Mark McGwire spent the overwhelming majority of his career with the Oakland Athletics, but is probably most remembered for the four-and-a-half year tenure that he had with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Most notably, McGwire set a new single-season home run record in 1998, when he homered 70 times, while also leading the league in walks (162), on-base percentage (.470), slugging percentage (.752), OPS (1.222) and OPS+ (216).
While McGwire has since admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs for a large chunk of his career and had a smaller sample size than most players considered for this list, his peak dominance did allow him to draw consideration for this countdown. After all, he's the all-time leader among Cardinals players in slugging percentage (.683) and OPS (1.111).
Ultimately, though, the Cardinals are a franchise who has existed since 1882 and they have the second most World Series titles of any organization at 11. This list was extremely exclusive.
In fact, it was so exclusive that McGwire, Enos Slaughter, Dizzy Dean, Jim Edmonds, Curt Flood, Jesse Haines, Keith Hernandez, Scott Rolen, Red Schoendienst, Chris Carpenter and Lou Brock fell just short of cracking our countdown of the nine greatest players in Cardinals history:
9. Ted Simmons (1968-1980)
Ted Simmons is a Hall of Famer.
(Wikimedia Commons)
Best Season as a Cardinal: 1975 - .332/.396/.491 with 18 home runs, 100 RBIs, 63 walks, .887 OPS, 142 OPS+ and a 5.7 fWAR
Career Summary as a Cardinal: .298/.366/.459 with 172 home runs, 929 RBIs, 624 walks, 1,704 hits, .824 OPS, 127 OPS+ and 49.2 fWAR
Simmons was finally elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019, a better-late-than-never acknowledgement that he's perhaps among the 10 best backstops in the history of baseball. Simmons was an eight-time All-Star, and six of those appearances came during his 13 seasons in St. Louis.
8. Adam Wainwright (2005-Present)
Adam Wainwright is one of the greatest players in Cardinals history.
(Nick Laham/Getty Images)
Best Season as a Cardinal: 2013 - 19-9 with a 2.94 ERA, 127 ERA+, 2.55 FIP, 1.068 WHIP, 219 strikeouts, five complete games and a 6.2 fWAR
Career Stats as a Cardinal: 184-105 with a 3.35 ERA, 119 ERA+, 3.43 FIP, 1.210 WHIP, 2,004 strikeouts, 27 complete games and 44.9 fWAR
Wainwright closed out the 2006 NLCS and World Series title for the Cardinals, but would ultimately make his name as one of the best starting pitchers in franchise history. Between 2009 and 2014, Wainwright finished in the top three in National League Cy Young Award voting on four occasions, twice finishing as the runner-up for the senior circuit's top pitching honor. Wainwright is a three-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove Award winner, and figures to have his No. 50 retired by the Cardinals one day.
7. Ken Boyer (1955-1965)
Ken Boyer spent 11 seasons with the Cardinals.
(Jay Publishing/Wikimedia Commons)
Best Season: 1964 - .295/.365/.489 with 24 home runs, 119 RBIs, 70 walks, .854 OPS, 130 OPS+ and 6.0 fWAR
Career Summary: .293/.356/.475 with 255 home runs, 1,001 RBIs, 631 walks, 1,855 hits, .832 OPS, 119 OPS+ and 50.7 fWAR
Boyer, the 1964 National League MVP, spent 11 seasons with the Cardinals. Over the course of his time with the Redbirds, Boyer made seven All-Star teams and won five Gold Glove Awards. Boyer perhaps didn't have enough longevity to be Hall of Fame-worthy, though there's little question that he was that level of player in his prime. His No. 14 was retired by the Cardinals in 1984.
6. Yadier Molina (2004-Present)
Yadier Molina is one of the greatest players in Cardinals history.
(John Fisher/Getty Images)
Best Season as a Cardinal: 2012 - .315/.373/.501 with 22 home runs, 76 RBIs, 45 walks, .874 OPS, 137 OPS+ and a 7.7 fWAR
Career Stats as a Cardinal: .280/.330/.402 with 171 home runs, 998 RBIs, 537 walks, 2,112 hits, .733 OPS, 97 OPS+ and 55.6 fWAR
Molina is one of the better catchers of all time, and one of the great defensive players that the sport has ever seen. Since defensive runs saved began being tracked in 2002, Molina's 175 DRS are third among all players. Molina's trophy case is running out of room, as he's a 10-time All-Star, nine-time Gold Glove winner and four-time Platinum Glove recipient. Molina's 55.6 fWAR is 10th among all catchers in MLB history, making him a lock to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when his career concludes.
5. Ozzie Smith (1982-1996)
Ozzie Smith is one of the great defenders in baseball history.
