Greatest Cardinals . . . Mulligans . . . the Draft
The greatest Cardinals of my lifetime:
4. Lou Brock
3. Ozzie Smith
2. Albert Pujols
1. Bob Gibson
By “my lifetime” I’m referrring to 1964, the first year I went to a Cardinals World Series (vs. the Yankees) and the first year I remember knowing much about the team. Musial’s last game with the Cardinals was the fall of 1963, so he’s not on the list. Based on a full career of productivity (.331 average, 3630 hits, 470 home runs), you have to figure Stan the Man would be safely #1 for now. Still, Pujols is the best player in the game today.
(And I didn’t go to #5 because then I’d have to deal with whether Mark McGwire belongs on the list or not!)
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Two weeks ago I saw the space that an Abilene church rents. The name of the congregation is the Second Chance Baptist Church. I like that! Perhaps we could change ours to the Mulligan Church of Christ. How about the Do Over Church?
“Do you love me?” Jesus asked someone who’d blow it big time. “Then feed my sheep.”
Michael Scott understands what many Christian leaders don’t: “Everyone deserves a second second chance.”
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Congrats to ACU’s two players who were drafted by the NFL this weekend: Johnny Knox in the 4th round (Bears) and Bernard Scott in the 6th round (Bengals).
Agreed. Albert is the best player in the game today. He’s making the case for MVP.
He isn’t on a best-player list, but my favorite Cardinal is the Secret Weapon, Jose Oquendo.
I went to the last out of town game Stan Musial played…in Houston…1963.
“First Church of the Holy Screw-Ups”
Hmmm. Wondering here how we classify “Cardinal”. But, if we don’t just count lifers (which would rule Lou out- he was a Cub first!), I’m thinking I’d replace him with Steve Carlton. Hard to argue with the rest. I think there is no pitcher in their prime I’d like to face less than Gibson. Not only good, but mean and scary!
Tim McCarver and Lefty are in the discussion. Willie McGee is just out of the discussion. I’m trying to remember the centerfielder than never spoke the media in the ’70′s. Did Garry Maddox play for the Cards? ….McGwire? That’s a toughie.
You’re Better than Me Church
The anti-Mega Church
1. Bob Gibson
2. Stan Musial (I actually got to see him play in 1963)
3. Orlando Cepeda
4. Lou Brock
5. Ken Boyer
Hon. Ment. Julian Javiar, Keith Hernandez, Nelson Briles, Albert Puljols, Ozzie Smith, Roger Marris
The guy who never spoke to the media was George Hendrick (Silent George) and he played right field.
I will need to find the Church of Seventy-Seven Times
Just saw your sister-in-law on a local Dallas TV station being interviewed by Emmitt Smith’s wife…..she did a great job. Her story is such an encouraging one.
Wasn’t Karol Wojtyla a pretty good Cardinal? And shouldn’t Dan Dierdorf make the short list of best Cardinals of your lifetime?
I am not a Cardinals fan (I’m for the Cubs) but I would not have a problem placing McGuire on the list as I believe he belongs in the Hall of Fame. Yes I know he probably was on steroids but so were many other hitters and pitchers of his era, Just as Hall of Fame players from the 60′s – 70′s were from the anphettimine (sp?) era.
I think the list needs to include Whitey Herzog. As many accolades Tony La Rusa receives for scientifically managing the game, La Rusa still has the big power bats which allows him to win a slug-fest. Herzog was succesful by managing good pitching, sppedy base-running, and quality defense.
Also let’s not forget Lee Arthur Smith, who was both a great Cub and Cardinal and should be voted into the HOF.
-Rex
Here is a great youtube video for Christians who are sports fanatics or love shows such as “The Office” and “American Idol” …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoWjWxAKZQI&feature=channel_page
May God bless us all (with genuine repentance and sanctifying faith)
Jim
I would add two more names to Mike’s list:
Ted Simmons. Great catcher for the Cards.
Jack Clark. Fine hitter.
Chris – Thought about Lefty, but I deed him to the Phillies (though I have great memories of him in the 60s).
Clint – LOVE IT. The Church of 77 Times.
Linda – Thanks so much. I knew she was going to be on the program, but yours is the first report. Do you know if it’s online?
Buzz – What are you smoking? Cepeda is on there and Pujols is not? And you know that I was a HUGE Cepeda fan. I asked that my parents name my youngest “brother” Orlando. When that youngest “brother” turned out to be a sister, I begged them to name her Orlanda. (Nancy, you can be thankful they didn’t follow my advice.)
I am thankful you weren’t the one in charge of naming me!!
From, “Almost Orlando”
The website is http://www.wfaa.com/gmt It wasn’t on there yet, but keep checking and they may put it on later.
Not a Cardinals fan, so I’m not sure I get a vote, but with Cepeda only spending 2 and a fraction years with the Cardinals, I wouldn’t put him on the list anyway–and certainly not ahead of Pujols. Since I remember Musial clearly, he would make my list. I remember listening with my dad the night he set the NL record for career hits. Harry Caray was the Cards announcer then (& I think Joe Garagiola was the color guy) and I thought Caray was going to jump through the radio.
As for the ACU draft, anyone remember the name of the last ACU running back to get drafted in the 6th round?
Ozzie hit .300 exactly once, hit .272 for his career, and has a modest 27 CAREER homers, eight of which never went over the fence.
Sure, he could do flips. But number three Card since ’64? Nonsense. Better than Brock? Hilarious.
“Ozzie” – Clearly you’re not a Cardinals fan. Or you never saw Ozzie play. It isn’t flips that put him in the Hall of Fame.
