Hello, and welcome to my new feature here at STL Sports Central: Breakfast with Bernie, which I’ll write early in the morning on most weekdays. And if I’m a little late it’ll be “Brunch with Bernie.” I’ll serve up observations, opinions, notes, facts, stats, praise, cheap shots, randomness, analysis and some weirdness as I have my first cuppa or two or three of the day. At times we’ll go “buffet” style for morning grazing, and later in the day I’ll author a new column. On most days, I’ll lead off with a Cards recap. There will be plenty of baseball info served here, with emphasis on the Cardinals.
Your St. Louis Cardinals had a swell, smashingly good 4th of July weekend in Chicago. This celebration could have been even better, but one bad inning ruined the perfection and cost the Redbirds a series sweep of the Cubs. What can I say? The fan in me was greedy and I wanted a STL sweep.
It was an eventful stay for the travelers from St. Louis. That includes the merry delegation of Cards fans who were audibly boisterous and colorfully visible in the seats. The visiting revelers let the happy times roll, by taking the party into the saloons of Wrigleyville.
As for the St. Louis representatives on the field, the Cardinals did some things, blew up some things, knocked down some things, and messed up some stuff.
+ Let there be fireworks. There was Friday’s uproarious 17-1 victory in a successful invasion of the venerated North Side ballpark. Win the series-opener by 16 runs to stomp a Cubs team that came in with MLB’s best record, 15-4, since June 11? Explosive!
+ Let there be nothing for the home team. The Friday afternoon blowout was followed by a Saturday evening blackout when the Cardinals made the Cubs’ offense disappear into the mysterious fog. We couldn’t see much of the Cardinals, either. But we could see the scoreboard on TV back home, which displayed a 3-0 win for the Cards.
Kyle Leahy and four relievers allowed only five hits while teaming for a shutout. So in their first 48 hours in Chicago, the Cardinals outscored the Cubs 20-1. On Friday the Cardinals were over the moon with joy. On Saturday, the Cardinals appeared to be walking on the moon during the strange scene at Wrigley.
The fog comes
on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.
That’s from a famous poem, “Fog,” written by the famous Chicago-based poet, Carl Sandburg.
You know what else moved on? The 12 Cubs hitters who struck out Saturday and moved back into the dugout.
+ There was Jordan Walker’s big honor. J-Walk was chosen for the National League All-Star team for the annual MLB All-Star game set for July 14 at Philadelphia. In a wonderful clubhouse scene posted on the Cardinals’ official site, manager Oli Marmol gave the news to a humbled and emotional Walker as his caring teammates looked on and applauded. After so many – too many – sad scenes in 2024 and 2025, the idea of Walker making the 2026 NL All-Star team seemed incomprehensible. But there he was, – the proud National League leader in RBIs – accepting congratulations and savoring the deep feeling of accomplishment after enduring so much heartache.
+ A day later, Walker tried to save the Cardinals with a mighty blow. In the top of the sixth inning Sunday, Walker struck for a three-run homer that pulled the Cardinals from a 2-0 deficit and air-lifted them to a 3-2 lead. It was his 20th home run of the season, and with the one swing, Walker instantly reduced the Cubs’ win expectancy from 73 percent to 36 percent.
+ Alas, the Cardinals could not lock in a win. In the bottom half of the sixth, the Cubs jumped pitcher Matthew Liberatore and reliever Matt Svanson in a four-run counterattack. The Chicago rally was assisted by two errors: one damaging mistake by third baseman Jose Fermin on a potential double-play ball – and the other on Jordan for his errant throw from right field. Walker later added his fourth RBI of the day on an eight-inning single, but the Cards stopped there. And lost 6-4.
+ The Cardinals had an uplifting 4-2 road trip to Atlanta and Chicago and reversed their recent losing trend. After losing four of their five previous series, the Cardinals won back-to-back road series from teams that currently are parked in playoff spots.
+ That said, the Cardinals are now 3-7 this season when having the chance to sweep a series by winning the final game of that series. In their last seven opportunities to sweep by winning the final game, the Cardinals are 1-6. In a close wild-card race, repeatedly striking out with a chance to sweep could be damaging.
+ Here’s Marmol in Sunday postgame comments made to Derrick Goold and others: “The guys felt like – I can tell you, right now – they wanted all three. That’s a good place to be. There is a competitiveness, but a looseness to this group, and I don’t think there’s been any environment that they haven’t welcomed, to be quite honest with you, which is fun to watch.”