(John Mena/Wikimedia Commons)
Best Season as a Cardinal: 1987 - .303/.392/.383 with zero home runs, 75 RBIs, 89 walks, .775 OPS, 105 OPS+ and a 6.3 fWAR
Career Stats as a Cardinal: .272/.350/.344 with 27 home runs, 664 RBIs, 876 walks, 1,944 hits, .694 OPS, 93 OPS+ and 59.5 fWAR
Smith is one of the greatest defenders that the sport has ever seen. "The Wizard" won 13 career Gold Glove Awards, 12 as a member of the Cardinals. The 15-time All-Star is the all-time leader in MLB history in defensive WAR, not just at shortstop, but any position. Smith's No. 2 was retired by the Cardinals in 1996, six years before he was elected to the Hall of Fame.
4. Bob Gibson (1959-1975)
Bob Gibson is one of the greatest pitchers in MLB history.
(Malcolm Emmons/USA Today)
Best Season as a Cardinal: 1970 - 23-7 with a 3.12 ERA, 133 ERA+, 2.29 FIP, 1.190 WHIP, 274 strikeouts, 23 complete games and a 9.8 fWAR
Career Stats as a Cardinal: 251-174 with a 2.91 ERA, 127 ERA+, 2.89 FIP, 1.188 WHIP, 3,117 strikeouts, 255 complete games and 82.3 fWAR
Gibson spent his entire 17-season career with the Cardinals, winning Cy Young Awards in 1968 and 1970, the National League MVP in 1968 and World Series MVP in 1964 and 1967. Perhaps the most underrated part of the Hall of Famer's legacy is that he won the Gold Glove Award nine times, making him one of the best fielding pitchers ever. One of the most dominant right-handed pitchers of all-time, Gibson had his No. 45 retired by the Cardinals in 1975 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.
3. Rogers Hornsby (1915-1926; 1933)
Rogers Hornsby is a Hall of Famer.
(Wikimedia Commons)
Best Season: 1925 - .403/.489/.756 with 39 home runs, 143 RBIs, 83 walks, 1.245 OPS, 210 OPS+ and a 10.8 fWAR
Career Summary: .359/.427/.568 with 193 home runs, 1,072 RBIs, 660 walks, 2,110 hits, .995 OPS, 177 OPS+ and 93.5 fWAR
Hornsby, one of the greatest second basemen in MLB history, spent 13 seasons with the Cardinals across two stints. Though Hornsby also had huge seasons with the New York Giants and Chicago Cubs, the Cardinals are by far the team that he spent the largest chunk of his career with. Hornsby won the 1925 National League MVP as a member of the Cardinals, and there's a legitimate argument to be made that said campaign wasn't even his best with the team. Hornsby was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1942.
2. Albert Pujols (2001-2011)
Albert Pujols is one of the most dominant hitters in MLB history.
(Jerry Lai/USA Today)
Best Season: 2008 - .357/.462/.653 with 37 home runs, 116 RBIs, 104 walks, 1.114 OPS, 192 OPS+ and an 8.7 fWAR
Career Summary: .328/.420/.617 with 445 home runs, 1,329 RBIs, 975 walks, 2,073 hits, 1.037 OPS, 170 OPS+ and 81.3 fWAR
Pujols had one of the greatest 11-year stretches we've ever seen during his time with the Cardinals. The 445 home runs that Pujols hit during his time with the Cardinals are the most over that 11-year stretch, and Alex Rodriguez is the only won within 70. Pujols did this all while hitting for a higher batting average than Ichiro Suzuki or anyone else in the sport. A three-time National League MVP, Pujols led the Cardinals to two World Series titles during his time with the team, including one in 2011, which turned out to be his final season in St. Louis.
1. Stan Musial (1941-1944;1946-1963)
Stan Musial is one of the greatest players in MLB history.
(Bowman Gum/Wikimedia Commons)
Best Season: 1948 - .376/.450/.702 with 39 home runs, 131 RBIs, 79 walks, 1.152 OPS, 200 OPS+ and an 11.1 fWAR
Career Summary: .331/.417/.559 with 475 home runs, 1,951 RBIs, 1,599 walks, 3,630 hits, .976 OPS, 159 OPS+ and 126.8 fWAR
Even with losing the 1945 season to World War II, Musial is, rather easily, the greatest player in franchise history. Casually a 24-time All-Star, Musial spent his entire career with the Cardinals, winning seven batting titles and three National League MVPs. Musial is the all-time leader among Cardinals in fWAR (126.8), offensive WAR (125.3), hits (3,630), runs scored (1,949), total bases (6,134), singles (2,253), doubles (725), triples (177), home runs (475), extra-base hits (1,377), RBIs (1,951) and extra-base hits (1,377). "Stan The Man" had his No. 6 retired by the Cardinals in 1963, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969.
Previous Entires in This Series
- The 9 Greatest Players in Giants History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Astros History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Expos/Nationals History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Rangers History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Mariners History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Mets History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Angels History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Blue Jays History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Diamondbacks History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Orioles History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Marlins History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Phillies History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Rockies History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Rays History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Braves History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Guardians History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Reds History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Pirates History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Padres History
- The 9 Greatest Players in White Sox History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Royals History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Tigers History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Red Sox History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Brewers History
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