St. Louis Cardinals: The 2017 Cardinals Hall of Fame Class

Steroids or not, McGwire was a big part of the St. Louis Cardinals during his years in St. Louis, there weren’t that many though. Many people disagree with McGwire getting into the Cards HOF, I can’t really disagree with them either. He did have some questionable things go on in St. Louis and he did only spend five seasons with the club.

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In those five years in St. Louis, he hit 220 home runs, including seventy then sixty-five in his second and third seasons with the Cardinals. He finished second in MVP voting in 1998 and then fifth in it in 1999, but made the All-Star in both of those seasons and another. He batted. 270 in his five seasons with the Cardinals, really only having three breakout years in ’98, ’99, and ’00.

McGwire was very famous and well-liked when playing for the Cardinals. Although he was only a three-time All-Star in STL, he was a nine-time All-Star in his years with the Athletics. He drew 162 walks in 1998. That is insane and tells you that  nobody wanted to face him and give up a home run that season. He still hit seventy home runs in that season. He also had 147 runs batted in that season.

He got the Silver Slugger award in 1998. He had three of those to go along with a gold glove award he received in Oakland. He was a good hitter and good fielder in his career, he did a good job overall really. His oWAR in 1998 was 9.2, which is insane due to his home run number and runs batted in total. His WAR in 1998 total was 7.5, still good.

I think the Cardinals having him in the HOF is not the best decision, due to all of the controversy, but we’ve seen worse things happen before. This is the one that I disagree with them putting in. I love the additions of McCarver and Martin in the Cardinals HOF. A good class overall.

Next: The Awakening of Dexter Fowler

The class of 2017 for the Cardinals Hall of Fame is pretty solid this year, as they have three guys entering it. Two great World Series Legends for them and a controversial power hitter. What a year of Cards HOF it has been. Hopefully the Class of 2018 is just as good, or even better.