St. Louis Cardinals All-Stars: Building the Best Cardinals All-Time Lineup
Behind only the Yankees in terms of World Series titles, the St. Louis Cardinals are among baseball's royalty. No shortage of iconic players that have soared higher than those birds on the bat. Manager: Tony La Russa
The last two Cardinals' championships came with La Russa in the dugout, where he resided from 1996-2011. Under La Russa, the Cardinals went a combined 1,408-1,182, winning three National League pennants and two championships. The 2011 World Series triumph was La Russa's last season with the Cardinals, with whom his 1,408 managerial wins rank first in franchise history. Starting pitcher: Bob Gibson
Few players mean as much to a franchise as Gibson does to the Cardinals. Spending his entire career in St. Louis (1959-75), Gibson was a pillar for two World Series rotations in 1964 and 1967, winning MVP honors in both series. Gibson is among the best pitchers to ever take the mound. He made nine postseason starts for the Cardinals, posting a 1.89 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 92 strikeouts, which is already amazing on its own. What else is amazing? Gibson pitched a complete game in eight of those nine starts, with the one that he didn't being an eight-inning start. Gibson, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, nine-time Gold Glover and nine-time All-Star, is first in Cardinals history with 3,251 wins, 3,117 strikeouts, 255 complete games, 56 shutouts, 3,884.1 innings pitched and an 81.7 WAR among pitchers. Reliever/closer: Jason Isringhausen
The Cardinals brought in Isringhausen to beef up their bullpen in 2002, and he ended up being exactly what they needed. Across his first six seasons in St. Louis (2002-07), Isringhausen posted a combined 2.66 ERA and averaged 34 saves per season, which included recording an NL-high 47 saves in 2004 and earning an All-Star honor in 2005. Isringhausen is first in Cardinals history with 217 saves in the uniform. Catcher: Yadier Molina
Molina is one of the best catchers in MLB history, and he spent his entire career with the Cardinals (2004-22). While stellar behind the plate, Molina was also one of the better hitting catchers, as he not only hit for contact but possessed a great deal of power from the right side, too. A nine-time Gold Glover and 10-time All-Star, Molina was behind the plate for both of the Cardinals' 2006 and 2011 World Series runs, posting a .358/.424/.547 slash line in the 2006 postseason. Molina is second in Cardinals history with a 27.6 defensive WAR, third with both 2,168 hits and 7,817 at-bats, fourth with 408 doubles, sixth with 1,022 RBIs and ninth with 176 home runs. 1B: Albert Pujols
It's difficult to find players who were more intimidating in the batter's box than Pujols, who spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Cardinals (2001-11). The man was a menace. In each of his first 10 seasons, Pujols totaled 30-plus home runs and 100-plus RBIs, which included winning the 2003 batting title, claiming three NL MVP awards, leading the NL in WAR six times, slugging percentage three times and home runs twice. Over 11 years, Pujols averaged 40 home runs and 121 RBIs per season and was phenomenal at the plate in both of the Cardinals' World Series runs in 2006 and 2011, with him totaling five home runs and 16 RBIs and posting a .353/.463/.691 slash line in the 2011 postseason. Pujols, who spent his final MLB season back in St. Louis (2022), is second in Cardinals history with 469 home runs, 1,397 RBIs and a .614 slugging percentage, third with both 1,333 runs scored and an 88.7 WAR and fourth with 2,156 hits. In total, Pujols is fourth in MLB history with 703 career home runs. 2B: Rogers Hornsby
At the peak of his powers, Hornsby, who was part of the Cardinals' 1926 championship team, could go toe-to-toe with any hitter in MLB history. Hornsby, who spent the first 12 seasons of his career at St. Louis (1915-26) — and briefly returned in 1933 — hit for power, got on base like nobody's business and played all four infield positions, primarily second base. He won six consecutive batting titles (1920-25), won the 1925 NL MVP Award, led the NL in both hits and RBIs four times apiece, home runs twice, and led the NL in both on-base percentage and slugging percentage in each of the six years that he won a batting title with the Cardinals. Hornsby is second in Cardinals history with a .359 batting average, a .427 on-base percentage and a 91.5 WAR, fourth with 1,089 runs scored, tied for fourth with a .568 slugging percentage and is fifth with both 2,110 hits and 1,072 RBIs. Oh, and Hornsby managed the team from 1925-26. 3B: Ken Boyer
