2011 World Series Champs: St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals celebrate their 11th
championship and second in six years.

In today's edition of Major League Baseball, payrolls and media markets have focused the attention of the media and fans to a select group of teams.  First and foremost are the big two in the East, the Yankees and Red Sox.  In the last half-decade, the Phillies have joined the group.  Prior to this season, probably 75% of the World Series predictions I was reading from the 'experts' included at least one but probably two of the three.  However, none of the teams fared very well down when it all came down to the end.

The Red Sox and their 7-20 September played themselves out of a playoff spot and into the worst September collapse in the history of MLB.  There was so much money and hype around John Lackey, Carl Crawford, Dustin Pedroia, Jon Lester, Jonathan Papelbon, Jacoby Ellsbury, Kevin Youkilis, Adrian Gonzalez, etc, and yet all of the above find themselves on the couch watching Texas and St. Louis.

The Yankees blew the critical Game 5 at home in the ALDS and the likes of Curtis Granderson, C.C. Sabathia, Derek Jeter, Rafael Soriano, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and Russell Martin have also found themselves a spot on the couch.  When you add Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Roy Oswalt, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, and Carlos Ruiz, who all collapsed in similar fashion in a Game 5 of their own at home, the couch becomes one crowded piece of furniture.

Outfielder Adron Chambers shows off the 'I didn't do
anything in the Series but I'll still party it up' smile,
complete with the classic champagne googles.

And yet there they all are, looking up at the Rangers in their second ever World Series appearance and the Cardinals who were only four games over .500 on August 24, playing baseball on the grandest stage.  This is exactly the reason I hate when those self-proclaimed 'experts' act like they know what they're talking about, some even tabbing the Phillies as a 'lock' for the World Series.  For as much as I hate the Cardinals, I have to give it up to them.

There are two type of rivalries; respectful and disrespectful.  Even though Bears fans, myself included, hate the Packers, I have to respect them for their players and winning tradition.  The Cardinals, on the other hand, I usually reserve much less respect for.  Tony La Russa and his goons just sit there and complain all season about this and that and then make excuses when they don't win, almost as if we should feel bad for them when they lose.  I heard way too much whining about their loss of Chris Carpenter to injury in '07 and '08 while the Cubs were busy tying a bow around two consecutive division championships.  This month, however, I've given the Cards the respect they're due.

The whole 'team of destiny' concept is just a bad alternative description of momentum in sports.  I've never been a believer in it, but if I were, it would be because of the Cardinals.  For the second time in six years, they bulldozed over the National League's two best teams to get to the World Series seemingly out of nowhere.  Right when it looked like they were down and out, the team never gave up.   It was truly a full team effort, just as it was in 2006.

The 2011 Cardinals got clutch contributions in the World Series from David Freese and Allen Craig, two little-known utility players before this series.  While the 2006 Series might have officially begun the great career of Yadier Molina, the 2011 Series may have done the same for Freese and Craig.  Freese did hit the first home run in Target Field history in 2010 in an exhibition game, but who remembers that?

The Rangers were inches from being
World Champions multiple times.

Despite this respect I have for the Cardinals which will run out in a few days' time before I go back to criticizing everything about them, I have a deep anger towards the Rangers.  It remains to be seen whether or not there will be a new round of jokes surrounding them and closing (similar to the Lebron James 4th quarter jokes) but not only did they get one strike away once, they did twice.  And both times they blew it, first to Freese and then to Lance Berkman.  Not only that, but if Nelson Cruz had gone all out on the Freese fly ball in the 9th, the Rangers would have won the Series right there!  Instead, he looked tentative the whole way and didn't really pursue at maximum effort.  Who am I to judge, you ask, but personally it looked like he slowed down because he was anticipating a defensive pass interference call.  Nope.

Michael Young and Josh Hamilton
have little explanation for how
Texas lost the Series.

Heading into this offseason, I know one thing for sure; the Rangers definitely have a better chance to get back to the World Series than the Cardinals do.  C.J. Wilson will be the only major loss for the Rangers, and he was overrated anyway.  Mentally, however, the Rangers are not in good shape at all.  Losing the World Series two years in a row can put a dent in the mental competency of the team.  According to the tactics of the loss aversion theory, if the Rangers were to make the World Series in 2012, the first thing that would enter their minds is, man, we better not lose three straight.  I'm sure it was a long flight home for them, and it'll be the longest winter of their lives.

But when it all comes down to it, three pitches decided the 2011 World Series.  All were in Game 6.  The first, thrown by Neftali Feliz, was a 98 mph fastball to Freese for the two-run game-tying triple in the 9th.  Right down the middle.  The second, thrown by Scott Feldman, was a 93 mph fastball to Berkman for the game-tying RBI single in the 10th.  Right down the middle.  The third, thrown by Mark Lowe, was a 90 mph fastball to Freese for the walk-off homer in the 11th.  Right down the middle.

In conclusion, the Texas Rangers blew the World Series more than the St. Louis Cardinals won it.  However, the Cardinals were right there to take advantage, and for the time being, the baseball world owes them a tip of the cap.