000 303 7121
Los Angeles 110 020 010 580
W: Todd Worrell (1-0)  L: Tom Niedenfuer (0-2)   SV: Ken Dayley (2)
HRs: LAD – Bill Madlock (3)   Mike Marshall (1)   STL – Jack Clark (1)

World Series
Main article: 1985 World Series

The 1985 World Series was christened the "I-70 Series" and the "Show-Me Series" because it featured the in-state rival Kansas City Royals, the first time the two teams met in a non-exhibition setting. It also featured some of the most controversial series of events in Cardinals history. Coleman was unable to play in this Series due to an injury sustained in the NLCS after being rolled up in the mechanical tarpaulin at Busch Stadium. Scribes remarked about the "killer tarp", but it proved metaphorical.

After St. Louis gained a 3–2 series advantage, Game 6 tipped off the controversy with "The Call". With the Cardinals leading 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth inning, umpire Don Denkinger called Royals batter Jorge Orta safe at first base — a call refuted by broadcast television's instant replay. Several batters later, they lost Game 6 by the score of 2–1. After "The Call", St. Louis proceeded to lose Game 7 by a score of 11-0, and thus, the Series, due to an error and passed ball. Despite both of their pitching aces participating in this game, they failed to come through — starter John Tudor, who had won his two prior starts in the Series, punched a mechanical fan when removed from the game. His severely cut pitching hand required stitching at a Kansas City hospital while the game was ongoing. Joaquín Andújar, the other ace pressed into relief, was ejected by home plate umpire Denkinger for arguing balls and strikes.

AL Kansas City Royals (4) vs. NL St. Louis Cardinals (3)

Game Score Date Location Attendance Time of Game
1Cardinals – 3, Royals – 1October 19Royals Stadium (Kansas City)41,6502:48
2Cardinals – 4, Royals – 2October 20Royals Stadium (Kansas City)41,6562:44
3Royals – 6, Cardinals – 1October 22Busch Stadium (St. Louis)53,6343:00
4Royals – 0, Cardinals – 3October 23Busch Stadium (St. Louis)53,6342:19
5Royals – 6, Cardinals – 1October 24Busch Stadium (St. Louis)53,6342:52
6Cardinals – 1, Royals – 2October 26Royals Stadium (Kansas City)41,6282:48
7Cardinals – 0, Royals – 11October 27Royals Stadium (Kansas City)41,6582:46

Awards and honors
  • Vince Coleman, National League Rookie of the Year Award
  • Vince Coleman, Major League Baseball Stolen Base Leader (110)
  • Whitey Herzog, Associated Press Manager of the Year
  • Ozzie Smith, Shortstop, Golden Glove Award
  • Willie McGee, Outfield, Golden Glove Award

Farm system
See also: Minor League Baseball
Level Team League Manager
AAA Louisville Redbirds American Association Jim Fregosi
AA Arkansas Travelers Texas League Jim Riggleman
A St. Petersburg Cardinals Florida State League Dave Bialas
A Springfield Cardinals Midwest League Lloyd Merritt
A Savannah Cardinals South Atlantic League Gaylen Pitts
A-Short Season Erie Cardinals New York–Penn League Fred Koenig
Rookie Johnson City Cardinals Appalachian League Rich Hacker

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Louisville

References
  1. Dave Von Ohlen at Baseball Reference
  2. Brian Harper at Baseball Reference
  3. Alex Cole at Baseball Reference
  4. Mike LaValliere at Baseball Reference
  5. Gary Rajsich at Baseball Reference
  6. Matt Keough at Baseball Reference
  7. Steve Peters at Baseball Reference
  8. Cesar Cedeno at Baseball Reference
  • Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.
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