Lance Lynn is a baseball graybeard with an actual graybeard — well, a quasi-graybeard, since most of his whiskers are brown, though a hairy share are, indeed, gray.
The old Cardinals pitcher is old — he turns 37 this May — but he’s also a new Cardinals pitcher, signed for the 2024 season.
And on Monday at the annual Winter Warm-up, Lynn pointed out a cool tidbit regarding the 2011 Cardinals: “To be the only still-active player? That's fun.â€
Yep, Lynn is the last remaining playoff participant from the 2011 World Series champions, the last Cardinals team to win the title. A rookie in 2011, Lynn also played on the 2013 team that won the pennant (and lost to the Red Sox).
Matt Carpenter is a free agent currently — he played in seven games for the 2011 team, compiling a lone hit. And Adam Wainwright, who retired this winter, was an injured pitcher for ºüÀêÊÓƵ during 2011. And, of course Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina retired after the 2022 season.
As for Lynn, he pitched in 18 games, starting two, for the 2011 club. He compiled a 3.12 ERA in 34⅔ innings. In the postseason, he didn’t make the roster for the National League Division Series, but in the NL Championship Series, he pitched 5⅓ scoreless innings against Milwaukee. Then in the World Series against Texas, Lynn allowed four runs in 5⅔ innings. And he was accidentally called in from the bullpen during Game 5 — the Cardinals coaching staff meant to call for Marc Rzepczynski out of the ’pen, but Lynn trotted to the mound instead.
In the famed Game 6, the "David Freese Game," Lynn allowed three runs in relief. But in Game 7, which ºüÀêÊÓƵ won to earn its 11th title, Lynn pitched a scoreless eighth.
“It brings back a lot of great memories,†Lynn said Monday. “I was young. I was a rookie, so you don't really understand what you were a part of when I was in the fire of that. Now, being 36 and haven’t been to a World Series since ’13, it really makes you understand what you accomplished with that (2011) group. Obviously, making the playoffs on the last day, all the things that happen in the World Series — with being one out away from losing — it brings back a lot of things that, at the time, you're so worried about competing, that you weren't able to really understand. Or take in. But it was a great time.â€
On the 2024 Cardinals, Lynn will be reunited with 2011 teammate Daniel Descalso, who is the bench coach. Lynn also played minor league ball with manager Oli Marmol.
Lynn is a two-time All-Star who finished third in the 2021 American League Cy Young voting. His career ERA is 3.74. But last year, for the White Sox and Dodgers, his ERA was 5.73.
Naturally, there is optimism about Lynn around Busch Stadium from the team, regardless of his recent numbers.
“I think Lance, first and foremost, is a great competitor,†Descalso said Monday. “I'm sure you guys have all seen him on the mound, striking a guy out to end the inning — and he lets out a roar of some type. He's the type of guy that wants the ball and he's go out and compete with what he knows how to do. He's going to throw a lot of fastballs; he's going attack hitters.
“Even a couple years ago, he had a really nice season. Last year, he struggled a little bit. I think we have some adjustments to make with him. But just his presence on the mound, his presence in the clubhouse is going to be huge positive for us. I think he's going to hold guys to a high standard. And that's a good thing. So we're excited — and I'm excited — to share the dugout with him.â€
New Cardinals reliever Andrew Kittredge, less than 72 hours after the trade that brought him from Tampa Bay to ºüÀêÊÓƵ, talks with the Best …
Starting pitcher Lance Lynn fist bumps Daniel Descalso in the dugout before Game 2 of the National League Division Series between the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Photo by Chris Lee, clee@post-dispatch.com