The Dream Team Project: St. Louis Cardinals

In order to deepen my appreciation for baseball and its history, I have embarked on an effort to create a “dream team” for each franchise in the American and National Leagues, from the time it began play in its current location, or from 1947 (whichever is earlier). I present each team in batting order (the starting pitcher bats 9th), and include three more starting pitchers, five relief pitchers, as well as the best player, hitter, and fielder (and pinch hitter) not in the starting lineup.

* = Left-handed batter or pitcher. # = Switch-hitter.

St. Louis Cardinals (from 1947)

1. Lou Brock, LF (1964-1979) #
2. Ozzie Smith, SS (1982-1996) #
3. Albert Pujols, 1B (2001-2011)
4. Stan Musial, RF (1941-1944 & 1946-1963) *
5. Jim Edmonds, CF (2000-2007) *
6. Ken Boyer, 3B (1955-1965)
7. Ted Simmons, C (1968-1980)
8. Red Schoendienst, 2B (1945-1956 & 1961-1963) #
9. Bob Gibson, P (1959-1975)

Player: Curt Flood, CF (1958-1969); Hitter: Ray Lankford, CF (1990-2001) *; Fielder: Yadier Molina, C (2004– ); Pinch hitter: Scott Rolen, 3B (2002-2007)

Other starting pitchers:

• Chris Carpenter (2004– )
• John Tudor (1985-1988 & 1990) *
• Adam Wainwright (2005-2010, 2012– )

Relief pitchers:

• Todd Worrell (1985-1989 & 1992)
• Jason Isringhausen (2002-2008)
• Al Brazle (1943, 1946-1954) *
• Bruce Sutter (1981-1984)
• Al Hrabosky (1970-1977) *

There’s a reason why St. Louis is one of the best baseball towns in America: this dream team may well be the perfect lineup. It contains some of the best hitters and fielders the game has ever known, along with one of the best starting pitchers of all time. It’s diverse, balanced and versatile, Hall of Fame worthy and historical (cf. Curt Flood). The Cardinals are a model franchise, and their farm system has harvested such a bumper crop of great ballplayers that it’s impossible to make only one dream team to represent the Gateway to the West (see below).

This team required a bit of positional adjustment; Stan Musial was primarily a left fielder and first baseman, but Lou Brock and Albert Pujols both need to be in the starting lineup, so let’s be grateful that The Man played 785 of his 2907 games in right.

Just to underscore how good this roster is, here is the Redbirds’ “B” team:

Tim McCarver (C); Keith Hernandez (1B); Tom Herr (2B); Solly Hemus (SS); Joe Torre (3B); Matt Holliday (LF); Willie McGee (CF); Enos Slaughter (RF); Bill White (Player, 1B); Mark McGwire (Hitter, 1B); Terry Pendleton (Fielder, 3B); Brian Jordan (Pinch hitter, RF); Larry Jackson (Starter); Harry Brecheen (LHP); Matt Morris (RHP); Bob Forsch (RHP); Lee Smith (Closer); Steve Kline (lhp); Joe Hoerner (lhp); Jason Motte (rhp); Chuck Taylor (rhp).

I think that group would be competitive with any of the other teams in my all-time greats collection.

Four of the above nine …

… and one above.