The 2000s were an incredible decade for the St. Louis Cardinals. They made the postseason seven times from 2000-09, reaching the National League Championship Series five times and winning 100 games or more twice. Albert Pujols won three NL MVP Awards, 14 Cardinals made the All-Star team and the club had an attendance of more than three million fans every season but one. The Cardinals just had a great team year after year. Except for one year.
The 2006 St. Louis Cardinals were not a good baseball team. They only won 83 games that season, nearly collapsing with a seven-game losing streak down the stretch, which couldn't have been unfamiliar territory; they had already lost eight games in a row twice previously that season.