Happy Holidays, Cardinals fans. Because Christmas is once again approaching quicker than you can prepare for it, you have way too much shopping to do and not enough weekends to do it, and your in-laws aren’t helping relieve any of the stress, let’s slow things down and think about our real favorite season: baseball season.
As hard as it is to fathom, this next New Year will be ringing in a new decade, and the book on the 2010s will be closed. Ten seasons of Cardinals baseball have come and gone and here’s what we have to show for it:
9 postseason series wins
5 NLCS appearances
4 NL Central titles
2 World Series berths
0 losing seasons
And 1 unlikely, unbelievable, dramatic, shocking, jaw-dropping, goosebump-inducing, tear jerking, breath-taking, knee-shaking, drink-spilling, irregular-heart-beat-causing World Series Title.
In the last season before the decade started, 2009, the Cardinals finished with a record of 91-71 and won the National League Central. In the last season before the decade ended, 2019, the Cardinals finished with a record of 91-71 and won the National League Central. As we set to kick off another decade, still the Cardinals remain as one of Major League Baseball’s most consistent and successful franchises.
The St. Louis Cardinals, A Decade in Review: The 2010s.
First and Foremost, A Celebration of Life:
As fun as baseball was this decade, let us not forget the lives of three Cardinals that we lost in the past ten years: Oscar Taveras, Red Schoendienst, Stan Musial, and Chris Duncan. These players all helped lay the foundation for baseball in St. Louis, and are a large part of the fun we are able to have.
Without further ado, let’s break it down:
All Decade Team
There are certainly many positions to be disputed, but after a lot of contemplating, and research, here is my all-decade team.
C – Yadier Molina
1B – Albert Pujols
2B – Kolten Wong
3B – Matt Carpenter
SS – Paul DeJong
LF – Matt Holliday
CF – Tommy Pham
RF – Allen Craig
SP – Adam Wainwright
RP – Trevor Rosenthal
Honorable Mentions: David Freese, Lance Berkman, Jon Jay, Lance Lynn, Jason Motte, Carlos Beltran, Johnny Peralta, Michael Wacha, Daniel Descalso, Rafael Furcal, Kyle Lohse
Top 10 Home Runs
This was tough. There have obviously been some memorable home runs over the decade, but here are my top ten.
- 10 Allen Craig – game 7 2011 World Series
- 9 Yadi and DeJong go back to back to complete “Wrigley Field Massacre”
- 8 Albert Pujols hits walk-offs in back-to-back games against the Cubs in 2011
- 7 Oscar Taveras in his first and last at-bats in St. Louis
- 6 Albert Pujols in his return to St. Louis (thank you, Albert)
- 5 Kolten Wong walk-off in NLCS game 1 vs. Giants
- 4 Matt Holiday “in what could be his final plate appearance in St. Louis”
- 3 Matt Adams off of Kershaw – NLDS 2014
- 2 Albert Pujols 3 home run game in Texas
- 1 David Freese: “We will see you tomorrow night”
Honorable mentions: The rally cat, Aledmys Diaz after the passing of Jose Fernandez, Jason Heyward grand-slam in Pittsburgh, Goldy’s 3 homer game
Mo’s Best Moves
Obviously John Mozeliak is all of St. Louis’s favorite person, so here are some of his moves of the decade that helped earn him that title.
Free Agent Signings:
Matt Holiday – 7 years and $120 million
Lance Berkman – 1 year deal for 2011 season (signed again in 2012)
Carlos Beltran – 2 years and $26 million
Miles Mikolas – 2 years and $15.5 million
Seung Hwan Oh – 1 year deal with an option, ended up being 2 years for $21.7 million
Trades:
Colby Rasmus for the Blue Jays’ bullpen which would win us a World Series
Alex Castellanos to Dodgers for Rafael Furcal and cash
Carson Kelly, Luke Weaver, and prospect to Arizona for Paul Goldschmidt
Tony Cruz to Kansas City for Jose Martinez
Allen Craig and Joe Kelly to Boston for John Lackey
Mo’s Worst Moves:
It is hard to imagine Mr. Mozeliak doing anything wrong, but here are some moves he maybe should have rethought.
