St. Louis Cardinals: Top five batting seasons of the decade

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 18: Luis Pujols #5 of the St. Louis Cardinals bats against the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 18, 2009 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers won 7-3. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 18: Luis Pujols #5 of the St. Louis Cardinals bats against the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 18, 2009 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers won 7-3. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /
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St. Louis Cardinals
ST. LOUIS, MO – OCTOBER 30: Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals participates in a parade celebrating the team’s 11th World Series championship October 30, 2011 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Whitney Curtis/Getty Images) /

Albert Pujols, 1B, 2010 – 700 PA, .312/.414/.596, 39 doubles, 42 HR, 115 runs, 103/76 BB/K, 14 SB, 173 OPS+

Pujols easily posted the best offensive season of the decade in St. Louis, not much deliberation was needed. His entire career is too pretty to put into words and 2010 was his last truly elite season. He was still an incredible hitter in 2011, but he wasn’t what he was for the prior ten years.

Pujols showed every trait you could possibly want in a hitter.

Pujols hit over .300, had an OBP over .400, and tallied 81 extra-base hits. Walked more than he struck out. Heck, he even stole 14 bases and led the entire MLB in runs scored. His 1.011 OPS on the year netted him a second-place MVP finish only behind Joey Votto and his .424 OBP and .600 slugging percentage.

“The Machine” truly was built in a factory designed to hit a baseball.

Next. Six free agents the team must pursue if 2020 matters. dark

In all, the St. Louis Cardinals were one of the few teams to have winning seasons for the entirety of the 2010s. There were amazing moments, heroes that won’t be forgotten, and one ring. As we move into the 2020s, there is plenty more fun to be had.