2011 Cardinals Baseball: The Championship Season (MLB Highlight Film)

what is that makes it team champion is it the arduous journey they have to travel the toughness to endure all the pain along the way looked like he was in severe pain the challenge of proving that no goal is out of reach the determination to go the distance and the belief that they can overcome any obstacle is it the chemistry that forges a bond too strong to break or simply the talent that allows them to conquer the competition in 2011 the st. Louis Cardinals found the answers within themselves and in the process a team came a champion this is the story of the 2011 World Series champion st. Louis Cardinals [Applause] Major League Baseball Productions presents [Applause] Cardinals base law the 2011 championship season [Music] jupiter florida the spring home of the cards since 1998 they hoped the road to championship number 11 begins right here do you never go to spring training no thinking that you bought clothes got me in the war series so our goal was to go spring training and just prepare ourselves for the 2011 season the Cardinals came to camp with something to prove they had missed out on the playoffs in 2010 and they were up against strong contenders in the National League Central but I think the tougher the competition it's really good for all of us our approach is to take care of our business and make sure we're in the middle of the competition a lot of guys are hungry and working with them they're just eager to hone their skills and it's been a fun camp and these Cardinals had plenty to feel good about over the offseason they had bolstered their roster with some key additions [Music] there was middle infielder Ryan Theriot [Music] utility infielder in the Punto and a veteran trying to revitalize his career the man known as the big bull by Lance Berkman they added so many light-hearted fun loving but competitive personalities and his was maybe the most important one she has this personality that they need adding Lance to the middle of our lineup it gets our lineup deeper but that means that colby rasmus David Freese we can move them in a second or six instead of fourth or fifth we definitely have a lineup that's good enough to be a playoff caliber team and then hopefully tomorrow World Series yet for all the sunny Florida optimism there were issues casting a cloud over the Cardinals season for one the future of superstar Albert Pujols appeared on the certainly and is the final year of his contract he said he's not negotiating anymore until after the season Albert said this is my day to talk about my situation after today I'm not talking about anything to prepare enough this club win why would that be a distraction why look at this that in itself puts somewhat of a dark cloud over the whole thing and then just a couple of days later Adam Wainwright who was a sighing type pitcher he's done for the year a huge blow for the st. Louis Cardinals today Adam Wainwright will indeed need Tommy John surgery he will miss the entire 2011 season I partially torn in a couple times before so it was time for it to go I'm fine with that I hate to miss the season of course yeah I know question it was a head you can't replace a guy that's the scion caliber guy that's had a chance to win 20 games and we fell for Adam a little bitty scar on the back here and got a little scar down here from where they took my tendon out they usually take it from your wrist but I didn't have one with one of their vital waves clipped it could have thrown the Redbirds of course but they had just the right man to keep them focused tarus is the perfect manager for this time somebody's going to step up and take at his place and we're going to deal with it it's a huge loss for our team but we're definitely a focus group or tight-knit we're gonna go out there and do the things we can if you start moving your guys up I think they wanted Garcia to pitch him into three hold now he's to Jake Westbrook I liked him in the fourth spot he can certainly pitch three they're hoping that Loesch and really both pitching in that four hole is going to be closer to what they saw in 2008 I've been pretty strong the spring yeah feeling good about where my stuff's going right now it's not as good obviously without Wainwright but this rotation has still got some teeth to it and with opening day fast approaching the Cardinals knew there was little time to dwell on the issues they had faced in camp sometimes you have some dramatic ones like you Albert this contracts a big thing you know the injury to Adam but it's mostly a matter of your mind and being strong enough to overcome them [Music] the concerns that overshadowed spring training gave way to the bright hopes of opening day as the cards came home to start the season now it's finally here baseball 2011 opening day playing baseball in San Luis it doesn't get much better than that fans are great city's great it's a great great place to play the game what a great moment here at the ballpark sharing it with all of Cardinal nation while fun memories will rekindled it ended up as a day to forget the San Diego Padres stunning the Cardinals on opening day it was a preview of things to come as the cards drop six of their first eight games even Albert Pujols a career 319 hitter through April was off to his worst start ever everybody has their theories on why Albert fools is struggling this year the cards