Major League Baseball

No pool party at Chase as Cardinals celebrate NL Central title

Published Sep. 28, 2014 8:32 p.m. ET

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PHOENIX — The St. Louis Cardinals were not sure how to attack their segmented victory celebration Sunday.

Dogpile on the mound?

Jump around?

They had 2½ hours to weigh all options after winning their second consecutive NL Central title before stepping on the field Sunday, when Cincinnati beat Pittsburgh to eliminate the Pirates. That game ended about 13 minutes before the Cardinals' 1-0 victory over Arizona began.

That is, almost all options.

The Chase Field swimming pool was off limits.

The Cardinals decided they could do without a quick dip, the way many of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated when they won the NL West here last season. The D-backs were not big fans of their division rivals' little pool party.

It was all about respect.

"We made sure we weren't going in the pool," said scheduled starter Adam Wainwright, who was a last-minute scratch after the Pirates were eliminated.

"We were staying over here (in the clubhouse). Especially with Tony La Russa at the helm over there now. That's our former skipper. We don't want to make him mad or disrespect him in any way."

La Russa took over the as the D-backs' chief baseball officer in May, and on Thursday announced the hiring of general manager Dave Stewart and head of baseball operations of De Jon Watson.

"Those Dodgers they celebrated here and they had a good time," Wainwright said. "We're going to celebrate inside and have a good time."

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