The Greatest Cardinals Post Season Lineup Ever: No Ozzie? Bob Gibson is the Number 2 Starter? – From the Many Laptops of Will Saulsbery

The Greatest Cardinals Post Season Lineup Ever: No Ozzie? Bob Gibson is the Number 2 Starter?

Autumn is in the air here in the gateway. The leaves are turning and falling, people are spending half the cost of their mortgages on pumpkins, and I am waiting to hoard every Almond Joy in the midwest for myself. Despite all this wonderfulness, one thing is missing; Playoff Baseball.

Us friends of Fredbird have only one recourse as the Brewers and Rays prep for the Fall Classic. And that my friends is nostalgia. So, I present here to you in the form of the written word, the Greatest Cardinals Post Season Lineup Ever.

The Offense

Leading off and playing in the outfield…

• Lou Brock

There is no more clear lock for this squad than Mr. Brock. The man had 34 hits in 21 World Series games! That’s more hits than the first round of Hagler-Hearns. Plus, he kept getting better with age. Despite the Cards losing in 7 to the Tigers in ‘68, Brock almost single handedly carried them to their third ring in the 60’s. Thirteen hits in 7 games, 6 for extra bases, 5 RBIs and 7 steals! You pull Gibson after the sixth in game seven and maybe you win? But, I’m not telling Gibby that.

*Postseason stats courtesy of Baseball Reference

And now…batting second from San Francisco, CA….

• Willie McGee

Willie played in three Fall Classic’s and is one Don Denkinger and one Frank Viola away from having 3 rings. He delivered over and over again in the moments that mattered. The catch, the 2 homeruns, every little thing done correctly. In all he played in 45 post season games for the Cards, had 48 hits, 6 doubles, 3 triples, 4 home runs and 22 RBI’s. Plus, there are not many others you’d want roaming CF.

Hitting 3rd, playing 1st, and walking into every hall of fame from here to the D.R. ….

• Albert Pujols

He’s the greatest right-handed hitter since Henry Aaron. FULL STOP. In the playoffs he did not slow down or waver from his unworldly regular season numbers.

Regular Season averages with the Cards

AVG: .326

OPS: 1.031

Post Season averages with the Cards

AVG: .327

OPS: 1.031

That’s not a small post season sample. He suited up in 76 October contests for the Birds and smashed 18 home runs and drove in 52. Over the course of a full season…that looks a lot like .300, 30, and 100. 

In the cleanup spot, from Fullerton, CA

• Jim Edmonds

Ohhh Jimmy Baseball. Did you ever give us some moments here in my hometown? The one etched into all of our brains is that absolute missile into the right field stands against the then NL Houston Astros. The heartbreak they suffered…manna from heaven.

In his 61 playoff games for the Cards he collected 61 hits, 15 doubles, 42 RBI’s while hitting .277 with an .890 OPS.  Plus, absolute stellar defense in CF.

Hitting 5th, from the great north country, your fourth outfielder and full time DH

• Larry Walker

A wild card for ya! Look at his 2004 run with the Cards on their way to their first pennant since the Reagan administration. Fifteen games, 17 hits, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 6 home runs, 11 RBI’s, while hitting .293 with an OPS of 1.068! Plus, he was pretty much the only hitter that decided to hit against the Beantown boys.

Also, this guy as a fourth outfielder??? Not a single ball will drop.

Batting 6th, playing 3rd, your hometown hero…

• David Freese

All we need is 2011.

*Postseason stats courtesy of Baseball Reference

Do I need to type anything? Just close your eyes and visualize him sliding into 3rd. You’re welcome.

Batting 7th and shifting to 2nd because he is a team first man, from Temple, OK….

• Pepper Martin

His big league career didn’t really begin until he was 27. But, from that point on the man nicknamed The Wild Horse Of The Osage won three stolen base titles, led the league in runs, and made four All-Star teams. His work in the post season did not disappoint. After a pinch-running appearance in the 1928 Fall Classic he became a massive impact on the banners the Birds hung in 1931 and 1934. In those two seven-game series Pepper hit .418 with one home run, 9 RBI’s, and added 7 steals all for an OPS of 1.103.

 

Batting 8th and collecting clutch hits like my mom collected ceramic ducks in the 90s…

• Yadier Molina

This dude played in 104 playoff games for the Cardinals, the most by a longshot. He collected 102 playoff hits, also the most for a Cardinal. Plus, so many of them occurred EXACTLY when the team needed it.

