Among the 25 World Series champions since 2000, how did the 2011 Cardinals land in this spot?
This is probably a higher-ranked team if Albert Pujols was still at his peak, but the thing about Albert Pujols is that the beginning of his decline was better than most players at their very best.
In a down year, he slashed .299/.366/.541 with 37 home runs while finishing fifth for the NL MVP. And he was joined by the likes of Lance Berkman, who batted .301/.412/.547 with 31 dingers, and Matt Holliday, who slashed .296/.388/.525. Yadier Molina was once again a master behind the plate, and plenty productive at it, too.
Ryan Theriot and Skip Schumacher were the weak parts of the lineup, but everyone else — David Freese, Colby Rasmus, Jon Jay, Allen Craig, Nick Punto and Rafael Furcal — were all productive, sometimes in part-time roles. All told, the Cardinals had the best offense in the National League and the second-best offense in MLB.
ADVERTISEMENT
The rotation, on the other hand, was not among the league’s best as not a single starter rose to the level of ace. Chris Carpenter came the closest, with an NL-leading 237.1 innings, but his 3.45 ERA was a bit deceptive, as the league average in 2011 was 3.94 in a season where pitchers dominated. The whole rotation, Jake Westbrook’s poor season aside, was like this: a little better than average, and certainly getting the job done, but nothing that struck fear into the hearts of opposing lineups.
The bullpen didn’t stun, either. Adam Wainwright, who had finished third and second in the previous two NL Cy Young races, should have been the jewel of the staff, but he underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery in the spring.
Despite Pujols taking a step back, some holes in the lineup and a pitching staff that didn’t excite, the Cardinals made it work. They won 90 games in the regular season, and then fell one game shy of playing every possible game in the postseason in order to win the World Series. The NLDS against the 102-win Phillies took all five games. The NLCS went six, with the Cards downing the 96-win Brewers.
The World Series against the Rangers went the full seven, but only after a dramatic Game 6 when St. Louis won 10-9 in 11 innings. The Cardinals were down by two runs in the ninth but forced extra innings, then were down two runs again in the 10th before tying the game in the bottom of the inning. In both instances, St. Louis was down to its final strike, while the Rangers were one strike away from winning their first-ever World Series.
Instead, David Freese, who had already been named NLCS MVP, hit a walkoff home run in the bottom of the 11th inning, setting the stage for Game 7. The Cardinals would win that game with comparative ease, 6-2, giving them their second championship of the century. The Rangers would have to wait until 2023 to win their first title.
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
76ers’ VJ Edgecombe breaks records held by LeBron James, Allen Iverson in incredible NBA debut vs. Celtics
Getty Images Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe got off to a historic start to his NBA career on Wednesday by breaking a 22-year-old record held by LeBron James. Edgecombe, the No. 3 overall pick out of Baylor, scored 14 points in the first quarter against the Boston Celtics to pass the NBA record previously set by James in 2003.In James' NBA debut against the Sacramento Kings, he scored 12 points in the first quarter. Edgecombe got to 14 points by knocking down a 3-pointer with 1:14 remaining in the quarter to make history. Edgecombe, when he scored his 31st and 32nd points with a bucket at the 5:37 mark of the fourth quarter, also broke the 76ers franchise record for most points scored in an NBA debut. That record was previously held by Allen Iverson, who scored 30 in his first game […]
Guardians reportedly block Emmanuel Clase from pitching in Venezuelan league amid MLB gambling investigation
Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase still appears quite some distance from ever playing baseball again.The Guardians have blocked the flame-throwing right-hander from pitching in the Venezuelan winter league according to The Athletic's Evan Drellich, a week after he was banned from playing in a winter league in his home country of the Dominican Republic.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPer Drellich, Clase planned to play for the Tiburones de La Guaira in Venezuela after his Dominican ban, but MLB's agreement with the array of Latin American winter leagues generally forbids players from joining a team outside of his native country without permission from MLB and his club. Cleveland did not grant it.Clase still hasn't pitched since July 26. He was placed on indefinite, paid leave two days later as part of a gambling investigation by MLB. The exact nature of the allegations have not been reported, […]
76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe breaks an old LeBron James record with historic first quarter in NBA debut