were in need of a lift and they would get it from one of their new faces who had plenty of life left in his back he off to a great start that what the addition of Lance Berkman is one of those low-risk high-reward heels and he may have been the MVP of this season Berkman the Julie wood Matt Holliday to form a powerful duo and their sizzling star carried the cardies offense as the team finished the month with the Leeds best batting average Matt Holliday had a tremendous start to the season and was headed for a terrific year meanwhile starting pitchers Jaime Garcia Kyle lush and Kyle McLellan were making up for the loss of Adam Wainwright the rotation really got off to a nice start this rotation is the best aspects of this team so far the Cardinals began May with a two-game lead over the Reds in the NL Central and it seemed had regained their stride but their problems were just beginning the Russa wants to talk to Matt Holliday they're gonna take him out of this game the David Freese suffered a broken hand continuing a rash of injuries that tested their death the great thing as our team went out and said hey well well do the best we can without them with some of the best players out reserves like Alan Craig we're ready to step in can we place holiday but Greg's been a good substitute you have to give a lot of crazy lace young guys on Craig John Jay everybody in that claw how these something this year to help us to accomplish our mission you know I think the one thing about this club was they never wanted to give up they always showed a lot of heart and even with all their injuries the Cardinals went 17 and 12 in May to hold on to the division while the team was taking flight former siyeong winner Chris Carpenter was still grounded with a one-in-seven record in mid-june it was a battle early on some lack of execution pitching wise Chris had a slow start which I don't believe was his slowstar II was dis within his score when he pitched but these Cardinals were proving he could overcome any adversity even when disaster struck in mid-june off the middle Kozma to his left top play to first and he looked like he was in severe pain I went darling the guys really played pretty well when I was on the DL and I think you make us stuff and the resilient Redbirds would find ways to win [Applause] [Music] that same month the team held a quieter celebration Tony LaRussa's 5,000th game his manager but the Brewers spoiled the party 1 if you win excited it's a very simple life but Tony's life was about to get easier as some of the team's injured players were making their way back or you saw heavy Tony Larusso would've learned a puto and both fries would be back the most remarkable comeback was that of Kools who returned just two short weeks after fracturing his wrist [Applause] then in his last two starts of June Carpenter won back-to-back ends for the first time all year providing hope for a strong second half at the all-star break the Cardinals were still atop their perch tied for first place as baseball's best convened in Arizona for the 82nd all-star game three players were there representing the Redbirds holiday but it would be one of the Cardinals divisional rivals who enjoyed the night's biggest known a homerun for Prince Fielder than any intriguing twist fielders blast would have implications for the Cardinals down the road your three-run home run led the National League to victory and home-field advantage in the 2011 World Series it hardly appeared the Cardinals were ready to take advantage of the NL's good fortune despite still being tied for first they didn't seem equipped for a run at the title it was pretty clear that in late July we were a team with some flaws our rotation and our bullpen we felt needed shoring up we felt if we make some changes and we make some improvements that we had a chance to win so the cards shuffled the deck trading away colby rasmus once touted as the team's top prospect today Rasmus gets dealt to the Blue Jays he's enroute to Toronto while the Cardinals get Edwin Jackson a righty Octavio Dotel a seasoned right-handed reliever marks have chased the ileft handed pitcher and outfielder Corey Patterson they make this trade some people were really upset about and it wasn't really that popular trade people in the industry raised their eyebrows about it what people are questioning is hey how can you trade Colby Rasmus and not get young players back it was a costly price in the sense of Colby Rasmus but it's a big deal for us because we addressed the starter Jackson strikes out the left hand reliever swing and also add simpleton help but he didn't stop with that tray because he went out and got Furcal as well and for call situation we felt like he could still bring us some help offensively but we knew he could shore up our club defensively Cardinals were active at the trade deadline they certainly upgraded their roster this is a window to win and we feel today we're a better team than we were yesterday and as the new faces arrived the face of the franchise continued to cement his place in Cardinal law [Music] [Applause] [Music] stand the man [Applause] this car goes with but heading into August there wasn't much else to celebrate with the team still mired in mediocrity frustrating loss for the Cardinals I actually felt kind of guilty because we as a staff has said no you do this were better and we were not though the Cardinals continue to have