9 Hall of Famers who you might have forgotten were Cardinals

John Smoltz

John Smoltz was nearly a lifelong Brave. Pitching for Atlanta for 20 years, Smoltz celebrated 14 straight division titles from 1991 through 2005. He had a 3.26 ERA in his two decades with the Braves, and he notched 3,011 strikeouts while making eight All-Star teams and winning a Cy Young Award.

Smoltz would have been the best pitcher on nearly any other team, but what made the Braves so formidable in much of the 1990s was their trio of aces, which consisted of Smoltz, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine. Despite their dominance and Smoltz's continual playoff heroics (15-4 with a 2.67 ERA in 41 postseason appearances), Smoltz only celebrated one championship, which was in 1995.

Originally drafted in the 22nd round by his hometown Detroit Tigers in 1985, Smoltz was flipped to the Braves in a rental deal for veteran pitcher Doyle Alexander. In Atlanta's minor league system, Smoltz met pitching coach Leo Mazzone, who would go on to coach Atlanta's hurlers during their reign of dominance. Mazzone helped Smoltz with his curveball and slider, and he took off in 1989 after a poor debut season.

In 1991, with a scuffling Smoltz holding a 5.16 ERA at the All-Star break, the right-hander found himself crumbling mentally and was advised to see a sports psychologist. The visits turned Smoltz's season around, and although the Braves lost the World Series in 1991, he began to build his reputation as a big-time performer in the postseason.

Smoltz's arm began to bark in 1994, and doctors removed bone chips from his elbow, a procedure that he underwent again in 1997. During Spring Training in 2000, Smoltz's elbow finally blew out, and he missed the season after having Tommy John surgery. In 2001, he started five games and again went down, leading the Braves to transfer Smoltz to the bullpen.

Despite not being a fan of relief work, Smoltz led the major leagues with 55 saves in 2002 and saved 89 games over the next two seasons. Finally able to persuade Braves general manager John Schuerholz to allow him to start again, Smoltz led Atlanta in starts and innings pitched in 2005.

After another arthroscopic procedure in 2008, Smoltz failed to agree on a contract with Atlanta, and he signed with the Boston Red Sox. He managed a rough 8.33 ERA in eight starts before his release, and that was when the Cardinals thought "Why not?" They signed Smoltz to a one-year, $100,000 contract.

The Cardinals were in first place in early August of 2009, but they were struggling to find a capable No. 5 starter after Todd Wellemeyer, Brad Thompson, Mitchell Boggs and P.J. Walters had all flamed out. In Smoltz's first start in the role, he turned back the clock, striking out nine San Diego Padres, including setting a Cardinals record of seven K's in a row. He started six more regular-season games, going 0-3 with a 4.91 ERA. His final career appearance was in a relief role in Game 3 of the NLDS, where he fanned five consecutive batters.

Smoltz was grateful to the Cardinals for giving him a chance after he was cast off in Boston, and he was able to end his career on a relatively high note before beginning his career in the broadcast booth.