St. Louis Cardinals' 5 all-time best starting pitchers

3. Dizzy Dean

The ace of the 1934 "Gashouse Gang" and the National League MVP that year, Dizzy Dean had an ebullient personality and a cannon of an arm. He led the major leagues in strikeouts four seasons in a row, from 1932 to 1935. In 1934, he notched 30 victories and only seven losses. His stats in seven years with the Cardinals amount to a 2.99 ERA and a record of 134-75, although he never threw a no-hitter, once famously quipping after his brother Paul threw a no-hitter that "If I'd known you were going to throw a no-hitter, I would've thrown one too."

Dean could have dominated for several more years were he not determined to return early from a line drive that broke his toe. He changed his delivery to accommodate the toe, but it led Dean to hurt his arm and lose his dynamic fastball. He played for the Chicago Cubs from 1938 to 1941 but never recaptured his time in St. Louis, and he retired at the young age of 31. Dean was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1953 and worked as a broadcaster from 1941 to 1968, utilizing his colorful image and sense of humor to entertain fans.