There was a time when several highly successful teams were built around speed, defense and pitching. Several teams of the past come to mind but one stands out above all the rest: the Cardinals of the mid-1980’s.

Back in those days, St. Louis had a team that went to the World Series three times in a six-year span between 1982-87. The Cardinals managed to do this with only one long ball threat in their lineup, Jack Clark. The remainder of the team was a cast of switch-hitting jackrabbits that drove opposing pitchers and infielders crazy when they were on the base paths. It’s a shame that we don’t see much of that these days.

Vince Coleman came up from the minors during this stretch of Cardinal success and took his place at the top of the St. Louis lineup. Coleman was without a doubt one of the fastest players to ever play the game. I once saw him do the impossible in a spring training game against the Orioles in Miami. Coleman was on second when Tommy Herr hit a popup in foul territory about five feet behind first base. After Baltimore first sacker Eddie Murray fielded the ball, Coleman tagged up and actually took third base standing up. He beat Murray’s throw by at least two steps. Fans and players alike were stunned.

Coleman played for the Cardinals and the Mets for most of his career and stole bases at will. Coleman’s main problem, however, was that he couldn’t steal first base. The speedster had trouble making contact with the ball and, as a result, never blossomed into the type of leadoff hitter that he could have.

St. Louis’ lineup in the ‘80’s included the likes of Ozzie Smith, Tommy Herr, Willie McGee and Terry Pendleton. All four of these players, along with Coleman, were switch-hitters, giving the Cards a balanced everyday lineup against both righties and lefties. All of these guys were also contact-hitting speed merchants that, once on base, could be counted on to distract even the most even-tempered pitcher.

Herr usually batted third, behind either Coleman and McGee or, in later years after Coleman’s departure to New York, Smith and McGee. Herr consistently hit around .300 and, in one year, drove in over 100 runs despite only hitting six homers. As a contact hitter and a hit-and-run specialist, Herr was truly a marvel. McGee was of the same mold, a switch-hitting contact hitter who was one of the best defensive centerfielders in baseball. McGee, who had a small head attached to a long neck and a body that seemed to go four directions at the same time, resembled a skinny bobble-head doll. Still, he consistently hit over .300 and eventually went on to win a batting title late in his career while playing for the Giants.

Ozzie Smith is a name synonymous for great defense. Widely regarded as the best shortstop to ever play the game, Smith was also a good contact hitter and great at the hit-and-run. Pendleton also won a batting title and an MVP. Short and stocky, Pendleton looked like a fireplug, but could play an outstanding defensive third base.

Manager Whitey Herzog used this lineup with skill and strategy. The stolen base and the hit-and-run were staples of the Cardinals’ attack. Watching a Cardinals’ game was truly a joy. Speed, great defense and a solid pitching staff, led by stoic southpaw John Tudor, gave baseball fans a taste of what the game was truly about. It is safe to say that over 85 percent of the Cardinals’ runs were manufactured after a hitter drilled a single or drew a walk.

Nowadays you rarely see this kind of baseball. Contemporary lineups are built around the long ball from top to bottom. I have a dream, that one day soon, another team like the Cardinals of the ‘80s will burst onto the Major League scene. Will it happen?

Stay tuned.