Albert Pujols and the 20 Greatest Figures in St. Louis Cardinals History

One of the greatest St. Louis Cardinals of all time has finished writing his chapter of the book.

That's right, first baseman Albert Pujols has left St. Louis after signing a huge 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. 

With his legacy over in St. Louis, it's a perfect time to look back and reflect on 20 of the best players in Cardinals history.

Here we go.

Keith Hernandez

Position: First Base

Years: 1974-1983

While mostly remembered for his time with the New York Mets, Keith Hernandez broke into the league with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1974.

In 1979, he broke out and batted .344 to lead the league, won his second Gold Glove, made his first All-Star team and won the National League MVP.

He also helped lead the Cardinals to the 1982 World Series.

During his 10 years with the Cardinals, he made two All-Star teams, won five Gold Gloves, was named the NL batting champion and won the Silver Slugger, NL MVP and World Series.

Joe Medwick

Position: Left Field

Years: 1932-1940, 1947-1948

When you are the last National League MVP to win the Triple Crown, and you're not considered the greatest player at your position in team history, you know you're in good company. Joe Medwick is just that man.

Medwick was a member of the "Gashouse Gang," the scrappy group of Cardinals from the 1930s that included some of the best ever.

In his 11 seasons with the Cardinals, he batted .335 with 923 RBI. During his 1937 season in which he won both the MVP and Triple Crown, he finished with a .374 batting average, 31 home runs and 154 RBI.

Medwick is a member of the Hall of Fame and was also a 10-time All-Star with a World Series title to his name.

Willie McGee

Position: Outfield

Years: 1982-1990, 1996-1999

After getting no higher than Double-A in the New York Yankees' minor league system, the one-time Harry Ells High School star from Richmond, CA got sent to the St. Louis Cardinals. Shortly after arriving in St. Louis, Willie McGee got promoted to the major leagues.

In his rookie campaign of 1982, McGee helped the Cardinals get to the World Series where they faced the Milwaukee Brewers. In Game 3, McGee hit two home runs and made a spectacular defensive play to help St. Louis get the win and eventually win the series.

During his 1985 MVP season, he batted a league-high .353 with 216 hits.

McGee finished his Cardinal career with four All-Star selections, three Gold Gloves, two NL batting titles, a 1982 World Series ring and the 1985 NL MVP award.

Jim Edmonds

Position: Center Field

Years: 2000-2007 

After spending seven seasons with the California/Anaheim Angels, Jim Edmonds was traded to St. Louis before the 2000 season. Upon arriving in St. Louis, Edmonds had one of the best seasons of his career, hitting .295 with 108 RBI and 42 home runs. He was selected to the All-Star team, awarded his third Gold Glove and finished fourth in MVP voting.

But 2004 was Edmonds' best year of his career. Teamed up alongside third baseman Scott Rolen and first baseman Albert Pujols, Edmonds batted .301 with 42 home runs and 111 RBI. His OBP was 1.061, the highest of his career. He won a Silver Slugger, a Gold Glove, was named to the All-Star team and finished fifth in MVP voting.

In his eight seasons as a Cardinals fan favorite, Edmonds finished with six Gold Gloves, three All-Star selections, a Silver Slugger award and a World Series title.

Mark McGwire

Position: First Base

Years: 1997-2001 

Despite playing most of his career with the Oakland Athletics, his time spent with the St. Louis Cardinals made Mark McGwire one of the most exciting Cardinals to watch.

In his first full season with the club, 1998, McGwire raced Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs to break Roger Maris' single-season home run record. McGwire broke the record by hitting his 62nd home run of the year on September 8th. He finished the season with 70 home runs and finished second in MVP voting to Sosa.

During his five years with the Cardinals, McGwire was named to four All-Star teams, won the Silver Slugger once and was named to Major League Baseball's All-Century Team. He continues his legacy with the Cardinals today as the team's hitting coach. 

Bruce Sutter

Position: Closer

Years: 1976-1980 

Bruce Sutter entered the Hall of Fame in 2006 wearing a St. Louis Cardinals hat despite only spending four years of his career with the Red Birds.

During those four years, Sutter's beard and hair became one of the most feared images a batter could see, as he led the league in saves three times with the Cardinals. Sutter saved 127 games and helped St. Louis win the 1982 World Series and was named to two All-Star teams as a Cardinal. His number has also been retired by the club.

Ken Boyer

Position: Third Base

Years: 1955-1965 

After serving in the U.S. Army from 1951-1953, Ken Boyer returned to the team he signed with as a pitcher in 1949, the St. Louis Cardinals.

He immediately made the switch to third base because of his great hitting ability. In his second season, he made his first All-Star team. In 1958, he recorded 90 RBI and proceeded to get above 90 for the next six seasons, culminating in his 1964 MVP season in which he drove in 111.

