[RCOW] The "Burger" that Conquered Barry Bonds | Ray King

When you think of the legendary 2004 St. Louis Cardinals, names like Pujols, Edmonds, and Rolen immediately come to mind. You might even think of a young Adam Wainwright. But games aren't just won by the superstars; they’re won by the guys who come jogging out of the bullpen in the 7th inning to put out a fire.

This week, we’re shining the spotlight on Ray King, the durable, 250-pound left-handed specialist affectionately known as "Burger." Acquired in the blockbuster trade that brought Jason Marquis and Adam Wainwright to St. Louis, King became a workhorse for Dave Duncan’s "scrap heap" bullpen. From his chaotic MLB debut with a borrowed glove to his historic 2004 season, King’s story is one of dependability, high-stakes drama, and some of the best numbers ever posted against the game's greatest hitters.

In this episode, we discuss:

The Trade That Changed Everything: How King arrived in the deal for JD Drew and became an unsung hero of the 2004 pennant run.

The "Bonds Killer": A look at the eye-popping stats King posted against legends like Barry Bonds (who hit just .059 against him) and Ken Griffey Jr.

The Iron Man of the Bullpen: How King racked up 86 appearances in a single season—the second-most in franchise history—including a mind-boggling 30 consecutive scoreless outings.

The La Russa Fallout: The "September Slide" that led to a public spat with the skipper and a quick exit from St. Louis.

The Lost Glove Debut: The hilarious story of King’s first big league game wearing cleats bought that morning and a teammate's glove.

Whether it was his streak of 328 games without an intentional walk or his mastery of the high-leverage middle innings, Ray King was the glue that held a championship-caliber bullpen together.

"He wasn't the guy getting the final out... but when the fire needed to be put out, Ray King was the guy they called."

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