their troubles as the Cardinals kept losing ground in the standings they were also losing patience you saw that they were supposed to be better than this and I think they knew it it's just it's just been a tough stretch we're obviously struggling you know and we got to get it turned around making matters worse was that while st. Louis was stuck in neutral Milwaukee's was racing right past me the Brewers have been so good in the second half of the season it has been almost unbelievable Milwaukee's won 13 of their last 14 games with every Brewers win that Cardinals hopes for a division crown slipped further away the Brewers with a 5 game lead in the National League Central when I came here we was two and a half games behind me walk and I'm last thing I know we was like eight and a half nine and a half game behind me walk I was like wow this is crazy the Dodgers complete a three-game sweep of the Cardinals so we have so many fans that are what is going on why is this happened with this team just 28 days ago the Cardinals led by a half game and now they trail by 10 if we don't win and Milwaukee doesn't lose and we're not gonna win it so I mean it's not like it's a lost cause I mean I still feel like we're right there we just need to put a streak together and you know see what happens [Music] you know we had to be by the Dodgers three in a row at that point I'm really worried about us finishing under 500 unless we get this thing going in the right direction for whatever reason things haven't fallen you know all together the cardinals whoa was were only magnified by what was brewing atop the division we knew that Milwaukee was playing great we're ten and a half back from Atlanta a lot of people felt there was no chance for us to make it got that out we had a little mating the veteran guys and you would say couple of things since there you know what I think we better land now they want we show we ultimately just talked about our ballclub the struggles we had gone through we hadn't been playing very well and what was ahead of us we didn't want to embarrass ourselves we got 32 games I believe at that time laughing we just want to play the best 32 gang all our career the meeting lit the spark and the Red Birds became red-hot all of a sudden that thing whatever that be loose of quality is that makes good teams come together in gel it finally happened you could just feel it coming [Applause] with their bats coming alive the cárdenas flex their muscles the new wife [Applause] [Music] the st. Louis Cardinals have swept the Brewers and a leave is now at seven-and-a-half with 24 games remaining the next time they met push came to shove between these two heated rivals and that's when he saw both these benches clear the cards went on to win five of six against the division leaders Milwaukee is gonna get spicy in September left for dead in late August the Cardinals had come roaring back to life and were quickly gaining ground in the chase for the postseason they're the classic case a hot team at the right time there's a line drive to center field it's deep enough to score and there's hope alive for Cardinal Nation Cardinals wouldn't go away man they won't I had them done they are in this thing and after sweeping the wild guard leading Braves Atlanta could hear the guard in his footsteps getting louder as we started to win most of our games in that stretch and we saw that Atlanta was not playing their best breaking ball strike three call Uggla Campbell Eva it's much easier to be the hunter than to be the hunted in a stretch Drive we had some fortunate luck that the land I wasn't playing very well but we came to the ballpark every single day determined to win [Applause] I mean it mattered what the Braves did but what mattered most is what we did two and a half out in the wild-card race just things going right down to the wire folk and along the way a vital part of the team was finding its identity three to four Jason the bullpen is starting to solidify guys know their roles he strikes him out just right up and down the line guys are doing their job this was one of those teams that refuses to let you kill them all [Applause] we've got closer and closer one of the most exciting experiences that I've experienced as a manager in all years throughout September the Cardinals and Braves were heading in opposite directions and by the final day of this season they had ended up in the exact same place [Applause] brains for the wild-card lead you know it's amazing you got to play 162 the final game of the regular season game number 162 the Cardinals take on the Houston Astros the game was a huge game and you're coming in knowing that if we win worst case scenario is we play a line at home the next day so we had our guy carp and I mean he carved up as well as days where everything was working in a strong sharp - hitter we win now they have to go into the clubhouse and wait to see what the Atlanta Braves do and we'll keep our eye on that Philadelphia Atlanta game pretty Freeman grounds to first to second for one back across and the st. Louis Cardinals are National League wildcard [Music] [Applause] you know everybody that was all where it's not over until you play 162 game we got a new life and hopefully you know we can get ready for the playoff and start Saturday the wild cards were off to Philadelphia to start the playoffs but they were expected to suffer a first-round knockout at the