The definitive St. Louis Cardinals all-time postseason team

While other MLB franchises are having fun cheering on their teams in the Postseason, for us Cardinals fans that are feeling nostalgic in what is currently a disappointing stretch for the team, let's take a trip down memory lane.

This All-Cardinals Postseason team will have one player slotted for each position ( including manager), and will have honorable mentions of Cardinals players that had successful postseason careers but did not make the cut.

There are going to be some legendary Cardinals players that will not be on this list, including arguably the greatest hitter in Cardinals history, Stan Musial. You also won't see Hall of Fame players like Ozzie Smith, Scott Rolen, Rogers Hornsby, Dizzy Dean, etc.

And there will be a handful of players that had productive postseasons in St. Louis along with other teams that helped their status on this list. This collection of players is totally subjective so I do not expect everyone to agree completely with this list, there are some players that unquestionably deserve to be recognized here, but there are some that are up for debate, and lots of snubbed players who make compelling arguments.

Let's start with who I would have managing this All-Postseason team.

Manager: Tony LaRussa

The Cardinals have had some legendary managers in their history, but I don't think any of them have the resume that LaRussa has as a big-league manager. When LaRussa was hired to be the Cardinals manager prior to the 1996 season, the Cardinals were in a drought as a franchise, they were in a stretch of eight straight seasons with no postseason play.

During that stretch LaRussa was having plenty of success as the manager of the Oakland Athletics that included three straight trips to the World Series, and a championship in 1989 sweeping the Giants. He brought a handful of his coaching staff in Oakland with him in St. Louis and they instantly turned things around for the Cardinals, winning the division, and falling one game short of the World Series.

After a couple down years following a successful year one, the Cardinals had a stretch from 2000-2006 where they had seven consecutive winning seasons, six postseason appearances, five division titles, two 100+ game-winning seasons, and two trips to the World Series, including winning the franchises first championship in a near quarter century in 2006.

That would be followed up with another division title in 2009, and then a magical run to the World Series in 2011, giving St. Louis their 11th title in franchise history. And doing so becoming the first Cardinal manager in almost 70 years to manage the Cardinals to multiple World Series titles.

Honorable mentions: Whitey Herzog, Billy Southworth, Red Schoendienst

Let's now look at the infield going first to third.

First Base: Albert Pujols

Out of all the positions, this was probably the easiest choice. We all know how absurd the numbers Pujols put up in St.Louis were, but he was arguably even more productive in the postseason.

Across 88 career playoff games (76 with the Cardinals), he slashed .319/.422/.572 with 19 home runs (18 with the Cardinals ) and 54 RBI, he also had more walks than K's (50 walks to 46 strikeouts). He won the 2004 NLCS MVP against the Astros after he went 14 for 28 with four home runs in that epic seven-game series.

He had several huge swings in Cardinal red in October, to name one in particular his home run off Brad Lidge in the 2005 NLCS while the Cardinals were down to their final out was his first real clutch moment in the postseason.

In Game 3 of the 2011 World Series in Arlington, Texas Pujols became just the third player in MLB history to have a three-home run game in the World Series, joining Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson.

Honorable mentions: Will Clark, Paul Goldschmidt, Jack Clark

Second Base: Fernando Vina

This was probably the weakest position when it comes to postseason performers for the Cardinals, but that does not make Vina a slouch by any stretch of the imagination.

The former All-Star and two-time gold glove winner also played for the Mariners, Brewers, and Tigers during his 12-year career, but all 21 of his playoff appearances were with the Cardinals, and he shined at the plate. He hit .333 with two home runs and nine RBI in 93 ABs serving as the leadoff hitter.

In the 2002 NLDS, Vina went 9 for 15 at the plate to help take down the defending champion Diamondbacks in a three-game sweep.

Honorable mentions: Julian Javier, Emil Verban

Shortstop: David Eckstein

This is the first player on this list who helped themselves by having a successful postseason with not only the Cardinals. Before Eckstein signed with the Cardinals in free agency in 2005, he played four years in the big leagues with the Anaheim Angels.

In 2002, Eckstein played a big role on the Angels team that won their first and only World Series title. Eckstein hit .300 in 19 playoff games with the Angels. After scuffling at the plate in the 2006 NLDS and NLCS, Eckstein got hot in the World Series against the Tigers hitting .364 with four RBI in the five games. He helped the Cardinals win their first title in 24 years, and he was awarded the World Series MVP.

