I have been in love with this group of underdogs since the first day of spring training. I never wanted Gray, Fedde, or Arenado traded. I wouldn’t have been able to stand it. And, thanks to the front office standing pat (players not waiving no-trade clauses, the absolute lack of a market for a mid-30’s 3b) what we have is a team that no matter what era of Cardinals baseball you love, you have a little of it in this squad.
So, let’s reminisce together, shall we? A nostalgic trip from the year of my birth up to today. It’s going to be a fun ride. So, sit back, relax, and scroll slowly. I will get to you.
May 28, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; The St. Louis Cardinals celebrate the victory against the Baltimore Orioles after the ninth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
The Whitey-Ballers
Talking about “how it was under Whitey” makes baseball fans in St. Louis that we’re coming of age in the early 80’s happier than when they get a great parking spot in downtown St. Charles on a summer Saturday.
“THEY STOLE BASES!” If all you listened to were fans of 80’s era Cards baseball you’d think that the only statistic in all of baseball that mattered was the stolen base. Who needs home runs when Vince Coleman, Ozzie Smith, or Willie McGee getting a slap single and swiping 2nd and 3rd is so much easier???
I completely agree that stealing 2nd is beyond exciting, and my goodness were Whitey’s teams great. For you fans I present Victor Scott II. This guy is electricity in a baseball helmet. The only thing that moves faster than VS2 are dudes driving 2008 Dodge Challengers on I-270 North. As of writing this he has been on base 64 times and has stolen 16 bags! That means he steals at least one base every four times he reaches base! Eliminate those two home runs and that jumps to 26%.
Exhibit 2 for Whitey-ballers: I know ladies of a certain age absolutely love Tommy Herr. And why wouldn’t anyone? As a Redbird Tommy racked up over 1,000 hits, made an All-Star team, stole 152 bases, won a WS and three NL Pennants and looked damn good while doing it. For the fans of TH, I present Brendan Donovan.
Like Herr, he is excellent up the middle, can turn a sick double play and loves delivering hits all over the diamond. Donovan currently leads the NL in hits and doubles, and is third in average. His value in the lineup cannot be overstated. Having a guy that simply does whatever it takes to get on base and makes a pitcher grind and grind and grind till he’s nothing but a fine powder of an elevated pitch count is indispensable.
The Lost Generation of the 90’s
Who have we? Those that fell in love with baseball in the early to mid-90s? The disciples of Torre and Jorgenson need someone to call ours on this team. We had the end of Ozzie and the beginnings of Lankford, Jordan, and Gilkey. What do we cheer for?
Well, did you love Gregg “The second G is for Grit” Jefferies and Andres Galarraga? Have I got a guy for you! I present to you, Alec Burleson. No, he’s not quite as good as the 2-time All-Star that was GJ here in STL, but he is better than El Gato Grande was when wearing the Birds on Bat. If you mixed those two together in a Hammerstone’s style cocktail you got Burley. Good glove at first, will spray the ball all over the diamond, and possess some decent pop. Plus, he’s an all-around loveable fella!
But “what about TOM PAGNOZZI?” I hear you scream. Two words: Pedro Pagés. Think about it; next to no bat for most of the season and then some crazy three game stretch of absolutely raking it. Pair that with Gold Glove level backstopping and you have Pedro Pag-Pagés!
What about a Ray Lankford comp? There is none. Period. He is my GOAT. Moving on.
Brian Jordan and Bernard Gilkey? I see them mixed in a Ted Drewes concrete that turns into Lars Nootbaar. 20 homerun power? Check. Above average defense? Check. Great smile and a fan favorite personality? Check. Lars is your guy if you still weep when thinking of that shot Jordan hit deep into the left field bullpen in the 1996 playoffs.
The TLR Generation
I have an undying love for Tony LaRussa that stems from a night in Sleek steakhouse at Lumiere Casino in 2008 with two bottles of wine and discussion of the 1989 A’s. The man is a baseball God. He was also at the helm of the best stretch of baseball of my lifetime. 1,408 wins, 9 trips to the post-season, three Pennants, and 2 World Series rings. Finding comps from this 2025 squad to some of TLR’s? That’s easier than downing Kentucky Mules at the Stifel Charity Classic.
First, the easy comparisons anyone would pick.
- Joel Piñeiro = Erick Fedde
- Todd Wellemeyer = Andre Pallante
- Trever Miller = Steven Matz
Now, the tough ones.
Exhibit 1: I see on the horizon Matthew Liberatore becoming a left-handed Chris Carpenter. Sacrilege? NO!
A third of the way into this season and Liberatore is dealing as well as Carpenter ever did in a season. Best ERA Carp ever put up was his 2.24 in 2009, Libby is working his way down there as he sits currently with a 2.73 (which is lower than Carp’s 2.83 in his 2005 Cy Young campaign). He has the velocity, he has the strikeouts, he’s putting up some innings. He has a long way to go to reach Carpenter levels, but it is not beyond his skillset. Now, is he a borderline competitive psychopath? We will need to first see Liberatore’s response to a Nyjer Morgan-esque encounter.
Exhibit 2: Do you love top 5 all time third baseman? Guys with gloves blessed by Brooks Robinson and Ozzie Smith? Guys that also collect Silver Sluggers alongside those Gold Gloves from the fine folks at Rawlings? If you miss Scott Rolen, I can offer you a man named Nolan Arenado. He’s somehow better defensively, and equal to pre- Hee-Seop Choi collision Rolen with the intensity and attitude of Yadier Molina. What more could you ask for?
Exhibit 3: How do you build an Albert Pujols from this team? There is no equal, nor will there ever be. Albert is the greatest baseball player I ever laid my Clarkson Eyecare adjusted eyeballs upon. First, we need a dash of Willson Contreras’s attitude and his “THIS IS OUR HOUSE” leadership on the field. Add in a scoop of the plate discipline and strike zone awareness of Lars Nootbaar, sprinkle on top the OPS of Iván Herrera and you have 78-83% of Albert Pujols. Sorry, I tried.
Those weird Matheny and Shildt Years
Man, these are the strangest. I feel like the talent was there to win another pennant or two and a World Series, but it never materialized. I have no comp for Matt Bowman since no one on the ‘25 squad has thrown on so many consecutive days that his arm detached and landed on the Poplar Street Bridge. But here is what I have.
- John Lackey = Sonny Gray
- Trevor Rosenthal = Ryan Helsley
- Michael Wacha = Miles Mikolas
Honestly, it’s been too recent and even Matt Bowman is still in the bigs. I know, I was shocked as well.
The point? This is a team for you, no matter who you are. If you want a combination of Ozzie Smith and Edgar Renteria, you have Masyn Winn. You want Willie McGee mixed with Randall Grichuk? You have Jordan Walker. This is a team to love, a team to root for, and a team to go to Busch Stadium for.
If you see me down on Clark, let’s have a Diet Coke and share some laughs while reminiscing about any era you want. Warning, I will spend the bulk of it on Lankford, Reggie Sanders, Fernando Viña, with some Delino DeShields thrown in.
Born and raised in St. Louis, Will Saulsbery is a multitalented writer and musician. A graduate of the University of Missouri, Saulsbery has established himself as a prominent ghostwriter, with his work appearing in top-tier publications like Forbes, Fast Company, Tech Crunch, Entrepreneur, The Observer, and The Hill. He recently Co-Authored You Wouldn’t Believe Me If I Told You: An Unforgettable Memoir of Golf, Grit, and a Blue-Collar Kid on the PGA Tour with the great Jay Delsing.