In his Cardinals career, Boyer was named to 11 All-Star teams and won the Gold Glove five times, the 1964 NL MVP and the 1964 World Series. The number Boyer wore his entire time in St. Louis (14) has been retired.

Red Schoendienst

Position: Second Base

Years: 1945-1956, 1961-1963 

Red Schoendienst's career revolved around the St. Louis Cardinals. He first appeared with the organization as a player in 1945 as a left fielder—he made the switch to second base the next year. His best year with the team was 1953 when he finished fourth in the voting for MVP thanks to his .342 batting average and 79 RBI. He also set a fielding record that was upheld for 30 years.

After being traded to the New York Giants and the Milwaukee Braves, he later returned to the Cardinals as a player, manager and coach. 

In 15 years with the Cardinals, Schoendienst cemented himself among the Cardinals legends, with nine All-Star selections and taking part in four Cardinals World Series titles (one as a player, one as the manager and two as a coach). The No. 2 will never be worn again by a Cardinals player out of respect for Schoendienst's Hall of Fame career.

Jesse Haines

Position: Pitcher

Years: 1920-1937 

Throughout his standout career, Jesse Haines won two World Series with the Cardinals, had three 20-win seasons and twice led the National League in shutouts. He threw a no-hitter in 1924.

Only Bob Gibson has more wins than Haines' 210 in a Cardinals uniform, and only Stan Musial played more years for St. Louis than Haines did. He entered the Hall of Fame in 1970.

Ted Simmons

Position: Catcher

Years: 1968-1980 

Ted Simmons had the misfortune of playing during the Johnny Bench-era in Cincinnati, and because of that, few people know his name outside of St. Louis.

Simmons routinely batted over .300 and ended his Cardinals career having batted .298 in 13 years; he even won the 1980 Silver Slugger award.

Simmons was selected to the All-Star team six times as a member of the Cardinals. He still ranks in the top 10 in franchise history in total bases, RBI and walks. He is 11th in doubles and hits.

He is widely regarded as one of the biggest Hall of Fame snubs to come from the Cardinals.

Frankie Frisch

Position: Second Base

Years: 1927-1937 

Frankie Frisch is the man who coined the "Gashouse Gang" nickname of the 1930s' Cardinals. He was acquired for one of the best Cardinals of all time—Rogers Hornsby—and was fit with the task of replacing him at second base.

While no Hornsby, Frisch held his own by batting .312 over his 11 years in St. Louis and leading them to four World Series titles. En route to taking the Red Birds to the 1931 championship, he won the NL MVP. That 1931 season, he batted .311 with 10 home runs and 114 RBI.

Two years later, Frisch became a player-manager and would hold the post until 1938.

In addition to his three All-Star selections and MVP award, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1947.

Jim Bottomley

Position: First Base

Years: 1922-1932

Jim Bottomley is one of the more unknown names in Cardinals history, but he was certainly one of the best.

During his 11-year career in St. Louis, he helped get the Cardinals to four World Series and won two of them. Bottomley also won the 1928 MVP award, batting .325 and leading the league with 20 triples, 30 home runs and 136 RBI.

He is also the only player in MLB history to hit 20 or more doubles, triples and home runs in one season, along with 150 or more doubles, triples and home runs in his career.

Bottomley was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974 by the Veteran's Committee. 

Enos Slaughter

Position: Right Field

Years: 1938-1942, 1946-1953 

Enos Slaughter would have likely been an even better player if he didn't have to take a three-year break to serve in World War II, just like almost every other player from his era.

In the years he did play, Slaughter became known for his hard style of play, a batting average right at .300 over his entire career (.305 with the Cardinals), and with 1,148 RBI in St. Louis, he only stands behind Stan Musial and Albert Pujols on the all-time list.

Slaughter's 13 years in St. Louis left him with 10 All-Star team selections and two World Series titles. He is a member of the Hall of Fame and has had his number retired by the Cardinals.

Lou Brock

Position: Left Field

Year: 1964-1979 

Lou Brock began his career with the Chicago Cubs but was hardly a great player. Once he got traded to the Cardinals, his career turned around.

He is most well known for his record for the most stolen bases, but Rickey Henderson broke it. Brock still stands at No. 2.

Brock gives Reggie Jackson a run for his money for the title of "Mr. October."

Brock batted .319 in the World Series, the highest average for anyone who played more than 20 World Series games. He also holds the record for most stolen bases (14) and his 13 hits in the 1968 World Series are a single-series record. 

In his 16 years, Brock made six All-Star teams and won two World Series titles in addition to the Roberto Clemente Award. He is first in franchise history in stolen bases, and No. 2 in games, at-bats, runs and hits. The Hall-of-Famer has had his number (20) retired by the franchise.

Albert Pujols

Position: First Base

Years: 2001-2011 

Albert Pujols is the single greatest player of our generation.

Pujols' 11-year career to-date looks like this:

• .328 batting average (6th in Cardinal history)
• 1,291 runs (3rd)
• 1,329 RBI (2nd)
• 445 home runs (2nd)
• 455 doubles (2nd) 
• 975 walks (2nd)
• 1.037 OPS (2nd)

He was also a nine-time All-Star, three-time MVP, six-time Silver Slugger award winner, two-time Gold Glove award winner, 2001 Rookie of the Year, 2003 batting champion and two-time World Series champion. He is a sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famer, and will undoubtedly have the number five, his number, retired by the club.

As of now, that will be the end of his Cardinals career after signing a 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Could he come back and add on to those totals?

You never know. 

Dizzy Dean

Position: Pitcher

Years: 1930, 1932-1937 

Dizzy Dean was yet another member of the "Gashouse Gang" that won the 1934 World Series.

That same season, Dean won the NL MVP with 30 wins, seven shutouts and 195 strikeouts.

Dean was well known for his antics and big personality. His ego and all of his boasting have added to the tale and folklore of his career. He once boasted that he and his brother Paul would end the season with 45 wins to the amusement of the press. At the end of the season, Dizzy had 30 wins and Paul had 19, making them 49-game winners.

Four times in Dean's seven-year Cardinals career he won at least 20 games, including leading the league in wins twice. He made the All-Star team four times and has had his number retired by the Cardinals.

Dean was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1953. 

Ozzie Smith

Position: Shortstop

Years: 1982-1996 

Ozzie Smith came to the Cardinals after having spent two seasons with the San Diego Padres in which he solidified himself as one of the best young players in the game.

Despite the fact that he was never known as a great hitter, he still ranks third in team history in walks and seventh in hits and runs.

But it was his defense that made him so special. He had great quickness and speed and held a lifetime .978 fielding percentage. In 1991, he only committed eight errors, a record for shortstops. 

Smith ended his 15 years with the Cardinals having been selected to 14 All-Star games, and won 11 Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger award, the Roberto Clemente award and  the 1982 World Series. His number (1) has been retired by the Cardinals.

He was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2002, his first eligible year, with a 91.2 percent vote.

Bob Gibson

Position: Pitcher

Years: 1959-1975 

Bob Gibson was one of the greatest pitchers of all time, let alone Cardinals history. The nine-time All-Star won two World Series, setting records along the way. Gibson holds the record for 35 strikeouts in a World Series, and for the most strikeouts (17) in a World Series game.

Gibson also won nine Gold Gloves, the 1968 NL MVP and Cy Young award (along with another Cy Young in 1970). In both World Series titles, he was named the series MVP.

He holds the franchise record for wins with 251, and set the ERA record in 1968 ending the season with an ERA of 1.12. He is second in games pitched and first for games started in Cardinals history. His 3,117 strikeouts are 2,022 more than Dizzy Dean's total, who is second in team history.

In addition to all of that, Gibson also threw a no-hitter in 1971, is a Hall of Famer, has had his number retired by the Cardinals and is a member of MLB's All-Century Team.

Rogers Hornsby

Position: Second Base

Years: 1915-1926, 1933 

Rogers Hornsby won the MVP once while a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. He also hit for over .400 three times. And he won the Triple Crown twice. 

But wait, there's more.

Hornsby's great 13-year career in St. Louis was simply amazing. He helped lead the Cardinals to the 1926 World Series, which they won. And he made the MLB All-Century and All-Time teams.

His batting average with the Cardinals was an outrageous .359, first in team history. While his defense wasn't that great, he was a fan favorite and the cause of an outcry in St. Louis when he was traded to the New York Giants for Frankie Frisch.

Known as arguably the greatest right-handed hitter in MLB history, it is easy to see why Hornsby is a member of the Hall of Fame.

Stan Musial

Position: Outfield/First Base

Years: 1941-1944, 1946-1963 

The Cardinals are one of the greatest and most historic franchises of all time, so it is only fitting that their cream of crop is one of the greatest ever, regardless of team affiliation. 

Stan Musial spent his entire 22-season career in St. Louis, and made the All-Star team 24 times. He won the World Series three times in his career along with winning three MVP awards. Musial racked up seven batting titles as well.

He possessed good speed and defensive abilities, and as he got older, his line-drive power became home-run power.

He is the top Cardinal in terms of games, at-bats, runs, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, RBI and walks. The team has been around since 1882 and he owns all of those club records.

Musial got into the Hall of Fame with 93 percent of the voters putting him on their ballots, and his number sits among the greats at Busch Stadium.