BERNIE ON THE CARDINALS: A Closer Look at 26 Years of Dewitt Ownership

The Cardinals will jump into the postseason next week. The crazy, wild card of a team will get a shot at upsetting the Dodgers or Giants in the NL wild-card game. But before we look ahead, let’s look back.

To the winter of 1995, when Bill DeWitt Jr. and partners purchased the Cardinals from Anheuser-Busch. When BDJ took over, the baseball product was in decline.

The Cardinals were a phenomenal team from 1982 through 1987, winning a World Series and three NL pennants. But the team began to slide, and the crowds decreased. Over a seven-season period that began in 1988, the Cardinals ranked ninth in the NL and 16th overall with a .496 winning percentage and failed to make the playoffs.

From Day One, DeWitt made it clear that he was determined to get the Cardinals back on track — and back to where they belonged. Winning divisions, making the playoffs, pursuing NL pennants, hoisting the World Series Trophy.

In DeWitt’s first season as owner, the Cardinals won the division, triumphed over the Padres in the 1996 LDS, and got as far as NLCS Game 7 before losing to the Braves. Next came the Mark McGwire Home Run Show, which peaked in 1998 and ‘98. But shaky pitching kept the team out of the playoffs in 1997, ‘98 and ‘99.

The Cardinals returned to the postseason in 2000, and they’ve been a regular ever since. When the Cards face the Dodgers or Giants next week, it will be their third consecutive postseason appearance, and their eighth in the last 11 seasons.

This is DeWitt’s 26th year as the curator of the Cardinals. And though we may get frustrated and perplexed and even angry over the team’s decisions and direction at times, the Cardinals have been extremely successful under DeWitt’s watch.

And while I never have hesitated to hold the Cardinals accountable and question some of the things management does — or doesn’t do — it is fair and wise to step back and view the wider, extensive history.

Let’s go to the totals:

1–The DeWitt-led Cardinals have now made it to the postseason for the 16th time in 26 seasons. Assuming that the Braves qualify for this year’s postseason, the Cardinals would be second to Atlanta for most postseason appearances by an NL team since 1996. The Braves would have 17, one more than the Cardinals. The Yankees lead the majors with 20 postseason appearances — and will likely make it 21 by the end of the week.

2–During the last 26 years, the Cardinals rank 5th in the majors and 3rd in the NL in regular-season winning percentage, .548.

3–Since the turn of the century, the Cardinals have made 15 of the 22 postseasons. That’s the most by an NL team. And among all MLB teams only the Yankees would have more (16) if they qualify again this season.

4–The Cardinals have the best regular-season winning percentage (.559) in the National League since the start of the 2000 campaign and rank second overall to the Yankees.

5–As I mentioned earlier, the Cardinals are on the way to the playoffs for the eighth time over the last 11 seasons. That stretch began in 2011. And over that time throughout MLB, only the Dodgers, with nine, have competed in more postseasons. (That includes this year.) If the Yankees clinch a spot this week, they’ll match the Cardinals with eight postseasons since 2011.

6–Under manager Mike Shildt, DeWitt’s Cardinals have now qualified for the last three postseasons. No big deal, right? All of these wild cards! Not like the olden days! Well, number one, the Cardinals aren’t in charge of the current playoff format which has two wild cards in each league. They didn’t devise it or implement it. All 30 teams play in the same system. You either make it into the tournament, or you don’t. And if it’s so easy to do, then answer me this: if it’s just a nice walk in the park to make it to the playoffs over the last three seasons, then why haven’t more teams done it? Assuming that the Braves and Yankees make it this season — and assuming Oakland fails to make it — the Cardinals would be one of seven teams to reach the postseason for three consecutive seasons, 2019-2021.

7–The Cardinals’ current winning percentage (.561) would be equal to, or better than, the winning percentages turned in by recent STL postseason teams:

2020
2019 (essentially a tie)
2014
2012
2011
2009 (virtual tie)
2006
1996

8–Number of postseasons for current members of the NL Central since DeWitt took command of the Cardinals in 1996:

Cardinals 16
Cubs, 8
Brewers, 6
Reds, 4
Pirates 3

9–This is why Nolan Arenado wanted to play for the St. Louis Cardinals. “To be able to go to the playoffs is what it’s all about,” the third baseman said after the Cardinals clinched on Tuesday night. “I’m just thankful to be a part of this team. This team is unbelievable, we’ve carried each other. I’m just happy to be a part of it. This is why I’m here.”

10) Under Chairman DeWitt the Cardinals have won four NL pennants and two World Series. And they’ve advanced to the NLCS 11 times.

Thanks for reading …

–Bernie

Bernie invites you to listen to his opinionated sports-talk show on 590-AM The Fan, KFNS. It airs Monday through Thursday from 3-6 p.m. and Friday from 4-6 p.m. You can listen by streaming online or by downloading the “Bernie Show” podcast at 590thefan.com — the 590 app works great and is available in your preferred app store.

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* All stats used here are sourced from FanGraphs, Baseball Reference, Stathead, Bill James Online, Fielding Bible, Baseball Savant and Brooks Baseball Net unless otherwise noted.