Pair Of Ex-Cardinals Fan Favorites To Coach Team USA In 2026 World Baseball Classic

The retired St. Louis stars can't get away from baseball

Oct 28, 2011; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals players celebrate with the commissioners trophy on the podium after defeating the Texas Rangers 6-2 in game seven of the 2011 World Series at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals won the series four games to three. Mandatory Credit: Charlie Riedel/Pool Photo via Imagn Images | Pool Photo-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals earned their 11th World Series title 14 years ago by defeating the Texas Rangers in seven games of one of baseball's most dramatic Fall Classics.

The Cardinals were down to their final strike in game six when Rangers' right fielder Nelson Cruz infamously muffed a tricky fly ball, allowing St. Louis to tie the score in the bottom of the ninth and eventually, paving the way for 2011 WS MVP David Freese to belt a walk-off home run to the grass in dead center field at Busch Stadium -- berthing a 6-2 game seven victory.

The 2011 Cardinals roster included fan favorites and some bound for the Hall of Fame, such as Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina. However, two beloved stars from the franchise's 11th World Series championship-winning team are moving on to an exciting chapter in their rich baseball lives.

"USA Baseball today named the Team USA coaching staff for the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC)," USA Baseball announced Friday. "Nine assistant coaches will join Manager Mark DeRosa, who returns to the U.S. dugout for the second consecutive Classic after leading the stars and stripes to a silver medal in 2023. 2023 National League Manager of the Year Skip Schumaker will take the reins as bench coach, joined by five-time World Series champ Andy Pettitte (pitching coach) and seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday (hitting coach)." 

Schumaker and Holliday played in St. Louis for eight seasons and were key assets in helping the Cardinals defy the odds by winning the 2011 WS.

Considering that St. Louis barely made the playoffs that year -- winning 23 of their last 32 games to clinch a National League Wild Card spot -- it's safe to say there may never be another Cardinals roster quite like the one that conquered the most talented Rangers' team in the franchise's history.

Although Schumaker was more of a contact hitter -- logging just 28 home runs throughout his 11-year career -- St. Louis fans cherished the homegrown star. Some want Cardinals manager Oli Marmol replaced by the former outfielder, who won the 2023 MOTY with the Miami Marlins in his first year as a big-league skipper.

Holliday appeared on the 2024 Hall of Fame ballot but received less than 5% of votes, removing him from future eligibility. Still, he's a seven-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, the 2007 NL Championship Series MVP for the Colorado Rockies and won the 2007 NL Batting Title.

Both retired Cardinals World Series champions will forever have a home in St. Louis. Their deep love and vast knowledge of the game will undoubtedly help former Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs infielder DeRosa reclaim the WBC throne from Japan after Team USA tragically lost to superstar Shohei Ohtani and his home country by one run in the 2023 final.

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