hands of the Phillies winners of 102 games in the regular season and the favorites to win it all but there's no question that the Cardinals are heavy underdogs against the powerful Phillies and things seemed to be playing out just as predicted the Cardinals lost Game one who were getting blanked in Game two against Cliff Lee who had six complete game shutouts in the regular season and history of dominance in the postseason we were down for nothing - cliff and you can count on one finger the times that you're gonna come back from four runs down against Cliff Lee but just as they had in September the Cardinals proved that no obstacle was too big to overcome that attitude that the boys have developed about heck or high water called play 9 even with Cliff Lee out there safely was 100 unlikely victory tying the series and stunning the Philly faithful if we to lost that game realistically I was winning three in a row I don't think it was possible the t's would split the next two games to set up a decisive game five and adding to the drama would be a classic confrontation on the mound two of the top pitchers in the game going head-to-head Chris Carpenter and Roy Halladay I was excited about it I know Roy was excited about it what a great spot to be in if your competitor the Cardinals quickly went on top pitching across a run in the first after any carpenter made that slimly stand off we go to the Senate Redbirds lead it wore nothing it was just so much fun to be a part of it every inning just loud couldn't hear anything going on around you and a one two three I already think sometimes he enjoys pitching on the road in a real hostile environment it's such a competitor I need just was outstanding what nothing Redbirds you talk about Nellie a great pitcher been great big game pitcher we knew that he would be in his best that game but to throw it one-nothing complete game shutout that was spectacular with a three-hit shutout Carpenter had delivered one of the most stellar pitching performances in recent memory and led the Cardinals to a most astonishing upset as well as games when it's over you just say boy on a uniform and I saw that honored next stop Milwaukee where the Cardinals would face a familiar foe in the National League Championship Series the Brewers had compiled the best home record in the majors but the cards had reason to feel confident it was gonna be tough but they helped us a lot that we had a great success against thing out there plays during the season so we were really comfortable going into Miller Park they were also comfortable coming from behind and after losing Game one they bounced back to even the series behind a powerful performance from Albert four hits and five RBIs the st. Louis Cardinals have come in to Miller Park and picked up a big Road win coming home for the next three games the Cardinals would find themselves needing a lift from the bullpen which just two months ago had been a work in progress now it was one of the team's straights twelve down for the it was so much fun to watch the way that they all came together and when you got guys like those guys coming in behind you you feel very confident with their relievers giving up and run in 13 the cards took two or three at home and move one went away from the World Series they would have to get that win back in Milwaukee and David Freese continued his sensational series putting the Cardinals in control this guy is unbelievable their hottest hitter comes during once again he's got an incredible amount of intangible it factor I guess is the only thing I can think to describe it he comes through when the team needs in the most and with freeze earning NLCS MVP honors their cards reached the World Series for the 80th time in their storied history [Applause] if the Redbirds were to complete their flight with their 11th championship they would have to earn it against the reigning American League champions the Texas Rangers and once again they were the underdogs nobody expected the Cardinals to be here in this World Series after a split of the first two games the series moved deep into the heart of Texas but the lone star of Game three played for st. Louis Albert Pujols led the cards to victory with five hits in a World Series record 14 total bases and became just the third different player to hit three home runs in a World Series game it was great being in the same company with Babe Ruth been ready Jassim do I know it was a special place in history but at the same time I don't play for records that I played to help our ballclub to wank it was decided to take a 2-1 lead in this series but I knew that we have Auto series left and Texas would come storming back to win games four and five the Rangers would carry the momentum back to st. Louis taking the lead in Game six and they were one strike away from capturing their first title it's not over into you don't wait 27 outs so that was our attitude the whole year we don't gonna keep up at first with this season on the line the Cardinals hopes were in the hands of their hometown star David Freese the last strike you know if it doesn't work out you know you're watching you're watching the Rangers celebrate on your field [Music] [Applause] [Music] I was excited as all get-out and when I got to 32 kind of realized that we definitely just tied the game up and we still got a chance at this but no sooner had the Cardinals climbed off the canvas then Josh