The Cardinals got swept by the Mariners and are now 72-75 heading into their upcoming series with the Brewers. Chances of reaching the playoffs are remote. I would say I’m disappointed, but I think it’s hard to feel that way when expectations for this season were so low anyway, at least among the fanbase.
But not everything is gloom and doom for Cardinals fans. In fact, there’s something I would like to highlight today that has nothing to do with the performance of the team or the 2025 season, but does pertain to the Cardinals in its own exciting way.
Next weekend, while the team begins its final home series of the year against the Brewers, a few Cardinals legends will take part in an exciting event called Home Run Derby X.
This is different from the Home Run Derby we all know and love from the All-Star break. Instead of individual players competing to win a title for themselves. There are teams with three participants. The Cardinals have three players representing them in this event. Former pitchers and Cardinals legends Adam Wainwright and Rick Ankiel teamed up with Florida softball star Taylor Shumaker.
During Labor Day weekend in Des Moines, Wainwright, Ankiel and Shumaker beat Jake Arrieta, Ben Zobrist and Italian softball star Erika Piancastelli, who were representing the Cubs. They also beat Oklahoma softball player Jocelyn Alo, Savannah Bananas slugger Noah Bridges, and former All-Star Nick Swisher, who were representing the Yankees.
What makes this Home Run Derby different is that there are games played that last 30 minutes and each player from each team gets one at-bat that last 2 ½ minutes. While the hitting team can score points by hitting home runs and hitting a target out in center field, the team not hitting plays defense and can be awarded points for catching fly balls. Whichever team scores the most points wins.
With their win over the Yankees team, the Cardinals team advanced to the finals in Salt Lake City. Minor league teams host the events. In Des Moines, it was hosted by the Iowa Cubs. The Salt Lake Bees, the Triple-A affiliate of the Angels, will host the finals.
So, while the current Cardinals will likely be eliminated from the postseason picture around that time, two fan favorites will provide a bit of a distraction and test their skills in the finals of this fun event.
This is cool to see. We know that Ankiel quit pitching and became a slugger after a few years in the minor leagues. He returned to the majors in 2007 and hit a home run in his first game back. Waino needs no introduction. He won two World Series rings, had a nasty curveball, put together a 20-win season and was a three-time All-Star, but he made a few memories as a hitter.
In his first Major League at-bat in 2006, Waino crushed the first pitch for his first career home run. It was one of 10 home runs he would hit in his Major League career. He even won a Silver Slugger Award in 2017, hitting .262 with two bombs. In 2023, he closed out his Major League career with two at-bats after winning his 200th career game.
He was the MVP of the first few rounds in Des Moines and got to hit some bombs on his 44th birthday. Most of all though, it’s nice to see both Waino and Ankiel back in Cardinal red hitting some homers. Even after their playing careers ended, they remained fan favorites in St. Louis.
If you want a distraction from how bad the team has been playing in 2025, you can follow Home Run Derby X on Twitter and Instagram.
I know I’d like to see Waino and Ankiel hit some bombs. That’s something to look forward to, even with the Cardinals having a down year. Hopefully, the two Cards legends and Shumaker can lead the St. Louis team to a Home Run Derby X championship.
