Cardinals win ‘Battle of the Birds,’ but Redbirds are the ones wearing the rings
Absent from postseason for three years, the Cardinals wouldn’t mind a ring ceremony of their own
Memphis Redbirds third baseman Max Schrock (3) reaches to tag out St. Louis Cardinals runner Kolten Wong (16) during the Battle of the Birds game Monday, March 25, 2019, at AutoZone Park. (Houston Cofield/Daily Memphian)
Memphis Redbirds second baseman Ramon Urias (75) dives to catch a ball before tagging out St. Louis Cardinals runner Matt Wieters (32) during the Battle of the Birds game Monday, March 25, 2019, at AutoZone Park. (Houston Cofield/Daily Memphian)
A St. Louis Cardinals pitcher slings the ball toward first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (46) to try and get a Memphis Redbirds runner out during the Battle of the Birds game Monday, March 25, 2019, at AutoZone Park. (Houston Cofield/Daily Memphian)
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright (50) throws the ball toward the plate during the Battle of the Birds game Monday, March 25, 2019, at AutoZone Park. (Houston Cofield/Daily Memphian)
St. Louis Cardinals first base coach Richard Keith "Stubby" Clapp (11) talks to one of his players before they walk to the plate during the Battle of the Birds game Monday, March 25, 2019. Clapp was the Redbirds' 2018 manager before joining the Cardinals' staff. (Houston Cofield/Daily Memphian)
Don Wade
Don Wade has been a Memphis journalist since 1998 and he has won awards for both his sports and news/feature writing. He is originally from Kansas City and is married with three sons.
The Memphis Redbirds celebrated their 2018 Triple-A National Championship before Monday's "Battle of the Birds." St. Louis Cardinals brass and players appreciated the moment, but also took it as food for thought given the team's three-year hiatus from the playoffs.
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