Hamilton put them right back on the ropes with a team that had kept fighting back all season long who wasn't about to stop now our club will not quit until the last out and the things that were being said in the dugout we had three outs we can make something happen and it seems like deja vu as the cards again had the tying run on base with two outs your one strike away from going home for the winter [Applause] and then all of a sudden bang we tie it and not just once but twice and it's just it's pretty special in what was already one of the greatest games in World Series history David Freese made it a true fall classic [Applause] [Applause] that came out everything in it people are crying people were laughing fewer we were hugging and we were screaming it had every emotion possible it was mayhem you just wanted to hug everybody and you just couldn't believe that we had pulled that kind of thing off and forced a game seven last night it was certainly an emotional roller coaster like a great heavyweight fight the World Series going to seven games well here we are game seven this is when this great game is at its best you dream about it as a kid the seventh game of the World Series and here in st. Louis there's just nothing like the excitement associated with an event of that kind it was only fitting that in the seasons ultimately the Cardinals were behind yet again trailing to nothing early but with their trademark resilience they would answer right back and the big hit came from who else but David Freese who set a record with 21 postseason RBIs this postseason David got huge RBIs when we needed him we were down to Oh to come back and even it up I think really put a lot of energy back in this ball park where it could have gone the other way quick and his teammates followed his lead including Alan Craig who would put the carnies on top and the Cardinals went on to cap off one of the most improbable comeback seasons that game has ever seen [Applause] I see four World Series MVP David Freese and his teammates their remarkable ride was still hard to comprehend [Music] [Applause] to win a World Series it takes over you guys heart this is throat and to come out on top is truly special it's hard to describe it's much better than I thought it would be you can't really put into words the the sense of accomplishment the joy the exhilaration that you feel particularly the manner in which we were able to do it we were 10 guns out and to be able to come back you know and get in a wild car and when people died we did it we are the worst champion while we did it and let's go the opportunity to have this feeling you don't know it's very hard to explain it's just a huge amount of emotion it's just it's an unbelievable feeling it's it's it's proud to be a part of this organization a big big part of what you feel is watching the joy from our players the organization our fans they will never ever be a better celebration among players in organization because we've gone through so much [Music] I think it's the perfect team but these guys did so many times elimination it's a lesson for all of us and never quit took the best shot in the best shots of world championship for Tony LaRussa leading the Cardinals to their 11th championship was a fitting conclusion to a legendary managerial career one that spanned three plus decades and over 5,000 games after a relatively nondescript playing career Tony distinguished himself by earning a law degree and he would bring his cerebral approach to the dugout taking over the White Sox after less than two years of managing in the minors at age 34 he was the major leagues youngest manager the White Sox are stressing a young nucleus and I think that's probably the reason that I was chosen over a number of other people I'm managing a club that there's gonna be moving up in the standings and we hope to be with them when we move up to the top [Applause] everything our franchise is going in the right direction under Luisa the white socks quickly became contenders and in just his fourth full season at the helm he was named al manager of the year guiding Chicago to its first postseason berth in 24 years [Applause] [Music] [Applause] how does it feel for a guy to manage his first champion best best thing I've ever had the Larusso legend would grow when he moved on to Auckland once again the engineer to turn around transforming the years into the American league's most dominant team of the late 1980s [Music] the reason why we win is because we're managed by the best management baseball that's the simple side winning the 89 World Series was the highlight of a tenure that included three straight American League pennants and four division titles along the way Tony was twice named AO manager of the year and mastered an innovative approach to using the bullpen which helped gain his Eckersley Forja Hall of Fame career [Music] but after a decade in Auckland LaRussa took over the reins in st. Louis called upon to lead a once-proud franchise back to glory he was ready for the challenge I believe in high goals I believe in big dreams it didn't take long for the La Russa effect to take hold as he would skipper a run of success as good as Danny's and Cardinal history [Applause] [Music] over live thank you very much they are the Central Division champs [Applause] [Music] [Applause] six seasons for the National League totally a champion [Music] [Applause] [Music] I've done