2001 St. Louis Cardinals | ||
---|---|---|
National League Wild Card Winners | ||
League | National League | |
Division | Central | |
Ballpark | Busch Memorial Stadium | |
City | St. Louis, Missouri | |
Record | 93–69 (.574) | |
Divisional place | 2nd | |
Owners | William DeWitt, Jr. | |
General managers | Walt Jocketty | |
Managers | Tony La Russa | |
Television | Fox Sports Midwest KPLR (Al Hrabosky, Bob Carpenter, Dan McLaughlin, Joe Buck) | |
Radio | KMOX (Jack Buck, Mike Shannon, Joe Buck, Dan McLaughlin) | |
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The St. Louis Cardinals 2001 season was the team's 120th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 110th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 93–69 during the season and finished tied for first in the National League Central with the Houston Astros. Because the Cardinals and Astros were best two teams in the National League, both from the Central, and both finished five games ahead of the third-place Chicago Cubs, the Astros were awarded the NL Central champion and the number 1 seed in the playoffs due to winning the season series 9–7, and the Cardinals were awarded the wild-card.[1]
In the playoffs the Cardinals lost to the eventual World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks 3 games to 2 in the NLDS.[2]
Third baseman/Outfielder Albert Pujols won the Rookie of the Year Award this year, batting .329, with 37 home runs and 130 RBIs. Second baseman Fernando Viña and outfielder Jim Edmonds won Gold Gloves in 2001.[3]
This was also Jack Buck's final season as the team's broadcaster.[4]
There may be another reason for La Russa's stance. St. Louis finished tied with Houston in 2001, but the Astros won the division based on head-to-head record while the Cardinals won the wild-card berth. Still, St. Louis tried to claim it was division co-champion, a position the commissioner's office rejected.