2003 St. Louis Cardinals season

The 2003 St. Louis Cardinals season was the 122nd season for the St. Louis Cardinals, a Major League Baseball franchise in St. Louis, Missouri. It was the 112th season for the Cardinals in the National League and their 38th in Busch Memorial Stadium.

The Cardinals went 85–77 during the season and finished third in the National League Central, three games behind the Chicago Cubs, who won the NL Central at 88–74, and two behind the NL Central runners-up, the Houston Astros (87–75).

Catcher Mike Matheny, shortstop Édgar Rentería, third baseman Scott Rolen, and outfielder Jim Edmonds won Gold Gloves this year.

Offseason December 13, 2002: Chris Carpenter was signed as a free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Regular season

Opening Day starters Jim Edmonds Eli Marrero Tino Martinez Mike Matheny Matt Morris Albert Pujols Édgar Rentería Scott Rolen Fernando Viña

Season standings

National League Central

Record vs. opponents

Transactions May 27, 2003: Scott Seabol was signed as a free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Game log

|- bgcolor=#cfc |1 || March 31 || Brewers || 11–9 || Springer || DeJean || Kline || 49,561 || 1–0

|- bgcolor=#cfc | 2 || April 2 || Brewers || 7–0 || W. Williams || Rusch || || 26,790 || 2–0 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 3 || April 3 || Brewers || 6–4 || Stephenson || Kinney || Kline || 26,952 || 3–0 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 4 || April 4 || Astros || 5–6 || Stone || Springer || Lidge || 32,661 || 3–1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 5 || April 5 || Astros || 1–2 || Munro || Fassero || Wagner || 33,878 ||3–2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 6 || April 8 || @ Rockies || 15–12 || Eldred || Miceli || ||21,563 || 4–2 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 7 || April 9 || @ Rockies || 4–9 || Cruz || Tomko || || 24,110 || 4–3 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 8 || April 10 || @ Rockies || 6–7 || Lopez || Kline || Jimenez ||24,586 || 4–4 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 9 || April 11 || @ Astros || 2–3 || Dotel || Morris || || 25,185 || 4–5 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 10 || Apr 12 || @ Astros || 3–0 || W. Williams || Redding || Hermanson || 33,509 || 5–5 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 11 || April 13 || @ Astros || 11–8 || Calero || Oswalt || || 30,078 || 6–5 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 12 || April 14 || @ Brewers || 7–5 || Tomko || Ritchie || Kline || 10,684 || 7–5 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 13 || April 15 || @ Brewers || 1–6 || Sheets || Stephenson || || 12,149 || 7–6 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 14 || April 16 || @ Brewers || 15–2 || Morris || Franklin || || 12,387 || 8–6 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 15 || April 18 || D'Backs || 6–3 || W. Williams || Dessens || || 36,239 || 9–6 |- bgcolor=#fbb |16 || April 19 || D'Backs || 3–4 || Kim || Simontacchi || Mantei || 38,742 || 9–7 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 17 || April 20 || D'Backs || 0–1 || Villarreal || Tomko || Mantei || 26,152 || 9–8 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 18 || April 22 || @ Braves || 3–5 || Ortiz || Stephenson || Smoltz || 20,969 || 9–9 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 19 || April 23 || @ Braves || 2–4 || Maddux || Morris || Smoltz || 21,338 || 9–10 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 20 || April 24 || @ Braves || 3–4 || King || Kline || || 24,184 || 9–11 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 21 || April 25 || @ Marlins || 9–2 || Tomko || Burnett || || 12,081 || 10–11 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 22 || April 26 || @ Marlins || 3–5 || Beckett || Kline || Looper || 12,286 || 10–12 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 23 || April 27 || @ Marlins || 7–6 || Kline || Pavano || || 10,075 || 11–12 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 24 || April 29 || Mets || 13–3 || Morris || Leiter || || 30,275 || 12–12 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 25 || April 30 || Mets || 13–4 || W. Williams || Astacio || || 30,265 || 13–12