+ Accounting department: 47-40 for a .540 win percentage that ranks 8th in the majors, though the Cards are in a virtual tie with the Marlins … the Phillies and Cubs are tied for the 1st NL wild-card spot, with the Cards and Marlins tied for the No. 3 ticket … the Pirates and Nationals are three games behind the Cards & Marlins, with the Diamondbacks and Padres trailing by four …
+ Postseason odds from FanGraphs: With Sunday’s setback, the Cardinals have a 40.1% shot at making the playoffs. But if we put the three current division leaders aside, here are the FanGraphs’ wild-card probabilities, in order: Cubs 60%, Phillies 51.4%, Pirates 37.1%, Cardinals 36.7% and Marlins 31.1% … next up for the Cardinals: a five-game series vs. the Brewers at Busch Stadium that includes a split doubleheader Tuesday and single game on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.
+ A Jordan Walker note from Rob Rains, the dean of St. Louis baseball writers: “Walker became the first Cardinal with 20 homers and 10 stolen bases before the All-Star break since Albert Pujols in 2009. The only other player in franchise history to hit those marks in the first 87 games of the season was Rogers Hornsby in 1922.”
+ Nolan Gorman was heating up there for a while at Triple A Memphis. But the third basemen had a brutal series against Charlotte: 2 for 22 with 12 strikeouts. In his 11 games for Memphis after being demoted by the Cardinals, Gorman is hitting .125 with a .555 OPS and a 44.6 percent strikeout rate.
+ JJ Wetherholt has done plenty to warrant a place on the National League roster for the All-Star game. I’ll have a video on the subject later today.
THOUGHTS ON THE WORLD CUP CONTROVERSY
Yes. Mixed thoughts.
1. Generally speaking, I’m not a fan of politicians trying to intervene in sports disputes, and I don’t give a damn if the politician in question is a Republican, Democrat, or perhaps a member of the old Whig party. There’s already more than enough contaminants in sports, and we don’t need to add politics to this devil’s brew.
2. That said, I don’t want to hear about FIFA corruption just because the Trump administration joined with the U.S. Soccer officials to ask FIFA to review – and essentially rescind – the red-card penalty imposed on USMNT striker Folarin Balogun in the USA’s 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32. Because of the red card, the U.S. played a man short for the final 35 minutes of the match. And the red card meant that Balogun was automatically disqualified from the next match – the U.S. vs. Belgium – in the round of 16.
3. On Sunday, FIFA confirmed that Balogun would be eligible to play against Belgium when the teams meet in Seattle on Monday night. This was a stunning news bulletin. A stunning turn of events. The Belgians are appealing the decision and were informed the matter was under review … again. As I write this, I have no idea what to expect, but experienced soccer media are convinced that FIFA’s disciplinary committee will still allow Balogun to go forward and compete against Belgium.
4. FIFA president Gianni Infantino is getting blasted for granting leniency in this case, which obviously strengthens the U.S. roster in the tough assignment against the Belgians. But FIFA’s corruption isn’t news; it’s just a part of the usual business. This time it takes on a different form, and has created a global controversy during the elimination round of the world’s most prestigious sporting event. Corruption – if it occurred here – should surprise no one. The soccer federations around the world have done nothing about it. Infantino has been ruling the sport – his way, the only way – since 2016.
5. In news-analyses reports everywhere, you’ll see or hear something along these lines: “A decision like this clearly raises questions over the integrity of world football’s biggest event.” Sure. But why?
6. There is a precedent for the Balogun ruling. So why would we be shocked on this case? Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo should have been banned from the first two games of this tournament after being sent off for vicious and unruly conduct against the Republic of Ireland in the qualifiers. FIFA gave Ronaldo amnesty, basically ruling that his penalty could be served at a later time. This also opened the door to permit Argentina’s Nicolas Otamendi and Ecuador’s Moises Caicedo of Ecuador to play in the World Cup. Their suspensions also waived.
7. According to The Athletic, the Ronaldo decision was partly justified on the basis that he had never been sent off in international football before, but also so the teams in question “can compete with their strongest possible squads on the biggest stage of men’s international football.” This, of course, would apply to Balogun, who has been the most spectacular player and scorer in this World Cup.
8. Is FIFA and Boss Infantino making this up as they go along? It sure seems like it. But isn’t that the way it’s always been with this regime? Does anyone of sound mind believe that FIFA would stand by and do nothing to intercede in a red-card decision if, in the next round, Argentina’s Messi attacked a vulnerable opponent with a blatant kick to the groin? Or what if Norway’s unstoppable striker, Haaland, went berserk and delivered a blind-side hit on a defenseless opponent to cause a concussion? Do you think Haaland would be dismissed and ruled ineligible for competing in the World Cup? What if England’s Harry Kane began pummeling a player from Mexico in Sunday’ night’s classic match? Do you think Harry would be stripped from the Three Lions roster for the quarterfinals? This is the celebrity World Cup. You know the answer.
