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. The Astros were declared the NL Central champion in the playoffs due to a better head-to-head record, and the Cardinals were seeded as the wild-card.[1] 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.
December 22, 2000: Quinton McCracken was signed as a Free Agent with the St. Louis Cardinals.
January 5, 2001: Bobby Bonilla was Signed as a Free Agent with the St. Louis Cardinals.
January 5, 2001: John Mabry was signed as a Free Agent with the St. Louis Cardinals.
March 28, 2001: Quinton McCracken was released by the St. Louis Cardinals.
Regular season
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.
Transactions
April 9, 2001: John Mabry was sent to the Florida Marlins by the St. Louis Cardinals as part of a conditional deal.
June 5, 2001: Dan Haren was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2nd round of the 2001 amateur draft. Player signed June 20, 2001.
June 5, 2001: Joe Mather was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 3rd round of the 2001 amateur draft.
June 5, 2001: Skip Schumaker was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 5th round of the 2001 amateur draft.
This was the St. Louis Cardinals 2001 season was the team’s 120th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 110th season in the National League.