Do you realize he won the Golden Glove award 13 consecutive seasons? Not everything in baseball is hitting and power, you know. Do you realize Ozzie was elected to the All-Star team 15 times? (Brock, whom I also loved, was on the team six times.)
But as a hitter, he was considered (at the time) one of the best-hitting shortstops in baseball. This was before the age of Rodriguez/Jeter/etc.
I loved both of these players (and got both of their autographs — Brock at the St. Louis airport in 1964 and Ozzie at the Cincinnati ballpark), but I’d give the slight edge to Ozzie.
As a lifelong Cardinal fan, I’d put Pujols at the top of the list with Gibson second. Could we just say that Gibson was the best pitcher and Pujols is the best hitter. I have to go with Brock over Ozzie, since Lou is my favorite Cardinal of all-time. Ken Boyer could be considered somewhere in the top ten.
May God bless you in your new ministry efforts, Mike. I’m excited to see how God will work through you.
I have to say my CURRENT favorite Cardinal is playing for the Wylie Little League Cardinals! Undefeated through five!
I caught a game last year but haven’t this year. Send me a schedule.
I got involved at the Memorial Drive church in Tulsa (where Terry Rush is) because their “A Place to Start Life Over” mantra, which is plastered across their website, their giant parking lot awning, their front doors, the mats in front of the doors, in the auditorium, and apparently now on Terry’s golf balls, really spoke to me at a crucial time of life.
Seems to be a problem of how we define greatest. My view is that there are three pieces:
1. Contribution to the team in terms of numbers – batting average, ERA, etc.
2. Value to the team in terms of leadership. It can be a negative number if player in question is a prima donna.
3. Value added to the long term “value” of the franchise. Again, can be a negative number if conduct during or after playing career brings negative light on the team (See ya, MM)
Based on this and the fact that my memory didn’t kick in until 1969:
1. Lou Brock
2. Bob Gibson
3. Ozzie Smith
4. Albert Keep-your-head-on-my-friend-you-have-a-long-way-to-go Pujols
Mark it: on this day there are comments from both my sister and my brother. It took a blog about the Cardinals for it to happen. I’m very happy.
Another week in the life of baseball’s greatest active player: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090427&content_id=4449930&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl&partnerId=rss_stl.
I am normally truly enriched by this blog, but all of this Cardinal talk is a bit too much for a Yankee fan, although watching Bob Gibson pitch was truly something to behold. To me the 1968 Series was the all time greatest even though the Yankees were not there.
Mike
I was a Cardinal fan from an early age because we lived in Tenn and Ark. Who else would we cheer for? Then we moved north to Detroit. I became a Tigers fan and went to many games waiting for the impossible….. a world series. FINALLY 1968. But it was so bad in Detroit. We were losing and then the incredible happened. We went to St Louis and beat the mighty Cardinals… in their stadium. It was great. But what was especially great was the fact that my cousin , Ron Willis. who was a relief Pitcher for the Cardinals couldn’t say one more time how great the Cardinals were.Now I had a team worth the noise and shouting. It was so sweet. Since I come from a town where the teams are always repenting, how about a church named”ONe more time for the SPiritually impaired.”
Grew up in Little Rock as a Cardinals fan in awe of the (late career) moves of “The Wizard of Oz.” Of course, then as a teenager I repented, rejecting the ways of my father and family, and became a fan of the fellas playing ball at The Friendly Confines (of Wrigley Field). But man, Ozzie Smith was a wonder to behold!
Love the church name post, Mike! Maybe we could go all Brennan Manning and have “The Church Full of Ragamuffins.” My kinda place.
rc!
You think you’re sitting in a corner not being a Cards fan, try being from San Diego and a fanatic of the Padres! Humpf!
I’m trying very hard to change that love to one of the Texas teams, preferably the Astros. It helps that a large number of their players are former Padres, but it just t’ain’t the same.
And, Mike!! No comment out of loyalty to your tocayo and my dear friend – the most dedicated of all loyal fans of the Phillies.
I’ve been able to resist the temptation to invite him here for this conversation. It would get very noisy were he to join in with his indignant disbelief that anyone would be extolling the greatness of the Cards over his beloved Phillies, especially in light of the history between these two teams!! IIRC, the Cardinals beat the Phillies in a seemingly important game many years ago. 
lol
Mike,
I’m a Cubs fan, but am in awe of Pujols. I really wanted to turn the TV off at a family gathering on Saturday when he came to bat with the bags full. I knew what was going to happen. Everyone just knew it. I thought it might at least go a few pitches into the count, but no…
You might have already covered this, but Pujols was on the cover of SI back in mid-March. A great article which told me alot about the background of this amazing player, and even better human being.
Paul, you mean Pujols is immune to the SI cover curse? Cuz I’m hoping NOT. Go Cubs!
My favorite Bob Gibson memory is Mickey Lolich beating him in game 7 of the 1968 World Series!
Go Tigers!
Not a baseball fan, but my favorite Cardinal is playing for them now: Rick Ankiel. I enjoy watching him play just for the story of how he seemed to have it all as a pitcher, suddenly lost his ability, went back to the minors and remade himself into a good outfielder.
Seems to be a sermon in there.
Kent F I think the centerfielder you were trying to remember was Curt Flood, who if I remember right brought free agency to baseball.
Benny is way too young to appreciate our seats behind Yadier for Monday’s game. He isn’t too young to appreciate the Twizzlers and Mike & Ike’s I’ll be smuggling in for him. I really like where we’ve been going on Sundays…aptly named The Journey.