Free Agent Signings / Extensions:
Mike Leake – 5 years for $80 million. Yikes… Madison Bumgarner just signed for 5 years, $85 million
Brett Cecil – 4 years for $30.5 million. Yikes
Luke Gregerson – 2 years for $11 million. At least it was only two years
Matt Carpenter extension – 2 years for $37 million… Was set to be a FA after 2019
Ty Wiggington – 2 years for $5 million. He was released rather quickly
Trades:
Tommy Pham sent to Tampa for Genesis Cabrera and two more no-names
Kyle Barraclough to the Marlins for Steve Cishek
Oscar Mercado to the Indians for Conner Capel and Jhon Torres
Anthony Reyes to the Indians for Luis Perdomo
Sam Tuivailala to the Mariners for Seth Elledge
All Stars
2010
Chris Carpenter
Adam Wainwright
Albert Pujols
Yadier Molina
Matt Holliday
2011
Lance Berkman
Matt Holliday
Yadier Molina
2012
Carlos Beltran
David Freese
Rafael Furcal
Matt Holliday
Lance Lynn
Yadier Molina
2013
Carlos Beltran
Matt Carpenter
Allen Craig
Yadier Molina
Edward Mujica
Adam Wainwright
2014
Matt Carpenter
Yadier Molina
Pat Neshek
Adam Wainwright
2015
Matt Holliday
Carlos Martinez
Yadier Molina
Johnny Peralta
Trevor Rosenthal
Michael Wacha
2016
Matt Carpenter
Aledmys Diaz
2017
Carlos Martinez
Yadier Molina
2018
Miles Mikolas
Yadier Molina
2019
Paul Dejong
Players Not Named Yadi That Caught
I thought this would be a fun list since not a single one of these players came anywhere close to coming anywhere close to threatening Yadier Molina.
Jason Larue
Matt Pagnozi
Bryan Anderson
Nick Stavinoha
Gerald Laird
Tony Cruz
Rob Johnson
Aj Pierzynski
Ed Easely
Eric Fryer
Alberto Rosario
Brayan Pena
Fransisco Pena
Carson Kelly
Andrew Knizner
Matt Wieters
In other words, long live the Yadfather.
Most Memorable Games / Moments
- May 31, 2015: Carlos Deals for Oscar
You probably remember the image of Carlos Martinez warming up in the bullpen with tears streaming down his face, as the Cards paid tribute to his late friend Oscar Taveras that day, the one-year anniversary of his debut. Carlos went on to throw a one-hit shutout through seven innings.
- September 21, 2019: Wrigley Field Massacre
Yadi. DeJong. Back-to-back. Jose Martinez. Lead off triple. Oh yeah, you remember the 21st night of September. This series gave the Cards their first playoff berth in three years. Thank you, Craig Kimbrel.
- October 20, 2011: World Series Game 1
The most memorable image from this game is one that many of us will never forget; Chris Carpenter diving across first base to catch the feed from Albert for the 3-1 putout. Also in this game, Allen Craig delivered yet another go ahead hit late in the game as he pinch for Carpenter in the sixth inning. The Cardinals won 3-2.
- October 26, 2013: Obstruction Call
In the early part of the decade, it seemed as if whenever there was a big moment, Allen Craig was involved. As he tripped over Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks, I remember thinking the worst case scenario just happened. Thankfully the obstruction call helped propel us to a 5-4 win in game 3 of the 2013 World Series. God Bless those umpires.
- October 5, 2012: The Infield Fly Rule
This was the first year of the wild card game and oh what a start to an era. Again, god bless those umpires.
- October 7, 2014: Kershaw who?
If Clayton Kershaw is an all-time great, what does that make Matt Adams? Maybe the answer is “lucky”, but his seventh inning, go-ahead, three-run blast off of the lefty was one of the loudest moments of the decade in Busch Stadium.
- October 22, 2011: Not one, not two, but three home runs
One of our greatest memories of the Machine, and what would end up being one of the last in him in a Cardinals uniform. He joined the names of Reggie Jackson and Babe Ruth in what ended up being a 16-7 victory.
- October 7, 2011: Carpenter. Halladay.
Perhaps the greatest pitchers’ duel in Cardinals history. Two all-time greats, one game, the loser goes home. Our guy came out on top in a 1-0 thriller.
- October 12, 2012: The comeback
We were down by six runs. Six. Runs. Thanks to a four-run ninth and two very predictable heroes, Daniel Descalso and Pete Kozma, the comeback was completed.
- October 27, 2011: World Series Game 6
I don’t need to say anything. Just replay the images in your head.
In Conclusion:
In the 2010’s, Cardinals baseball gave to us:
12 Cubs fans crying
11 rings a shining
10 Hazelbakers raking
9 Wongers diving
8 Carpenters dealing
7 Shildts a hiring
6 Mozeliaks roasting
5 Signing with the Angels
4 Central titles
3 bench clearing whoopsies
2 veterans still playing
And a World Series Championship.
Sorry for that.
Anyway, thank you for reading my review of the decade, I hope you this decade left you with as many fond memories as it did me. Happy holidays, Cardinals fans, and stay warm this winter. Opening Day will be here before we know it.
