Imagining an all-time St. Louis Cardinals alliteration team

Mark McGwire and Frankie Frisch

Mark McGwire slots in quite nicely as our first baseman. The Cardinals have had many great first basemen over the years, and our alliterative squad is more than willing to claim Big Mac as one of them.

McGwire spent five years with the Cardinals, including, of course, the 1998 season where he broke the single-season home run record.

While injuries marred the end of his career, and the steroid connection kept him out of the Hall of Fame, McGwire’s tenure on the Redbirds was still one of the most impressive stretches in recent history. He made three All-Star games and finished in the top-five MVP voting twice. McGwire’s power stands out among the middle-infield dominated world of alliterative Cardinals.

The star of the St. Louis Cardinals alliterative team is none other than Hall of Famer Frankie Frisch. While he was primarily a second baseman during his outstanding career, we need a third baseman. Luckily, Frisch played 459 games at third base, so I think he’ll be perfectly fine.

Where to begin with Frankie Frisch? The 1931 NL MVP, Frisch won two World Series during his eleven years with the Cardinals. Defensively, Frisch holds the record for most assists in a single season (643). Offensively, he was a career .316 hitter who stole 419 bases while only being caught 74 times.

His highest strikeout total during a season as a member of the Cardinals was 17. Frisch is one of only five Cardinals to have a season with a WAR over nine. One of the greatest Cardinals ever, there really was no way to make this team without Frankie Frisch.