7 great St. Louis Cardinals who never won a World Series with the team

LF Vince Coleman

When St. Louis Cardinals fans think of the 1980s, one of the first players that crosses their minds is left fielder Vince Coleman. The era of Whiteyball was characterized by speed, putting pressure on the defense, and stealing bases. Vince Coleman is the perfect encapsulation of Whiteyball.

Coleman was drafted in the tenth round of the 1982 draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, and he made his debut early in the 1985 season. Coleman, a 2018 St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame inductee, was a memorable player for many fans of this era. He would play only six seasons with the Cardinals, but his impact in this short stint was nearly unmatched.

Coleman led all of MLB in steals in each of his first three seasons with 110, 107, and 109 stolen bases. He led all of the National League in stolen bases 1988 and 1989, and once again led all of baseball with 77 swipes in his final year in St. Louis in 1990. The 1985 Rookie of the Year would finish in the top 12 of MVP voting in 1985 and 1987, and he went to the All-Star Game in 1988 and 1989.

Just like Jack Clark, Coleman played on both the 1985 and 1987 National League Pennant-winning St. Louis Cardinals. He didn't play in the 1985 World Series because a tarp rolled over his leg during pre-game warm-ups.

During the 1987 World Series, on the heels of his best season as a professional that year, Coleman struggled. He slashed .143/.200/.214 with 10 strikeouts in 30 plate appearances and only four hits. However, he did walk twice. Coleman successfully stole a base six times in that World Series despite reaching base only six times.

Vince Coleman eventually left the Cardinals to play for the New York Mets, and his career turned sideways at that point including several injuries and suspensions. He was an iconic player of the 1980s for the St. Louis Cardinals, but he, like Jack Clark, was unable to finish the job of winning a World Series as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals.