By Joe Schackman
Albert Pujols' presence has influenced the World Series bound Cardinals in more ways than one.
To say that no one outside of St. Louis thought the Cardinals would be in the World Series on opening day may be the most obvious statement you could make about the 2011 baseball season. Their spring training kicked off in absolutely horrific fashion as the ace of their rotation, Adam Wainwright, was forced to undergo season ending Tommy John surgery. People looked at the Cardinals and saw a team with a battered rotation, a weak bullpen and an aging outfield. Not surprising the Cardinals were not exactly the hot pick to take home their 11th World Series.
But, there was one storyline that dominated the season from start to finish, that shaped the entire year. It was there in spring training, it was apparent at the trade deadline, and it is still looming over the team now. It was Albert Pujols’ pending free agency, and the Cardinals can thank it for their World Series run.
People’s expectations for Pujols were off the chart going into 2011. Everyone expected King Albert to absolutely annihilate the ball. Pujols is a freak talent, having put up Hall of Fame numbers every year, and the rule of thumb in baseball is that players always over-perform when they are playing for a new contract. It was naturally assumed that the combination of Pujols’ prodigious talent and the motivation of a fresh contract would lead to a monster year.
So when Albert put up poor numbers in April, fans expected a monster May. Then May came and went, and it was evident that he was going through the worst slump of his career. Cardinals fans were left grasping for an explanation. They batted around theories, everything from potential injuries to contract distractions, all in an effort to distract themselves from the possibility of regression and age, that unstoppable shadow that creeps up on every athlete.
When June rolled around, King Albert finally got his groove back. His power stroke returned, and the Cardinals’ front office started planning their trade deadline moves. With Pujols rounding into form, they knew their offense would be in good shape for the remainder of the season. They were getting good production from Lance Berkman, who was on his way to slugging 31 home runs, his most since 2007. They also knew that if Matt Holliday could stay healthy they would have one of the strongest middle-of-the-lineup trios in the game.
But Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak saw his window of opportunity to win a World Series closing as Pujols’ days in St. Louis dwindled. Taking these factors into account, management decided to make a deal to give them depth and to hand manager Tony LaRussa the pitching staff he so desperately needed to win.
In order to acquire solid pitching, the front office dangled the only attractive talent they were willing to part with: their young center fielder Colby Rasmus. However, with starting pitching at a premium on the trade market, the Cardinals were unable to secure a big-time arm. Rather, they assembled a deal that netted them starter Edwin Jackson and relievers Octavio Dotel and Marc Rzepczynski, as well as outfielder Corey Patterson.
At the time of the trade, no one thought highly of the deal. Rarely does a team sell one of their promising young talents for spare parts. Cardinals fans were scratching their heads, and some felt even stronger. ESPN writer Buster Olney tweeted, “If Blue Jays-Rasmus deal is really done, at year's end, STL will have a lefty reliever/draft pick for Colby Rasmus.”
Hindsight is 20-20, but if only we could have seen what Mozeliak saw, we might have known this was coming. The deal worked to perfection. Jackson slid right into the fifth starter spot and Dotel and Rzepczynski bolstered the battered bullpen. The Cards clawed their way back from 10.5 games down to overtake the Braves for the Wild Card.
The starting rotation shone in the NLDS against the Phillies, highlighted by a game five gem from Chris Carpenter, who dominated the Phils en route to a complete game shutout. But it was in the NLCS when the spoils of the Rasmus trade really showed. The Cardinals starters struggled mightily against the potent Brewers lineup, so LaRussa was forced to turn to his bullpen early and often. LaRussa, who is known for his heavy-handed management style, was able to piece together match ups and squash the Brewers offense in the late innings. Cardinals relievers ended up getting the majority of outs in the series, going 24 2/3 innings over six games and allowing just three runs.
With the loaded Texas Ranger lineup waiting on the horizon, the Cardinals' pitching staff will have to be just as effective if they wish to win their 11th World Series. Fortunately for the Cardinals, Pujols, who is red-hot at the plate in these playoffs, will be around for a few more games.
For a look at the Rangers check out It's All About the Offense
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