Albert Pujols Isn't To Blame for the St. Louis Cardinals' Collapse, but Who Is?

Albert Pujols did everything he could possibly do and then some to try to get the St. Louis Cardinals to the playoffs.  But, with the Cincinnati Reds preparing for October, something clearly went wrong.  The Cardinals came into the 2010 season with World Series aspirations, but now they will have to settle for watching it on TV.

Pujols did have some help this year.  Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter, and Matt Holiday all deserve credit for having excellent years.

But, seeing as the Redbirds missed the playoffs, there has to be some blame to go around, right?  Here are five people who failed to do their jobs this season:

5. John Mozeliak

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NEW YORK - JULY 29: Ryan Ludwick #47 of the St. Louis Cardinals bats against the New York Mets on July 29, 2010 at Citi Field in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. The Mets defeated the Cardinals 4-0. (Photo by Jim McIsaac

Remember when Ryan Ludwick used to play right field for the Cardinals?  It seems like so long ago now that he's driving in runs for the San Diego Padres.

It's easy to understand General Manager John Mozeliak's reasoning for trading Ludwick for pitcher Jake Westbrook.  At the time, the back end of the pitching staff was a mess, and Westbrook certainly solidified that situation.

But, on the other side of that trade, the offense fell apart after losing Ludwick.  Ludwick was a good third run producer on a team that featured Pujols and Holliday.  Unfortunately, the Cardinals discovered that two strong hitters can't carry an entire offense.

So, while Mozeliak was in a really tough situation, this is probably one situation where he should not have pulled the trigger on a trade.

4. David Freese

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PHILADELPHIA - MAY 06: David Freese #23 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws between innings against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on May 6, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

David Freese was having a very promising rookie season, but then he sprained his ankle and a D.L. stint followed shortly thereafter.

While recovering from the ankle injury, Freese dropped a weight on his toe, extending his D.L. stint.  Then, while on a rehab assignment, he hurt himself again.

Though injuries do happen from time to time, it's up to the players to be careful and get back as soon as possible.  With Freese on the shelf, the third base position was very unproductive offensively and inconsistent defensively.

3. Mark McGwire

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PHOENIX - JUNE 11: Batting coach Mark McGwire #25 of the St. Louis Cardinals before the Major League Baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 11, 2010 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Diamondbacks 5-2. (Photo

Mark McGwire was hired on as the Cardinals hitting coach before the start of this season.  He has been doing a good job turning the Cardinals lineup into hitters that mimic his style.

That is:  hitters who hit lots of home runs, hit for a very mediocre average, and strike out a lot.  Albert Pujols has struck out more times than he has in a season since 2001, his rookie campaign.

Yadier Molina is another hitter who normally doesn't strike out much.  But, like Pujols, he too is striking out more than usual, accumulating the highest total of his career.

While it ultimately is up to the hitters to hit the ball, McGwire's coaching seems to be doing more harm than good right now.

2. The Bullpen (All Of Them)

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ST. LOUIS - JUNE 28: Jason Motte #30 of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts to giving up a home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Busch Stadium on June 28, 2010 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cardinals beat the Diamondbacks 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth.

Yes, Jason Motte, it may be hard to believe, but the entire Cardinals bullpen is responsible in part for the collapse.

You and your bullpen mates have fallen apart in close games.  The Cardinals are a sub-par 5-8 in extra inning games and 19-22 in one-run games.

Neither of those totals are good enough for a playoff team.

Plus, the Cardinals only have 31 total saves as a team.  That's tied for last in the league with Pittsburgh and Detroit.

Thus, the bullpen simply wasn't good enough this year to get St. Louis to the playoffs.

1. Tony La Russa

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ST. LOUIS - SEPTEMBER 5: Manager Tony LaRussa #10 of the St. Louis Cardinals looks on from the dugout against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium on September 5, 2010 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cardinals beat the Reds 4-2. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Ge

The Cardinals major offensive problem was that they were never allowed to develop any consistency.  How could they when La Russa never uses the same lineup for two days in a row?

Now, I'm not saying I could do a better job than La Russa.  The man has over 2,600 wins in his long career.

I'm just saying it didn't seem like the Cardinals responded well to his style of managing down the stretch this year.  That means it's probably time for him to move on to a new city.

Let's face it:  sometimes things just run their course.  La Russa will always have a special place in the hearts of Cardinals fans, but maybe it's time for him to move on.

A whole new coaching staff might help the Cardinals get back on track. (Though it will be hard to replace Dave Duncan).