2001 St. Louis Cardinals season


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 division with the Houston Astros. Both the Cardinals and Astros finished five games ahead of the third-place Chicago Cubs. Because the best two teams in the National League were both from the Central Division, the Astros were awarded the NL Central champion seed in the playoffs due to a better head-to-head record, and the Cardinals were seeded as the wild-card.
The Cardinals were granted the right to claim the National League Central Division Co-Championship, which they still honor today.
In the playoffs the Cardinals lost to the eventual World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks 3 games to 2 in the NLDS.
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.
This was also Jack Buck's final season as the team's broadcaster.

Offseason

Albert Pujols made his major league debut on April 2 against the Colorado Rockies. He appeared in three at-bats and collected one hit.
On September 3, Bud Smith became the ninth Cardinal and eighteenth rookie to hurl a no-hitter.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Transactions

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PosPlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
CMike Matheny12138183.218742
1BMark McGwire9729956.1872964
2BFernando Viña154631191.303956
SSÉdgar Rentería141493128.2601057
3BPlácido Polanco144564173.307338
LFRay Lankford9126462.2351539
CFJim Edmonds150500152.30430110
RFJ.D. Drew109375121.3232773

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
Albert Pujols161590194.32937130
Craig Paquette12334096.2821564
Eli Marrero8620354.266623
Kerry Robinson11418653.285115
Bobby Bonilla9317437.213521
Larry Sutton33425.11913
Miguel Cairo273311.33317
Stubby Clapp23255.20001
John Mabry570.00000
Luis Saturria1351.20001
Bill Ortega551.20000
Keith McDonald220.00000

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
Darryl Kile34227.116113.09179
Matt Morris34216.12283.16185
Dustin Hermanson33192.114134.45123
Bud Smith1684.2633.8359
Woody Williams1175712.2852
Rick Ankiel624127.1327

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
Andy Benes27107.1777.3878
Mike Matthews5189343.2472

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGWLSVERASO
Steve Kline893391.8054
Dave Veres7132153.7061
Mike Timlin674534.0947
Gene Stechschulte671563.8651
Mike James401205.2126
Luther Hackman351214.2924
Jason Christiansen301134.6619
T.J. Mathews101003.0710
Alan Benes92007.3610
Jeff Tabaka80007.363
Jason Karnuth40001.801
Chad Hutchinson300024.752
Bobby Bonilla100018.000

NLDS

Arizona wins the series, 3-2

Awards and honors

All-Star Game