Boyer spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Cardinals (1955-65), helping them win the 1964 World Series. The third baseman was a consistent source of power for the Cardinals' offense and a reliable presence at the hot corner, with accolades featuring the 1964 NL MVP award, five Gold Gloves and 11 All-Star nods in St. Louis. Boyer is third in Cardinals history with 255 home runs, fifth with a 58.1 WAR, seventh with both 1,001 RBIs and 3,011 total bases, eighth with 988 runs scored and ninth with 1,855 hits. SS: Ozzie Smith
The Cardinals acquired Smith from the San Diego Padres for the 1982 season, and little did anybody know what the middle infielder was getting into. In Smith's first season with the Cardinals, he held down shortstop and hit .303 in the postseason on a St. Louis team that went on to win the World Series. The infielder then continued to blossom, turning into one of the best fielders and overall shortstops of all time, while being a steady, contact hitter who wreaked havoc on the basepaths. Smith earned 12 Gold Gloves and 14 All-Star nods with the Cardinals from 1982-96. Smith is first in Cardinals history with a 35.2 defensive WAR, third with 433 stolen bases, fourth with a 66.0 overall WAR, seventh with 991 runs scored and eighth with 1,944 hits. OF: Stan Musial
Few people hit a baseball more than Stan Musial. In fact, only three people have more hits than Musial, as he's fourth in MLB history with 3,630 career hits. An All-Star in all but his first two seasons of a storybook 22-year career spent entirely in St. Louis (1941-44, 1946-63), Musial has an argument for being the best Cardinals player of all time. The outfielder was one of the most complete hitters the game has ever seen, hitting for both contact and power, rarely striking out and being part of three Cardinals' World Series teams (1942, 1944 and 1946). He won seven batting titles, while winning three NL MVP awards, leading the NL in doubles eight times and hits six times. Musial is first in Cardinals history with 3,630 hits, 475 home runs, 1,951 RBIs, 1,949 runs scored, 6,134 total bases and a 128.6 WAR, sixth with a .331 batting average and is tied for sixth with a .559 slugging percentage. OF: Jim Edmonds
After seven impactful seasons with the Angels, Edmonds was traded to the Cardinals in 2000 and had arguably the best run of his career. From 2000-05, Edmonds averaged 35 home runs and 98 RBIs per season, while posting a combined .584 slugging percentage. Part of the team's 2006 championship run — and driving in 10 runs in the 2006 postseason — Edmonds consistently provided the Cardinals with a lethal, left-handed bat, while patrolling center field. Across his eight seasons in St. Louis (2000-07), Edmonds earned six Gold Gloves and three All-Star honors. Edmonds is fourth in Cardinals history with 241 home runs and seventh with a .555 slugging percentage. OF: Lou Brock
The Cardinals acquired Brock from the Chicago Cubs during the 1964 season, and it panned out quite well for the red birds. Upon joining the Cardinals, Brock cemented himself as one of the best hitters in the sport, consistently getting on base by means of contact hitting and, once he got on the basepaths, swiping bags left and right. Brock led the NL in stolen bases eight times, including 118 stolen bases in 1974, and posted a combined .297 batting average across his 16 seasons with the Cardinals (1964-79), with whom he was a six-time All-Star and won two championships (1964 and 1967). Furthermore, Brock had a career .391 postseason batting average. Brock is first in Cardinals history with 888 stolen bases, second with 2,713 hits and 1,427 runs scored, third with 3,776 total bases and tied for ninth with a 41.7 WAR. DH: Ray Lankford
Lankford was a consistent source of power for the Cardinals in the 1990s, playing for the franchise from 1990-2001 and then again in 2004. An All-Star in 1997, Lankford provided considerable power from the left side and was a problem on the basepaths for opposing teams. The outfielder led the NL with 15 triples in just his second season (1991), stole 42-plus bags in back-to-back seasons (1991-92) and totaled 31 home runs in back-to-back seasons (1997-98). Lankford is fifth in Cardinals history with 228 career home runs, eighth with 250 stolen bases, ninth with 928 runs scored and 10th with 829 RBIs.
Honorable Mentions: Whitey Herzog (manager)
Dizzy Dean (starting pitcher)
Harry Brecheen (starting pitcher)
Adam Wainwright (starting pitcher)
Jesse Haines (starting pitcher)
Howie Pollet (starting pitcher)
Bruce Sutter (reliever/closer)
Ted Simmons (catcher)
Mark McGwire (1B)
Red Schoendienst (2B)
Scott Rolen (3B)
Jim Edmonds (OF)
Curt Flood (OF)
Willie McGee (OF)
Enos Slaughter (OF)
Matt Holliday (OF)
Brian Jordan (OF)
Joe Medwick (OF/DH)
Edgar Renteria (SS/DH)
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