|- bgcolor=#cfc | 26 || May 1 || Mets || 6–5 || Eldred || Strickland || || 35,283 || 14–12 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 27 || May 2 || Expos || 8–1 || Simontacchi || Ohka || || 41,810 || 15–12 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 28 || May 3 || Expos || 3–1 || Stephenson || Vargas || Calero || 36,176 || 16–12 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 29 || May 4 || Expos || 6–2 || Morris || Vazquez || || 39,605 || 17–12 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 30 || May 5 || @ Reds || 4–5 || Williamson || Hermanson || || 20,145 || 17–13 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 31 || May 6 || @ Reds || 5–6 || Reitsma || Calero || || 25,917 || 17–14 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 32 || May 7 || @ Reds || 2–4 || Graves || Simontacchi || Williamson || 20,849 || 17–15 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 33 || May 8 || @ Reds || 6–8 || Sullivan || Crudale || Williamson || 30,567 || 17–16 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 34 || May 9 || @ Cubs || 6–3 || Morris || Zambrano || Fassero || 38,531 || 18–16 |- bgcolor=#fbb || 35 || May 10 || @ Cubs || 2–3 || Remlinger || Eldred || || 38,106 || 18–17 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 36 || May 13 || Reds || 2–7 || Wilson || Simontacchi || || 34,276 || 18–18 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 37 || May 14 || Reds || 0–4 || Graves || Morris || || 31,731 || 18–19 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 38 || May 15 || Reds || 6–3 || Stephenson || Riedling || Eldred || 37,904 || 19–19 |- bgcolor=#cfc |39 || May 16 || Cubs || 7–4 || W. Williams || Clement || Eldred || 42,589 || 20–19 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 40 || May 17 || Cubs || 1–2 || Remlinger || Kline || Borowski || 45,385 || 20–20 |- bgcolor=#cfc |41 || May 18 || Cubs || 6–3 || Hermanson || Cruz || Eldred || 45,773 || 21–20 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 42 || May 19 || Cubs || 2–0 || Morris || Zambrano || || 46,734 || 22–20 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 43 || May 20 || @ Astros || 2–3 || Miller || Stephenson || Wagner || 23,623 || 22–21 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 44 || May 21 || @ Astros || 7–4 || W. Williams || Munro || Eldred || 22,441 || 23–21 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 45 || May 22 || @ Astros || 2–5 || Robertson || Tomko || Wagner || 23,866 || 23–22 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 46 || May 23 || @ Pirates || 10–8 || Eldred || Meadows || Fassero || 18,660 || 24–22 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 47 || May 24 || @ Pirates || 6–0 || Morris || Suppan || || 35,733 || 25–22 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 48 || May 25 || @ Pirates || 7–8 || Boehringer || Hermanson || M. Williams || 25,983 || 25–23 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 49 || May 26 || Astros || 10–5 || W. Williams || Munro || || 35,600 || 26–23 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 50 || May 27 || Astros || 4–7 || Robertson || Tomko || Wagner || 32,476 || 26–24 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 51 || May 28 || Astros || 3–1 || Simontacchi || Johnson || || 28,667 || 27–24 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 52 || May 29 || Astros || 4–7 || Saarloos || Fassero || Wagner || 41,977 || 27–25 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 53 || May 30 || Pirates || 3–7 || Suppan || Stephenson || || 30,599 || 27–26 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 54 || May 31 || Pirates || 3–4 || Wells || W. Williams || M. Williams || 43,789 || 27–27

|- bgcolor=#cfc | 55 || June 1 || Pirates || 5–4 || Kline || Beimel || Fassero || 46,103 || 28–27 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 56 || June 3 || Blue Jays || 11–5 || Morris || Escobar || ||28,907 || 29–27 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 57 || June 4 || Blue Jays || 8–5 || Simontacchi || Lidle || Eldred || 28,840 || 30–27 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 58 || June 5 || Blue Jays || 13–5 || W. Williams || Hendrickson || || 33,729 || 31–27 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 59 || June 6 || Orioles || 8–6 || Yan || Julio || Eldred || 34,817 || 32–27 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 60 || June 7 || Orioles || 1–8 || Ponson || Stephenson || || 43,369 || 32–28 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 61 || June 8 || Orioles || 11–10 || Simontacchi || Driskill || Eldred ||33,313 || 33–28 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 62 || June 10 || @ Red Sox || 9–7 || Kline || Lyon || Eldred || 34,937 || 34–28 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 63 || June 11 || @ Red Sox || 1–13 || Burkett || Tomko || || 33,453 || 34–29 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 64 || June 12 || @ Red Sox || 8–7 || Yan || Mendoza || || 34,389 || 35–29 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 65 || June 13 || @ Yankees || 2–5 || Clemens || Simontacchi || Rivera || 55,214 || 35–30 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 66 || June 14 || @ Yankees || 4–13 || Pettitte || Morris || || 55,174 || 35–31 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 67 || June 15 || @ Yankees || 2–5 || Mussina || W. Williams || Rivera || 54,797 || 35–32 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 68 || June 16 || @ Brewers || 4–9 || Leskanic || Eldred || || 24,951 || 35–33 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 69 || June 17 || @ Brewers || 12–3 || Stephenson || Kinney || || 16,659 || 36–33 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 70 || June 18 || @ Brewers || 9–1 || Simontacchi || Rusch || || 17,495 || 37–33 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 71 || June 19 || @ Brewers || 8–4 || Tomko || Quevedo || Isringhausen || 20,776 || 38–33 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 72 || June 20 || Royals || 4–10 || Lima || Morris || || 38,226 || 38–34 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 73 || June 21 || Royals || 8–1 || W. Williams || May || || 44,473 || 39–34 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 74 || June 22 || Royals || 2–5 || Affeldt || Stephenson || MacDougal || 39,962 || 39–35 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 75 || June 24 || Reds || 4–7 || Heredia || Fassero || Graves || 33,352 || 39–36 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 76 || June 25 || Reds || 9–6 || Morris || Wilson || Isringhausen || 34,863 || 40–36 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 77 || June 26 || Reds || 11–7 || W. Williams || Anderson || || 34,738 || 41–36 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 78 || June 27 || @ Royals || 3–6 || May || Stephenson || MacDougal || 40,189 || 41–37 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 79 || June 28 || @ Royals || 13–9 || Fassero || Affeldt || || 40,347 || 42–37 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 80 || June 29 || @ Royals || 13–6 || Tomko || George || || 38,270 || 43–37 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 81 || June 30 || Giants || 1–5 || Schmidt || Haren || ||33,873 || 43–38

