page_title: 2001 St. Louis Cardinals season
hierarchical_section_title: 2001 St. Louis Cardinals season
caption_attribution_description: March 27, 2001 Cardinals vs. Braves spring training game lineup card. Albert Pujols pinch-hits in the top of the 9th and hits a solo home run to tie the game 5-5: Shortly before spring training ended, the Cardinals played Atlanta at the Braves' complex in Disneyworld in Orlando. La Russa didn't have Pujols in the lineup that day, instead making sure that the regulars got in some final at-bats before the regular season began. Mark McGwire started at first, took his three cuts, then headed for the shower and stood behind La Russa in the dugout runway in his street clothes. The game was tied in the ninth when La Russa called on Pujols to pinch-hit against Matt Whiteside. Amid all the curiosity about his immediate future, Pujols didn't just hit the ball, he hit it over the scoreboard in center field. From behind, La Russa suddenly felt McGwire's huge hand smacking him across the back, a little bit like being hit with the wing of a 747. "Dude, I told you, he's on the club!" Buzz Bissinger, Three Nights in August, pp. 146-147, ISBN 0618405445
context_page_description: 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.
context_section_description: 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.
caption: A lineup card for a  2001 spring training game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves.
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