9. And let’s not forget this all started with an atrocious, incompetent and unwarranted call to put the red card on Balogun. He made an aggressive run at a loose ball, yes. And his cleats tore into the Bosnian’s calf, yes. But that was an accident, an awkward play, with no intent to injure. And these reviews always look substantially worse – almost comically worse – when slowed to a crawl during the replay study that determines if a red card is applicable.
10. And there were repercussions for the U.S. After Balogun’s ejection, the USMNT played a man short for 35 minutes. Clinging to a 1-0 lead, the U.S. stood their ground while playing shorthanded and even extended the lead on a direct kick.
11. “If anyone was harmed in this whole situation, it was the United States,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said at a news conference. “Can anyone justify the idea that we weren’t punished? I mean, playing 30 or 35 minutes a man down in a World Cup knockout match? It’s not as if we’re benefiting. No, no. There’s no extraordinary gain we’re getting out of all this. I mean, ultimately, we aren’t victims, but we aren’t the villains of this story either.”
12. And should the U.S. defeat Belgium to advance to the final eight – there will be more repercussions … with attempts to discredit the Americans’ triumph. “It’s a bad, bad, bad, bad, bad decision that will hurt the World Cup,” Norway coach Stale Solbakken said of the reversal after his team’s win over Brazil. “And I feel also sorry for the United States, because if they win, that will hang in the (background). It’s not good for the sport.”
13. Solbakken’s assessment is accurate in the sense that critics are lining up to put a stain on the U.S. squad to delegitimize any remaining success in this tournament. But this also assumes that it was impossible – or even unlikely – for the U.S. to prevail without Balogun in the lineup vs. Belgium.
14. And unless something changes – like a new decision to remove Balogun – the Belgian side will have extra motivation to topple the U.S. because of perceived favoritism, cronyism, and preferential treatment stemming from Infantino’s cowering, lapdog relationship with the 47th president. Well, to hell with that. If the U.S. wins the achievement will be on the level. This is no time for anyone to stand on a self-constructed, self righteous tower of morality and pretend that FIFA is free of corruption and sin.
15. If anything, a Balogun return to the lineup Monday puts enormous pressure on the U.S. The pressure was already there for obvious reasons – this chronically underachieving program hasn’t made the World Cup quarterfinals since 2002 – but I can’t imagine the ridicule that would be heaped on the U.S. squad in the aftermath of a defeat – even with FIFA intervention to restore the USA’s explosive striker to the attack.
Thanks for reading …
— Bernie
Bernie was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2023. During a St. Louis sports-media career that goes back to 1985, he’s won multiple national awards for column writing and sports-talk hosting – and was the lead sports columnist at the Post-Dispatch from 1989 through 2015. Before that Bernie spent a year at the Dallas Morning News, covering the Dallas Cowboys during Tom Landry’s final season (1988) plus the sale of the team to Jerry Jones and the hiring of Jimmy Johnson as coach. Bernie has covered several Baseball Hall of Fame managers during his media career including Tony La Russa, Whitey Herzog, Earl Weaver, Joe Torre and (as an interim) Red Schoendienst. In his career as a beatwriter and columnist, Bernie covered Pro Football Hall of Fame coaches Joe Gibbs, Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson and Dick Vermeil on a daily basis.
Bernie has covered and written about many great St. Louis sports team athletes including Albert Pujols, Kurt Warner, Brett Hull, Yadier Molina, Adam Wainwright, Jim Edmonds, Marshall Faulk, Scott Rolen, Mark McGwire, Orlando Pace, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter, Al MacInnis, Brian Sutter, Bernie Federko, Chris Pronger, Dan Dierdorf, Keith Tkachuk, Jackie Smith and Aeneas Williams. Bernie covered every baseball Cardinals’ postseason game from 1996 through 2014 and was there to chronicle teams that won four NL pennants and two World Series. He provided extensive coverage on the “Greatest Show” St. Louis Rams and has written extensively on the St. Louis Blues, Saint Louis U, and Mizzou football and basketball. Bernie was/is a longtime voter for the Baseball Hall of Fame, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Heisman Trophy and the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame.
You can access his columns, videos and the podcast version of the videos here on STL Sports Central, catch him regularly on KMOX (AM or FM) as part of the Gashouse Gang, Sports Rush Hour, Sports Open Line or Sports On a Sunday Morning shows. And you can catch weekly “reunion” segments here at STL Sports Central featuring Bernie and his longtime friend Randy Karraker.