|- bgcolor=#fbb | 82 || July 1 || Giants || 1–5 || Brower || W. Williams || || 39,894 || 43–39 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 83 || July 2 || Giants || 1–4 || J. Williams || Stephenson || Worrell || 33,835 || 43–40 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 84 || July 3 || Giants || 9–5 || Simontacchi || Rueter || || 38,129 || 44–40 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 85 || July 4 || @ Cubs || 11–8 || Tomko || Wood || ||39,756 || 45–40 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 86 || July 5 || @ Cubs || 5–6 || Remlinger || Fassero || || 38,953 || 45–41 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 87 || July 6 || @ Cubs || 4–1 || W. Williams || Prior || Isringhausen || 37,713 || 46–41 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 88 || July 7 || @ Giants || 1–5 || J. Williams || Stephenson || ||42,674 || 46–42 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 89 || July 8 || @ Giants || 3–8 || Brower || Haren || || 42,672 || 46–43 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 90 || July 9 || Dodgers || 5–6 || Ishii || Tomko || Gagné || 32,325 || 46–44 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 91 || July 10 || Dodgers || 4–9 || Perez || Morris || Quantrill || 35,610 || 46–45 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 92 || July 11 || Padres || 4–2 || W. Williams || Lawrence || Isringhausen ||33,725 || 47–45 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 93 || July 12 || Padres || 9–7 || Simontacchi || Herges || || 48,774 || 48–45 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 94 || July 13 || Padres || 3–1 || Simontacchi || Matthews || Isringhausen || 48,102 || 49–45 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 95 || July 17 || @ Dodgers || 3–6 || Nomo || Stephenson || Gagné || 40,331 || 49–46 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 96 || July 18 || @ Dodgers || 5–8 || Ishii || Eldred || Gagné || 43,504 || 49–47 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 97 || July 19 || @ Dodgers || 3–1 || Haren || Brown || Isringhausen || 41,195 || 50–47 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 98 || July 20 || @ Dodgers || 10–7 || W. Williams || Perez || Isringhausen || 46,110 || 51–47 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 99 || July 21 || @ Padres || 4–5 || Witasick || Painter || || 26,881 || 51–48 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 100 || July 22 || @ Padres || 2–3 || Pérez || Fassero || Beck || 22,291 || 51–49 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 101 || July 23 || @ Padres || 8–4 || Tomko || Lawrence || || 20,574 || 52–49 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 102 || July 25 || Pirates || 5–10|| Meadows || Eldred || || 45,296 || 52–50 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 103 || July 26 || Pirates || 13–8 || W. Williams || Fogg || Isringhausen || 44,249 || 53–50 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 104 || July 27 || Pirates || 4–3 || Eldred || Lincoln || || 34,851 || 54–50 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 105 || July 28 || Pirates || 0–3 || Suppan || Tomko || || 33,977 || 54–51 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 106 || July 29 || @ Expos || 2–1 || Stephenson || Hernandez || || 7,418 || 55–51 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 107 || July 30 || @ Expos || 11–1 || Haren || Vargas || || 6,129 || 56–51 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 108 || July 31 || @ Expos || 2–3 || Day || W. Williams || Biddle || 9,145 || 56–52

|- bgcolor=#cfc | 109 || August 1 || @ Mets || 8–2 || Kline || Wheeler || ||23,578 || 57–52 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 110 || August 2 || @ Mets || 10–9 || Tomko || Seo || Yan || 30,898 || 58–52 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 111 || August 3 || @ Mets || 5–13 || Griffiths || Stephenson || || 27,592 || 58–53 |- bgcolor=#fbb