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St. Louis Cardinals: The franchise all-time bracket

By Bill Felber

ST. LOUIS - OCTOBER 19: A lawn mower is shown on home plate with a tarp as fans leave the stands following the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 loss the Houston Astros during Game Six of the National League Championship Series October 19, 2005 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. With the win the Astros won the series 4-2 and advanced to the World Series. The game was the last to be played in the 40 year history of Busch Stadium. A new Busch Stadium (under construction) will be the new home of the Cardinals starting with the opening of the 2006 MLB regular season. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS - OCTOBER 19: A lawn mower is shown on home plate with a tarp as fans leave the stands following the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 loss the Houston Astros during Game Six of the National League Championship Series October 19, 2005 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. With the win the Astros won the series 4-2 and advanced to the World Series. The game was the last to be played in the 40 year history of Busch Stadium. A new Busch Stadium (under construction) will be the new home of the Cardinals starting with the opening of the 2006 MLB regular season. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Cardinal star Pepper Martin slides around a tag attempt by Mickey Cochrane during the 1931 World Series. (Photo by Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images)
Cardinal star Pepper Martin slides around a tag attempt by Mickey Cochrane during the 1931 World Series. (Photo by Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images) /

St Louis Cardinals: The Franchise All-Time Bracket

No. 4 vs. 5 seed

The 1931 St Louis Cardinals beat Philadelphia’s defending world champions in seven games, avenging their own defeat of one year earlier. Offensively this was a loaded Cardinal team, featuring Chick Hafey (.349) in left or center, Jim Bottomley (.348) at first), Frank Frisch (.311) at second and Pepper Martin (.300) in center or right.

Veterans Bill Hallahan and Burleigh Grimes led the pitchers with 19 and 17 wins respectively.

The 1964 Cardinals could pitch, too. Among them, Bob Gibson, Curt Simmons, and Ray Sadecki averaged 19 victories against just 11 losses in a combined 102 starts.

The team’s big boost, of course, came via the mid-season trade that got Lou Brock from the Cubs. The future Hall of Famer batted .348 for St. Louis, setting the stage for third baseman Ken Boyer to drive in 119 runs. First baseman Bill White added 102 RBIs as the Cards captured a furious pennant race on the season’s final day.

Game 1: The 1964 team’s .573 regular-season percentage (93-69) comes up short against the 1931 club’s .627 (101-53).

Game 2: In the pre-division era, both teams won seven-game World Series. This game is a tie.

Game 3: Neither club was an offensive juggernaut. The 1931 club’s 98 OPS+ is below average, but slightly better than the 1964 team’s score of 94.

Game 4: Another victory for 1931. Its 116 staff ERA+ is good enough to beat Gibson, Simmons, Sadecki and the rest of the 1964 staff, who produced a 112 ERA+.

Game 5: The 1964 Cardinals need this one to avoid a modified sweep, and they get it. That team’s 44.9 WAR is better than the 1931 club’s 41.6 WAR. The 1964 club can thank regular-season MVP Boyer (6.1) and Gibson (6.0) for the reprieve.

Game 6: The 1931 team’s .974 fielding average was three points better than the NL average. The 1964 team also had a .974 fielding average, but it was actually two points worse than the 1964 league average.

Result: 1931 Cardinals in six games (one tie)

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