5 moments the St. Louis Cardinals earned their villain stripes in 2021

ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 01: Members of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrate their walk-off victory against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on October 1, 2021 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Scott Kane/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 01: Members of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrate their walk-off victory against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on October 1, 2021 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Scott Kane/Getty Images) /
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ST. LOUIS, MO – OCTOBER 01: Members of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrate their walk-off victory against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on October 1, 2021 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Scott Kane/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO – OCTOBER 01: Members of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrate their walk-off victory against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on October 1, 2021 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Scott Kane/Getty Images) /

The St. Louis Cardinals have played the villain role in recent years, but the 2021 season found them more villainous than usual.

Fans of many teams believe the St. Louis Cardinals have some sort of Devil Magic that helps them make jaw-dropping plays or get out of ridiculous trouble. It’s long been a joke that will make a Cardinals fan smile and chuckle.

While the devil doesn’t have a hand in how the Cardinals play, the team plays well enough to earn their villain stripes from some fan bases.

From any time Yadier Molina sets foot in Cincinnati, New York or Chicago, to Albert Pujols in Houston or Chicago or even David Freese in Texas, or every fifth day for Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter some seasons, the Cardinals have made memorable plays over the years and have earned their villain status with those teams.

The 2021 season was no exception to the rule with practically the whole team earning their stripes at certain points of the season. Just recall that 17 game winning streak in September that lead to an improbable run to the NL Wild Card game. When the team was on, they were good. No devil magic to it.

Remember, not all heroes wear capes. Not even the St. Louis Cardinals! The following are undoubtedly heroes in the eyes of Cardinal fans but have secured the villain cape in the eyes of fans of other teams. Let’s discuss!