a good job of hold it together cuz I'm just bursting yeah a lot of guys without a ring and this is special and the 2009 National League Central Division champions [Music] psychos [Music] [Applause] [Music] having Tony at the helm as the manager for 16 seasons in the post season 9 out of 16 years and dad three pennants two World Championships that's just been a remarkable run a remarkable story that guy is just amazing over is a remarkable 33-year career Tony LaRussa won three World Series titles and six lead pennants he was a four-time manager of the year and is the third winningest manager of all time with 2728 victories but even those numbers aren't enough to explain the essence of his future hall-of-famer whose work ethic and attention to detail or second to none he's a great competitor very prepared and what else would you want in your manager well Tony LaRussa been a great college basketball coach too I think Tony could have done anything that he wanted to in the sports world because I've never known a guy that had a better grasp of everything that's going on I've never seen a manager look at numbers and matchups like Tony LaRussa did he studies the game he's a doctor of the game of baseball there's so many little things that he pays attention to he pays attention to every detail of what's involved to play the game the way it's supposed to be played first time up last times play the first pitch so they're gonna be thanking people I see some right click and run first pitch the competition is so close that the tip in your direction if you just do a couple little things right that could be the difference well your thanks for trying on do it it's a little bit of an exaggeration to say a one-round aid in spring training games like during season because the stakes will be different but you get into a game and I wasn't fired up about trying to compete then you then you're cheating I'm over a little bit yeah he's gonna call on sinkers in no matter what he does he's gonna do the very best job at it that he can traditional managers one that will sit back and allow his players to go out there and play the game but LaRussa is more hands-on he wants to control the game you're better off making a move that you think makes sense than sitting around not making a decision he was constantly thinking about how he was going to win this inning he done decaf is his best hitter at the plate if there's a situation where he needs to burn or hit and run then he's gonna make that happen [Applause] well I'll tell you not many people would play hit and run with the best hitter in baseball Tony LaRussa says I don't care we're gonna continue to try to add on he is non-stop intense the perception around baseball is that he'll have this guy hit your hitter and he will make a lot of pitching changes he'll do whatever it takes to try to get under your skin he is more than that but you can understand the reputation from those who don't really know him I should think that I'd say look at this guy about hey what he knows what he's doing makes sense I don't think he does that to stroke his ego I think he does that because he's managed more than 5000 games and he's going to put that experience to work coaching is about putting guys a position to succeed you don't play the game is for the players but that's your contribution one of the most unlikely Cardinals has delivered the biggest hit of this ball game you could give him a clutch at bat and he will give you a real good effort nobody utilizes the players better than he does he puts you in situations where you can be successful that's easier said than done [Applause] even when his players weren't successful LaRussa always seemed to have another move up his sleeve Tony he knows how I was gonna feel that night not being able to sleep when there's a little note if it opened it up he said ech you're the best you know and that says it all to me that's leadership knowing what it takes you know to pick somebody up [Music] he's a good friend of mine and I just think he's an incredible guy that you know major character loyal wonderful man love them it treats us utmost respect like we're his kids I tell a lot of guys today if you can't play for Tony you can't play for anybody I love the guy those who are around him on a regular basis realize that he is a lot more and a lot deeper than just that grinder mentality in the corner of the dugout he's got a big heart very charitable guy I just thank God for giving me the opportunity to play with the best manager and the gang when we bought the club our goal was to live up to the history and tradition of this great franchise not only have we maintained it but he is enhanced it he's meant the world to the Cardinal franchise we're all just stewards of Cardinal nation which will be here long after we're gone so it's a little bittersweet but given the fact that we knew it wouldn't last forever anyway to go out on top is a great way to go it was a storybook ending for Tony LaRussa and a st. Louis Cardinals in their 2011 championship season you [Music] [Music] [Music] [Laughter] [Music] you

Channel: Cardinals Baseball Classics

Views: 57,122

Rating: 4.9482203 out of 5

Keywords: mlb, baseball, mlb baseball, 2011 st. louis cardinals, st. louis cardinals, lance berkman, albert pujols, tony la russa, dave duncan

Id: 81kC7BXgnsc

Length: 45min 18sec (2718 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 15 2020