Cardinals and Brewers 1982 and 2011 Roster Mashups

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Back in January of last year, we made a “mashup” of the Cardinal teams of 2000 and 2010 – choosing the best player seasons of each year and combining them to form one lineup/roster.

In anticipation of NLCS Game Three, here is a similar exercise for the 1982 World Series and 2011 National League Championship Series Cardinal and Brewer teams.  Some liberties have been taken in order to fill out a bench, and players with partial seasons were perhaps unfairly punished, but the premise to keep in mind is that you’re choosing the specific season from a player, and not his career.

Here’s what I came up with (and please understand this is just for fun, especially since I was just a wee lad in ’82):

So who wins this matchup?

Catcher – Homer vote.  Molina wins on defense and probably the best offensive season of his career.  Cards

First Base – Call this a push?  Cooper’s ’82 was really, really good.  Pujols’ every year is really, really good.  Again, this is a case where comparing the individual seasons makes the decision not as academic as one might expect.  Even

Second Base – This is one place where I’ll allow a shortened season to influence my decision.  Weeks, and that bat.  Brewers

Third Base – Sorry, Kenny – the Hall of Famer’s got you here.  Brewers

Shortstop – This isn’t even a contest, Yount running away.  Brewers

Left Field – Ryan Braun, and that’s saying something.  Lonnie Smith was silly good in 1982.  Braun is having the second most valuable season of any of these players, behind only Yount’s ’82.  Brewers

Center Field – Jon Jay has been stabilizing for the Cardinals in center since Colby Rasmus was traded.  Thomas’ 1982 season trumps it by a long shot.  Brewers

Right Field – Hey, finally – something we can give to the Cardinals!  Berkman is enjoying a renaissance season in 2011.  Corey Hart‘s beard and mullet give Lance’s a run for the money, but Berkman’s bat is doing the talking here.  Cards

2.5 positions to the Cards, 5.5 to the Brew Crew.  Yipes.

Let’s dig into that bench.

Second Catcher – Porter wins running away, and Tenace could fill in in a pinch.  Cards

Infield – My goodness, these teams would have some incredible designated hitters in the American League park, eh?  Hernandez, Fielder, and Holliday later.  Sheesh.  The ’82/’11 Brewers’ infield bench is superior, if not as flexible as the Cards’.  Advantage Milwaukee.  Brewers

Outfield – Holliday and Craig hands down.  Pains me to even include Plush on this list, but the ’82 Brewers seemingly didn’t offer much in the outfield depth department.  Cardinals

Hitter – Included this category so that Gene Tenace and Don Money could find spots on their respective mashup teams.  Both will be valuable pinch hitters.  Even

So the Cards “win” the bench 2.5 to 1.5.

Notable omissions: Willie McGee (IMO, Jay just barely edged him out, but certainly argument could be made for either); George Hendrick (lots of good outfielders, Craig had to be included for his ’11 bat); Rafael Furcal (not enough time with team to reasonably include him, IMO); Daniel Descalso; David Green; Carlos Gomez; George Kottaras.

All told, the ’82/’11 Brewers look stronger in the daily lineup, but the ’82/’11 Cards are a bit deeper to fill in for injuries or otherwise – but goodness, those ’82 Brewers were pretty good.

Good thing they play the games on the field and not in my world of make-believe?

What say you Cardinals and Brewers fans?  Agree or disagree with my list (and please keep in mind, this is all in good fun)?  Post your thoughts in the comments below!

Writing about the Cardinals and other loosely associated topics since 2008, I've grown tired of the April run-out only to disappoint Cardinal fans everywhere by mid-May. I do not believe in surrendering free outs.

Nick

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