VJ Edgecombe didn’t waste any time with his NBA debut.Edgecombe made history in the Philadelphia 76ers’ season-opener against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night. The former Baylor star dropped 14 points in the first 12 minutes of that matchup at TD Garden, breaking a record that LeBron James set more than two decades ago in his debut.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementEdgecombe has now scored the most points in the first quarter of an NBA debut in league history. James, when he was playing in his first season with the Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2003, had 12 points in the opening period of his debut.It took Edgecombe a few minutes to get going, too, which makes his feat that much more impressive. The 20-year-old made a single free throw in the first few minutes of the game, but didn’t hit his first field goal until […]
MLB playoffs post best ratings since 2017 ahead of Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series
The 2025 MLB playoffs have not lacked for drama ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers-Toronto Blue Jays World Series. It hasn't lacked for viewers, either.Two days before the Fall Classic is set to begin, MLB announced its playoffs games have averaged 4.48 million viewers across 40 games, making it the league's most-watched postseason since 2017 and a 13% increase over last year's numbers.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement[Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]Ratings have been particularly strong in Canada and Japan, for obvious reasons. Game 7 of the ALCS, in which the Toronto Blue Jays eliminated the Seattle Mariners and advanced to their first World Series since 1993, averaged six million viewers in Canada, the most-watched Blue Jays game ever on Sportsnet. Overall, the game drew 15.03 million combined between Sportsnet and the Fox family of networks and streaming, the […]
Jets won’t name a QB1, Will we see AI refs? + Can Lamar Jackson save the Ravens’ season?
Subscribe to Inside CoverageYahoo Sports’ Andrew Siciliano and Charles Robinson break down Sean Payton walking back his comments on Russell Wilson and debate whether Russ should still be upset. The guys then dive into the QB dilemma between Woody Johnson and Aaron Glenn before exploring how AI could change NFL officiating. They tackle the future of the tush push, the Pro Bowl’s move to Super Bowl week, and preview Vikings-Chargers on TNF. Finally, they close things out with a question on what’s next for the Ravens if they fall to 1-6 and whether John Harbaugh’s message is growing stale.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement(3:24) Sean Payton walks back Russ comments(16:04) Aaron Glenn keeping QB a secret(23:06) Goodell says NFL exploring AI referee assistance(34:37) Could the “Tush Push” be finally banned?(38:53) Pro Bowl moves to Tuesday of Super Bowl week(46:22) TNF Preview: Vikings-Chargers(54:04) What if the […]
Why G League players are being allowed to play college basketball
In late September, Santa Clara announced the signing of guard Thierry Darlan from the Central African Republic. It was the kind of mundane move that would ordinarily go unnoticed across college basketball, except for one unprecedented detail.Darlan spent the previous two years in the G League, first with the now-defunct G League Ignite and then with the Delaware Blue Coats and Rip City Remix.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhen Darlan makes his Santa Clara debut next month, he will become the first G League alum to play college basketball. The 21-year-old is listed as a junior on Santa Clara’s roster and will have two seasons of college eligibility.The NCAA’s decision to allow Darlan to play for Santa Clara has already opened the door for other schools to pursue G League prospects. On Monday, London Johnson, a former four-star recruit who has spent the past three […]
Related
76ers’ VJ Edgecombe breaks records held by LeBron James, Allen Iverson in incredible NBA debut vs. Celtics
Getty Images Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe got off to a historic start to his NBA career on Wednesday by breaking a 22-year-old record held by LeBron James. Edgecombe, the No. 3 overall pick out of Baylor, scored 14 points in the first quarter against the Boston Celtics to pass the NBA record previously set by James in 2003.In James' NBA debut against the Sacramento Kings, he scored 12 points in the first quarter. Edgecombe got to 14 points by knocking down a 3-pointer with 1:14 remaining in the quarter to make history. Edgecombe, when he scored his 31st and 32nd points with a bucket at the 5:37 mark of the fourth quarter, also broke the 76ers franchise record for most points scored in an NBA debut. That record was previously held by Allen Iverson, who scored 30 in his first game […]
Guardians reportedly block Emmanuel Clase from pitching in Venezuelan league amid MLB gambling investigation
Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase still appears quite some distance from ever playing baseball again.The Guardians have blocked the flame-throwing right-hander from pitching in the Venezuelan winter league according to The Athletic's Evan Drellich, a week after he was banned from playing in a winter league in his home country of the Dominican Republic.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPer Drellich, Clase planned to play for the Tiburones de La Guaira in Venezuela after his Dominican ban, but MLB's agreement with the array of Latin American winter leagues generally forbids players from joining a team outside of his native country without permission from MLB and his club. Cleveland did not grant it.Clase still hasn't pitched since July 26. He was placed on indefinite, paid leave two days later as part of a gambling investigation by MLB. The exact nature of the allegations have not been reported, […]
76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe breaks an old LeBron James record with historic first quarter in NBA debut
VJ Edgecombe didn’t waste any time with his NBA debut.Edgecombe made history in the Philadelphia 76ers’ season-opener against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night. The former Baylor star dropped 14 points in the first 12 minutes of that matchup at TD Garden, breaking a record that LeBron James set more than two decades ago in his debut.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementEdgecombe has now scored the most points in the first quarter of an NBA debut in league history. James, when he was playing in his first season with the Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2003, had 12 points in the opening period of his debut.It took Edgecombe a few minutes to get going, too, which makes his feat that much more impressive. The 20-year-old made a single free throw in the first few minutes of the game, but didn’t hit his first field goal until […]
MLB playoffs post best ratings since 2017 ahead of Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series
The 2025 MLB playoffs have not lacked for drama ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers-Toronto Blue Jays World Series. It hasn't lacked for viewers, either.Two days before the Fall Classic is set to begin, MLB announced its playoffs games have averaged 4.48 million viewers across 40 games, making it the league's most-watched postseason since 2017 and a 13% increase over last year's numbers.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement[Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]Ratings have been particularly strong in Canada and Japan, for obvious reasons. Game 7 of the ALCS, in which the Toronto Blue Jays eliminated the Seattle Mariners and advanced to their first World Series since 1993, averaged six million viewers in Canada, the most-watched Blue Jays game ever on Sportsnet. Overall, the game drew 15.03 million combined between Sportsnet and the Fox family of networks and streaming, the […]
Jets won’t name a QB1, Will we see AI refs? + Can Lamar Jackson save the Ravens’ season?
Subscribe to Inside CoverageYahoo Sports’ Andrew Siciliano and Charles Robinson break down Sean Payton walking back his comments on Russell Wilson and debate whether Russ should still be upset. The guys then dive into the QB dilemma between Woody Johnson and Aaron Glenn before exploring how AI could change NFL officiating. They tackle the future of the tush push, the Pro Bowl’s move to Super Bowl week, and preview Vikings-Chargers on TNF. Finally, they close things out with a question on what’s next for the Ravens if they fall to 1-6 and whether John Harbaugh’s message is growing stale.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement(3:24) Sean Payton walks back Russ comments(16:04) Aaron Glenn keeping QB a secret(23:06) Goodell says NFL exploring AI referee assistance(34:37) Could the “Tush Push” be finally banned?(38:53) Pro Bowl moves to Tuesday of Super Bowl week(46:22) TNF Preview: Vikings-Chargers(54:04) What if the […]
Why G League players are being allowed to play college basketball
In late September, Santa Clara announced the signing of guard Thierry Darlan from the Central African Republic. It was the kind of mundane move that would ordinarily go unnoticed across college basketball, except for one unprecedented detail.Darlan spent the previous two years in the G League, first with the now-defunct G League Ignite and then with the Delaware Blue Coats and Rip City Remix.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhen Darlan makes his Santa Clara debut next month, he will become the first G League alum to play college basketball. The 21-year-old is listed as a junior on Santa Clara’s roster and will have two seasons of college eligibility.The NCAA’s decision to allow Darlan to play for Santa Clara has already opened the door for other schools to pursue G League prospects. On Monday, London Johnson, a former four-star recruit who has spent the past three […]
Be the first to leave a comment