Cardinals legend and former GM Walt Jocketty has passed away

When you're as storied a franchise as the St. Louis Cardinals are, the bar to be considered a legend is even higher - and that's what makes Walt Jockety's resume with the club all the more impressive.

News broke Saturday morning that Jocketty, the former Cardinals GM who captured a World Series title for the club in 2006, passed away following multiple years of health issues. Jocketty was 74 years old.

Jocketty began his front office career with the Oakland Athletics in 1980, overseeing their minor league operations and scouting, and was a big reason why we had the Arizona Rookie League and Dominican Summer Leagues formed. Jocketty spent a brief year with the Colorado Rockies in 1994 as their assistant general manager before taking on the role as GM of the Cardinals.

Jocketty was instrumental in bringing Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa to St. Louis due to the connection they had in Oakland, and during his time running the team, he brought in legends like Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, Mark McGwire, Adam Wainright, Chris Carpenter, Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen, and many, many more. The Cardinals won the National League Central division seven times under Jocketty's leadership, two National League Championships, and that World Series title in 2006. Some of the best teams in Cardinals history were formed under Jocketty's watch.

The club parted ways with Jocketty following the 2007 season due to divisions within the baseball operations, and Jocketty's fingerprints have remained on the organization for many years after. Jocketty was known for his aggressiveness as a General Manager, and he was quickly hired by the Cincinnati Reds following his dismissal in St. Louis.

While Jocketty did not find the same success with the Reds, Jocketty's overall resume drew the respect of people around the baseball industry.

To this day, Jocketty remains a legend to many Cardinals fans and a beloved figure in the organization's history. His impact on the club brought joy to generations of Cardinals fans and helped lay the groundwork for success under John Mozeliak following his departure. The Cardinals have lost a lot of legends over the last number of years, and Jocketty is one of the most impactful.