2011 MLB Playoffs: Postseason All-Star Team

Yes, the Cardinals just beat the Rangers in Game 7 to win the 2011 World Series.

But I'm asking you to think back to the days of Little League.

At the end of the season, the local league would pick an all-star team and then you would take on an all-star team from another town. At least that is how I remember it. Of course, I wasn't on any of those teams, so I have to go based on what I remember.

So, we are putting the best team together from the 2011 MLB postseason, and we are going to go take on the world. For our purposes, we'll pick one starter and one reliever in addition to the eight regulars. Since real baseball doesn't have a DH, we aren't including one.

Catcher: Mike Napoli

Napoli hit three home runs and totaled 15 RBIs in the 2011 playoffs, but it was his defense that was most impressive. He threw out Allen Craig twice in Game 5 of the World Series to help seal the game. He probably would have been the World Series MVP if the Rangers had won it all.

First Base: Albert Pujols

The five home runs and 16 RBIs in the playoffs is impressive by itself, but he also has drawn 12 walks. Add that to the hits and he reached an alarming 37 times in 18 games. That is sick. And to think people were worried about him slipping.

Second Base: Ian Kinsler

Like Albert Pujols, Kinsler has been the total package this postseason. He combines the ability to hit for average, hit for power and draw walks. He was 20-for-65 (.308) and drew 14 walks in the 2011 postseason. Not half bad.

Third Base: David Freese

How does a 1.235 OPS in the playoffs grab you? If that doesn't grab you then how about a playoff record of 21 RBIs? How about 14 extra base hits in 18 playoff games? You would think those numbers would belong to Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman or Matt Holliday. David Freese may have been the unlikeliest of heroes. But he's now the World Series MVP for the Cardinals.

Shortstop: Jimmy Rollins

The Phillies woefully underperformed against the Cardinals, but you can't put that on Jimmy Rollins, He hit .450 in the five-game series. As a free agent, the performance came in the nick of time.

Left Field: Delmon Young

A scant three months ago, Delmon Young was on the verge of being a trivia question. Now, his career has been rejuvenated and he could become a permanent fixture in Detroit. Hitting five home runs in two series will do that for a guy.

Center Field: Nelson Cruz

Okay, Nelson Cruz isn't a center fielder. Center field presented some problems as none of them performed particularly well and we needed to find a way to fit Cruz and Berkman into the starting lineup. Cruz's eight home runs would be more than enough to account for the extra hits he would surrender with his glove.

Right Field: Lance Berkman

Lance Berkman is now literally a graybeard. His career was marked by never winning the big one, but that changed in Games 6 and 7 of the World Series. His overall postseason numbers weren't spectacular, but he saved the best for last.

Starting Pitcher: Chris Carpenter

Chris Carpenter went 4-0 in the postseason including winning Game 5 of the NLDS and Game 7 of the World Series. Included in that was a seven-inning, two-run effort that he did not win in Texas. The Game 7 victory came on three days' rest and against the best offense in baseball. Carpenter was the very definition of clutch in the postseason. He will have all kinds of bragging rights after getting the ring and beating his fishing buddy Roy Halladay 1-0.

Closer: Neftali Feliz

Neftali Feliz had one blown save in the postseason. However, the story will likely be how he did not get it done when it counted in Game 6 after he blew the save in the 9th inning. No one had gone through a postseason eight-for-eight in save opportunities, so we can cut him some slack.