Imagine if you will, a twenty-four-year-old pitcher wearing a St. Louis Cardinals uniform. Picture him starting twenty-four games and appearing in another twenty-eight. He throws a total of 226.1 innings compiling a record of 21-9 with an ERA of 2.74. On top of that he leads all pitchers in the sport with a WAR of 7.1. For the fun of it toss in nine complete games, three shutouts and 188 k’s.
The player in your mind is Ernie Broglio in 1960.
More than a Punchline
The only time you ever hear the name Ernie Broglio is when someone throws it around as a punchline when talking about the Cardinals stealing Lou Brock from the Cubs. As a disclaimer, I love Lou Brock and I am infinitely thankful that trade was made. But, Mr. Broglio deserves better from all of us.
He wasn’t just a guy. He wasn’t some throwaway player. He was an ace. If 1960 Broglio was on this year’s Cardinals he would be every single reporter’s, pundit’s, and expert’s pick to dominate the Central Division. Heck, the year before he was traded, the 1963 season, Broglio went 18-8 with a 2.99 ERA in 250 innings. He was twenty-seven. If this regime made that same trade? A twenty-seven-year-old ace for an unproven, underperforming twenty-four-year-old outfielder? I can only imagine the hate spewed in every comment session across the world wide web.
In his five and a half seasons with the Redbirds (the start of his career), Broglio pitched in 200 games and went 70-55 with a 3.43 ERA, 747 k’s, in 1124.0 innings. Here are a few other Cardinal hurlers for reference, using the roughly same number of years to start a career.
- Bob Gibson: 1959-1964, 183 games pitched, 71-57, 3.32 ERA, 940 k’s, in 1149.1 innings pitched
- Jesse Haines: 1920-1925, 214 games pitched, 83-87, 3.66 ERA, 471 k’s, in 1424.2 innings pitched.
- Adam Wainwright: 2005-2010, 182 games pitched, 66-35, 2.97 ERA, 724 k’s, in 874.1 innings
Those are the three winningest pitchers in Cardinals history. That is the trajectory Broglio’s career was on. Again, he was not just another guy, he was on track to be one of the greats. The man was a gamer, Broglio had twenty cortisone shots in his shoulder in the 1961 season alone. After number 6 or 7 why didn’t they try something else? Because it was 1961. Yet, he still was an absolute stud in 1962 and 1963. Put respect on the man’s name.
The 1960 Cy Young Award
For the record, Pittsburg’s Vern Law won the award with 8 votes, followed by Warren Spahn with 4, and then Broglio tied with his teammate Lindy McDaniel with one lousy stinking vote. I have full belief that if this award had been voted on the way it is today, Broglio would have dominated.
Broglio Vs Spahn
- Wins: Tied at 21
- Losses: Broglio 9, Spahn 10
- Innings: Spahn 267.2, Broglio 226.1
- Strikeouts: Broglio 188, Spahn 154
- WHIP: Broglio 1.202, Spahn 1.225
- ERA: Broglio 2.74, Spahn 3.50
- ERA+: Broglio 148, Spahn 98
- WAR: Broglio had a league leading 7.1, Spahn 2.7
- Winner: Easily Broglio
Broglio Vs Vern Law
- Wins: Broglio 21, Law 20
- Losses: Tied with 9
- Innings: Law 271.2, Broglio 226.1
- Strikeouts: Broglio 188, Law 120
- WHIP: Law 1.126, Broglio 1.202
- ERA: Broglio 2.74, Law 3.08
- ERA+: Broglio 148, Law 122
- WAR: Broglio 7.1, Law 4.2
- Winner: Easily Broglio
How was the vote so lopsided for Law? Well, it was 1960. The Cardinals finished 3rd in the NL at 86-68, 2 games behind Spahn’s Braves, and a full 11 games back of Law’s Pirates. Team success, at distant study, seems to have been the deciding factor. Best pitcher on the best team, I guess?
But, if this was voted on by today’s voters, Broglio would have run away with the Cy Young. His numbers were better in nearly every single category that counts. But, alas, he had to settle for bronze.
What Could Have Been
A healthy Broglio and the history of the game changes. Brock is never a Cardinal and maybe never fully realizes his potential in a terrible, awful, poorly run Chicago Cubs organization. Broglio and Gibson go down as possibly the best 1-2 in the history of the game. The Redbirds probably win the 1968 series over the Tigers rolling out Gibson, Broglio, Carlton in back-to-back-to-back games. But the arm went. And back then, when arms went they stayed gone.
I’m not making a case that the Cards would have been better with a healthy Broglio over the Great Lou Brock. How could I? Lou Brock was other-worldly. All I am asking is that we treat Ernie Broglio with the respect that a player of his caliber deserves and demands. For a few years he was a great St. Louis Cardinal, and he should be remembered as such.
-Will Saulsbery
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.
