Short and Sweet

St. Louis is nothing like Barranquilla, Colombia. But Edgar Renteria has made himself more than at home in Middle America.

The Colombian-born shortstop has become an institution for the Cardinals since joining them in the winter of 1998 and is again at the wheel for their postseason drive.

“It’s safe to say that he’s ... everybody’s favorite player and person,” Cardinal Manager Tony La Russa said. “I mean, this guy has the ideal on- and off-the-field approach to baseball. He’s fun to be around. He’s witty. He’s great with his teammates and he knows how to have fun.

“And when the game starts, he’s trying to win a game. He’s stealing, getting a guy over, getting a guy in, he can play defense. You’ve got a guy that’s a really great player and a great teammate. That’s who he is. Last year he got a lot of recognition because his numbers were great. He plays like that all the time.”

Especially in the playoffs.

Against the Dodgers in their National League division series, Renteria has gone four for six with three walks, four runs and three runs batted in.

In Game 2 on Thursday night, Renteria started two rallies and drove in the go-ahead run in the Cardinals’ 8-3 win. He’s a major reason St. Louis is one victory away from its fourth division series sweep in five appearances since the added playoff round began in 1995.

Not a bad accomplishment for a guy whose name is always absent when discussions turn to the Cardinals’ Big Three of Jim Edmonds, Albert Pujols and Scott Rolen.

“Do I enjoy the role? If we win, then yeah,” Renteria said. “If we win the game then I enjoy it. But with our team, if I don’t do it, then somebody else will.”

He was the guy, though, for the Florida Marlins in the 1997 World Series when he stepped to the plate in the 11th inning of Game 7 against the Cleveland Indians’ Charles Nagy. Renteria, then 22, bounced a single up the middle to score Craig Counsell and give the 5-year-old Marlins their first championship.

Earlier in those playoffs, he had a two-out, bases-loaded, game-winning single off the San Francisco Giants’ Roberto Hernandez in the ninth inning of Game 1 of their division series.

For his heroics, Renteria was awarded the San Carlos Cross of the Order of the Great Knight, Colombia’s highest honor, by President Ernesto Samper.

He was later part of the Marlins’ first fire sale and landed in St. Louis on Dec. 14, 1998 in a decidedly one-sided trade for pitchers Armando Almanza and Braden Looper and shortstop Pablo Ozuna.

“People don’t know about him,” Dodger right-hander Jose Lima, who will start today against the Cardinals, said of Renteria.

“They all know about Pujols and Rolen and Edmonds, but Renteria is a clutch hitter. He did it in Miami against the Indians. He always finds a way to beat you. There’s magic in his bat. He always finds a way to drive them home.”

After batting a career-high .330 with a career-best 100 RBIs and 13 home runs in 2003, Renteria slipped to .287 with 10 homers and 72 RBIs this season. Many intimated that Renteria had pushed too hard this season because he will be a free agent this winter.

Others thought he was miffed at being the odd man out when it came to the Cardinals’ Big Three. He lacks the glamour afforded other shortstops such as Derek Jeter, Miguel Tejada or Nomar Garciaparra even though Renteria is a four-time all-star.

His teammates aren’t buying it, though.

“He’s just one of the best clutch hitters around,” Edmonds said. “He’s always the guy that gets the two-out hit. Maybe not the home run, but the two-out hit.

“Obviously with his postseason experience and getting a game-winning hit in the World Series, he’s been there, he’s not affected by [the pressure].”

Rolen agreed.

“A lot of people talk about him being the forgotten guy all the time, so apparently he’s not too forgotten,” he said. “He’s as good a shortstop as there is in the league, offensively and defensively. He’s solid all the way through. He’s consistent on the field and consistent at the plate. That’s the way he’s been all year.”

That’s the way he has been his entire career.

“You have to be ready for this,” Renteria said. “You have to take a shot. Do the best that you can with no pressure and try to make the plays. That’s all I try to do.”

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Back to the Summit

Postseason success must have seemed simple to Edgar Renteria when in 1997, his second year in the major leagues, he drove in the winning run in the seventh game of the World Series for the Florida Marlins. But although he is making his fourth playoff appearance with St. Louis, he’s seeking his first trip to the World Series with the Cardinals. Renteria’s postseason hitting statistics:

*--* Year Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA 1997 Florida 16 66 8 17 3 0 0 4 242 2000 St. Louis 8 30 9 8 1 0 0 4 267 2001 St. Louis 5 17 2 4 1 0 1 1 235 2002 St. Louis 8 31 3 6 0 0 0 1 194 2004 St. Louis 2 6 4 4 2 0 0 3 667 Totals 39 150 26 38 7 0 1 13 253

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