I’ll just leave this here…

 

Batting 9th from Richburg, SC, the man with the nicknames Slats, The Octopus and Mr. Shortstop…

• Marty Marion

I understand the instinct to put Ozzie here. I had him without thinking. Then, I just had to go digging around history. Mr. Shortstop was the middle infield foundation on four pennant winners, and three World Series Champions. As Stan Musial once put it, “He could go in the hole better than anyone I ever saw. He had the most accurate arm you ever saw.”

In his 23 playoff games he collected 18 hits, with a homer, 11 RBI’s, those were all in the World Series. Head to head versus the Wizard in the Fall Classic, Marion’s numbers are just flat out better across the board. But, he never did “cork one done the line!!!!!!”

The Pitching Staff

CALM DOWN! Just cool out! I know we all want Gibson to go in games one, four, and seven. Just hear me out!

Your game one starter, from Broken Bow, OK…

• Harry “the Cat” Brecheen:

The Cat played on 3 pennant winners, won 2 World Series rings and would have won the 1948 Cy Young had it existed. Find the hole in this resume. It’s ok, I’ll hang up and wait.

Every game below is a World Series Game: 4-1, 0.83 ERA, 2 CG, 1 SHO, 32.2 IP.

*Game log courtesy of Baseball Reference

He’s also one of my 50 Forgotten Cardinals! He’s the only man in history with a claim to the number one spot over Mr. Gibson.

Your number two starter, from Omaha, NE, the man nicknamed Hoot and Gibby…

• Bob Gibson

Ok, the alternative reason I want him in the two slot? There is no way any series against this team goes seven. Gibson will pitch the clincher in game 5.

This game log is ridiculous, ludicrous, unfathomable, flat out bonkers!

*Game log courtesy of Baseball Reference

Nine games pitched, 81 innings. I guess he felt he slacked off in his first ever World Series start by only going 8, so in his second start he went 10. I mean, dear god….they really do not make them like this anymore. Plus he has two more World Series home runs than Jim Edmonds.

I really hope he doesn’t bean me in my dreams tonight.

Your number three starter, the insanely overlooked and underrated…

• Max Lanier

Without Lanier and Brecheen, Musial has zero rings. Period. In Lanier’s three World Series; he threw 31.2 innings, going 2-1 with a 1.71 ERA. Plus, at the dish he hit .444 with 3 RBI’s and a Fall Classic OPS of .889.

In the Pen

I only want these four men in the bullpen, all can handle the back end, and put the game to an end.

• Grover Cleveland Alexander

His 1926 World Series is a masterclass in pressure pitching.

• Game one: CG win, 1 earned run, 10 K’s
• Game six: CG win, 2 earned runs, 6 K’s
• Game seven, the NEXT DAY (Maybe hung over): 2.1 innings in relief. 0 earned runs, gets the save.

In that series he held Ruth and Gehrig to a combined 1-14. Top it???

• Jesse Haines

The Cards’ second all-time wins leader was a key part of four pennant-winnings pitching staffs, with two of those taking home rings in 1926 and 1934.  In all he threw 32.1 innings, posted a record of 3-1 over 6 games with an ERA of 1.67. He started, he relieved, he did everything and anything the staff needed. Oh, and he hit .444 with 1 home run, 3 RBI’s, for an OPS of 1.222.

He also owns the GREATEST World Series game a Cardinal has ever played. In game three of the 1926 World Series against the Yankees, Haines threw a complete game 5 hit shutout, holding the Bronx Boys to 0-7 with RISP. While doing this he also went 2-3 at the plate with a home run and 2 RBI’s. Eat that Ohtani.

• Joaquín Andújar

I know Darrell Porter won the 1982 WS MVP by hitting .286 with 1 home run and 5 rbi’s, for an OPS of .755 after going 1-5 in game 7, but Mr. Andújar would have had everyone of my votes. He started twice in the Series, giving up 0 runs in 6.1 IP in a game three win, then winning game 7 by throwing 7 IP, allowing only 2 earned as the Cards took home their first title in 15 seasons.

Give me the man nicknamed “One Tough Dominican” and I’ll stack him up against anyone you have at the ready.

• Jason Motte

We need a flame thrower. Come October Jason Motte was about as automatic as a Tom Niedenfuer Cardinals highlight. Motte pitched in 19 post season games in the STL. Fifteen of those he didn’t give up a run. Eleven of those he didn’t allow a baserunner. Plus, he’s strong enough to catch a leaping from a full sprint Yadier Molina in his arms.

There it is, the greatest Cardinals’ post season lineup that will ever be created until the end of recorded history. Drop your thoughts my way and we’ll discuss, have it out, or simply agree as we weep while the (*gags) Brewers play in the World Series.