Weaver proves naysayers wrong

ST. LOUIS – So many people said Jeff Weaver couldn’t win the big one.

He didn’t have the stomach for it. He was too flaky. He was too soft.

Well, all those people were wrong about Jeff Weaver.

Cast off by one team this summer, Weaver pitched the St. Louis Cardinals to a World Series title Friday night against the Detroit Tigers – one of his former clubs – with a performance worthy of any October ace.

“He was our biggest hero,” manager Tony La Russa said.

Most unlikely, too.

Weaver went 3-10 with a 6.29 ERA for the Los Angeles Angels this season before they traded him to St. Louis on July 5 for minor league outfielder Terry Evans.

Under the guidance of Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan, Weaver started to come around. Filling a hole in an injury-depleted rotation, the 30-year-old right-hander pitched well down the stretch and earned a playoff start.

Surely, though, that’s when he would fall apart.

After all, the last time everyone saw Weaver in the postseason he was walking off the mound in Florida, eyes glazed over, after allowing a homer to light-hitting Alex Gonzalez that gave the Marlins a victory over the New York Yankees.

Turn on the bright lights and Weaver will hide in the corner, people said.

But not this time.

“I was hoping to do it in Anaheim, but that didn’t work out,” said Weaver, a bottle of champagne in front of him at the postgame podium. “When you have all that support, you can go out there and not be looking over your shoulder.”

Weaver first shut down San Diego for a 2-0 win during the first round, then pitched well in the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets, beating Tom Glavine in a crucial Game 5.

Weaver, who came up to the majors with the Tigers in 1999 and pitched for them until 2002, lost 3-1 to Kenny Rogers in Game 2 of the World Series. But La Russa went right back to Weaver after Wednesday night’s rainout put him on full rest.

“It’s funny how things work,” Weaver said. “You couldn’t ask for a better scenario. Kind of full circle.”

Dropping down at a tough angle to baffle right-handed hitters, Weaver struck out nine Detroit batters in a dominant performance. He yielded only two runs – one earned – and four hits in eight splendid innings.