MLB All-Star Game shows glaring need for the St. Louis Cardinals

The All-Star game, now that it doesn’t count, is always a good time, a chance for fans to see their favorite players all on one field. It’s fun to discuss the surprises, the snub, and how someone with literally five games under their belt could possibly be on the roster.

But the game also offered a stark reminder to Cardinals fans – this team is lacking a true superstar.

This is not meant as any kind of criticism of Brendan Donovan, who absolutely deserved to be a part of the All-Star festivities. He’s a building block for this team and needs to be around for a while. But even those wearing the most rose-colored Redbirds glasses would admit Donovan is not a superstar.

And even more unsettling is the fact that this team simply does not have one. Masyn Winn and Victor Scott are certainly exciting. Nolan Arenado has the track record but his superstar days are probably behind him. I could watch Alec Burleson hit all day but a superstar? Not on this team.

Who knows, maybe that changes. Maybe Winn makes a leap in the next few years. Or JJ Wetherholt becomes the new face of the franchise. Heck, Liam Doyle could be here next year, and maybe he makes the All Star team after only five starts.

But as of now, this team is missing someone that other teams fear, or that other teams’ fans want to come out and see.

Last week, David Schoenfield handed out midseason grades for all 30 baseball teams. He gave the Cardinals a “B” (no argument here) and noted the following:

"The Cardinals have been a minor surprise -- perhaps even to the Cardinals themselves. St. Louis was viewing this as a rebuilding year of sorts -- not that the Cardinals ever hit rock bottom and start completely over. They had a hot May, winning 12 of 13 at one point, but the offense has been fading of late, with those three straight shutout losses to Pittsburgh and six shutout losses since June 25. The starting rotation doesn't generate a lot of swing and miss, with both Erick Fedde and Miles Mikolas seeing their ERAs starting to climb. Brendan Donovan is the team's only All-Star rep, and that kind of sums up this team: solid but without any star power. That might foretell a second-half fade."

David Schoenfield

Solid but without any star power is a perfect summation of the Cardinals. Not only this year but the last few years.

I know I’m not writing anything that the fans don’t know. But it’s still illustrative to take a look at just how barren it has been. Here’s a list of the Cards’ All-Stars since 2016, courtesy of MLB.com:

2022 was obviously a banner year, with Paul Goldschmidt winning his first MVP and Arenado coming in third.  And while he was a special invite, the Albert Pujols inclusion seems right, especially when viewed in hindsight, given what he did in that magical second half of 2022.  So, 2022 had some real stars.   

And, yes, Ryan Helsley was nothing short of dominant last year. But even with all of his success, and the introduction of a banger entrance, was he really a superstar?  Aside from Arenado (who, let’s be honest, is no longer the superstar he once was) and Yadier Molina’s appearances, did the Cardinals have a real superstar appear in any other year since 2022? Would people outside of St. Louis have even called Yadi a superstar? (Don’t yell at me, my dog is named after him!) 

It's always fun to watch the All-Star game, and it was again on Tuesday. But it’ll be even more fun when we can once again see a real Cardinals superstar representing the team there.