Honorable mentions: Tommy Thevenow, Edgar Renteria, Charlie Gelbert

Third Base: David Freese

Is anyone surprised by this? You shouldn't be. What Freese accomplished in 2011 alone puts him on this list.

The Cardinals simply would not of won the World Series in 2011 if it wasn't for the sensational play of David Freese. After not making the postseason roster in his rookie season in 2009, Freese was expected to be a key role player for the Cards in 2011, and he was way more than that.

In game 4 of the NLDS against the 102-win Phillies and facing elimination, Freese drove in four of the team's five runs, a two-run double to give them the lead in the fourth, and a two-run home run in the sixth off Roy Oswalt to ice the game and force a Game 5 in Philadelphia. Thanks to a first-inning run and a complete game shutout by Chris Carpenter, the Cardinals headed to the NLCS.

Facing the division rival Brewers in the NLCS, Freese torched Milwaukee's pitching staff, hitting .545 with three home runs and nine RBI in six games, those numbers earned him the NLCS MVP award.

And everyone remembers his heroics in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series. Down to their final strike, Freese struck a triple to the opposite field to tie the game, he then proceeded to hit the walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to win Game 6 and force a Game 7.

Freese also came through in a big way in Game 7 after the Cardinals fell behind 2-0 early. With two outs and two strikes on him in the bottom of the 1st, he hit a double off Matt Harrison to tie the game, giving him 21 RBI in that postseason, which was an MLB record at the time. When the Cardinals were facing elimination that postseason (4 games), Freese was 6 for 13 with two home runs and nine RBI.

Several years later, Freese had solid postseason numbers for the Dodgers in 18 playoff games hitting .400 with two HR and six RBI in the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

Honorable mentions: Pepper Martin, Mark DeRosa, Scott Speizio

We now head to the outfield, going left to right.

Starting Pitcher: Bob Gibson

I cannot think of anybody that I would want more to pitch in a big game for me than Bob Gibson. If you look at Gibson's postseason career, you'll notice a theme. Each World Series he pitched in went seven games, despite that he started three of the seven games every time, and went the distance in every start.

In nine World Series starts Gibson went nine innings in all of them, he got seven wins and registered a 1.89 ERA. And pitching in an era where strikeouts weren't prevalent yet, Gibson racked up 92 strikeouts in 81 innings, including a record 17 Ks in one of those starts. It's difficult for me to go with anyone else.

Honorable mentions: Harry Brecheen, Adam Wainwright, Bill Hallahan, Chris Carpenter, Jesse Haines

Catcher: Yadier Molina

This would be a legendary pitcher-catcher duo. The greatest defensive catcher of our generation and maybe the greatest Cardinals pitcher of all time? What a blast that would be.

Molina first rose to fame in the 2006 postseason, after hitting under .220 in the regular season, he hit .358 and he hit the go-ahead home run in Game 7 of the NLCS that clinched the NL pennant. He went 7 for 17 in the World Series en route to winning his first ring.

2019 was also a special postseason for Molina. He only hit .152 in that playoff but he came through huge when his team needed him most. In Game 4 of the NLDS against the Braves, down to their final four outs, Molina got a base hit just over the reach of Freddie Freeman to tie the game late. Then in the bottom of 10th, he got the game-winning sac fly to force a Game 5. The Cardinals would go on to win in a landslide and reach the NLCS.

Overall in 104 postseason games, Molina hit .273 with four HR and 36 RBI.

Honorable mentions: Tony Peña, Tim McCarver, Carlos Hernandez, Darrell Porter

When it comes to the bullpen, I’m going to give a handful of guys their praise for their nice work in their playoff careers.

Ken Dayley had a 0.44 ERA in 16 relief outings with the Cardinals in 1985 and 1987.

Andrew Miller was a beast in the postseason with Cleveland in 2016, but with the Cardinals, he did not allow a run in 5.2 innings.

Todd Worrell had a 1.93 ERA in 15 appearances and his only postseason loss? Well, he can thank Don Denkinger for that one.

Jason Motte closed out the last Cardinals World Series championship, he had a 2.08 ERA in 19 playoff games.

Randy Flores was crucial to the Cardinals' 2006 championship team, not allowing a run in seven appearances.

Jason Isringhausen and Trevor Rosenthal were both reliable closers in the postseason for the most part, both recording ERAs below 2.50.

And last but not least, Steve Kline was relied on a lot for his ability to get left-handed hitters out, he averaged 75 appearances a season in his time in St. Louis and had a 0.96 ERA in 13 playoff games.