ST. LOUIS - The Cardinals won a major league-leading 105 games during the regular season and seven more in a thrilling march through the first two rounds of the playoffs.
But they couldn't win even one in the World Series.
"In spring training, we thought we had a chance for the ring," manager Tony La Russa said. "We had to play good in the regular season - tough division - and we did that. We survived two playoffs. So it's a huge disappointment."
The Cardinals' biggest problem was that they didn't play anything like the Cardinals.
"Bottom line is we're not playing the way we played all season," pitcher Woody Williams said before Game 4. "Even in the playoffs we had our back against the wall in the NLCS and came back and played the way we're capable of doing. To me, that's the frustrating thing.
"We're not pitching; we're not running the bases and not driving in runs in a timely fashion."
St. Louis stars Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds, known throughout the season as MV3 for their equally valuable contributions, combined to hit .133 (6-for-45) with one RBI.
Overall they hit .190, and their 24 hits were the fewest by one team since 1969.
Only one of their starting pitchers made it through six innings, and the combined efforts of Williams, Matt Morris, Jeff Suppan and Jason Marquis weren't much: 18 runs and 26 hits in 171/3 innings.
"We were ready to play; we didn't play good enough," La Russa said. "We just got outplayed, outpitched."
The Cardinals played so poorly they were booed - gently - by their usually supportive fans.
"I know they're very intelligent baseball fans and they see how we're playing," Williams said. "I know that must be disgusting for them."
The Cardinals are the seventh team to have the best regular-season record and be swept in the Series. Only the 1954 Indians, with 114, had more wins.
They also are the third team to complete a Series without ever holding the lead.
"They outplayed us in every category, so it ended up not being a terrific competition," La Russa said. "But give them credit."
