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

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These are the five greatest starting pitchers to ever toe the rubber for the St. Louis Cardinals.

In a bygone era where bullpen arms were used sparingly and starters were expected to go the distance every time out, one titan looms above all others in the St. Louis Cardinals' pitching pantheon, but the team has had several starting pitchers make it to Cooperstown and others be enshrined in the Cardinals' Hall of Fame.

This is a part of a running series on Redbird Rants ranking the top 5 Cardinals at each position. You can find the other position groups we have ranked so far below.

Top 5 Center Fielders

Top 5 Right Fielders

Honorable mentions

Bob Forsch

Although he never made an All-Star team, Bob Forsch was a stalwart in the Cardinals' rotation from 1974 to 1987. In 15 years of pitching for the Cardinals, Forsch had an ERA of 3.67 and is fourth in wins in franchise history with 163.

Jesse Haines

Jesse Haines rode his knuckleball to an 18-year career with the Cardinals, from 1920 to 1937. He is second in Cardinals history with 3,208.2 innings pitched. In 1927, Haines led the major leagues with six shutouts. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame via the Veteran's Committee in 1970.

Max Lanier

Max Lanier was a two-time All-Star who won the final game of the 1943 "Streetcar" World Series against the St. Louis Browns. In 12 years with the Cardinals, Lanier had a 2.84 ERA and a record of 101-69.

Chris Carpenter

A middling pitcher in six years with the Toronto Blue Jays, Chris Carpenter flourished under the tutelage of pitching coach Dave Duncan when he signed with the Cardinals. He won the National League Cy Young Award in 2005 and made three All-Star appearances.

5. Mort Cooper

The National League MVP in 1942 with 22 wins and an ERA of 1.78, Mort Cooper endured arm troubles throughout his career, but he still led the major leagues in victories in 1942 and 1943, throwing consecutive one-hitters in the latter year. He also won two World Series with the Cardinals in 1942 and 1944. After three consecutive seasons of more than 20 wins, Cooper and his brother Walker, who served as Mort's catcher from 1940 to 1944, demanded contract raises, leading Mort to be traded to the Boston Braves in 1945.

Cooper's arm woes led him to have three operations, and he wasn't the same pitcher after the trade, as his arm continued to deteriorate. From 1946 to 1949, Cooper went 16-21 with a 3.89 ERA. His final game was an ill-fated appearance with the Chicago Cubs, where he gave up a walk, threw a wild pitch, surrendered a single and finally allowed a home run. It was his only appearance with the team. Cooper retired in 1949 and died at age 45 of liver cirrhosis after struggling with alcoholism.

4. Harry Brecheen

Harry Brecheen, known around baseball as "The Cat" because of his quick defensive reflexes, debuted with the Cardinals in 1940 and pitched three nondescript innings. He would not taste the major leagues again until 1943, when some of the Cardinals went off to serve in World War II. Brecheen was exempt from service because of a misshapen spine, and he took advantage of the opportunity to pitch in the big leagues.

In his 11 years with the Cardinals, Brecheen had a 2.92 ERA and led the league in ERA and strikeouts in 1948. He is fourth in shutouts in franchise history, with 25, and he made two All-Star teams. In the 1946 World Series against the Boston Red Sox, Brecheen was spectacular, tossing a four-hit shutout in Game 2 and allowing only one run in Game 6. He wrapped up his career across town, playing for the St. Louis Browns for one season in 1953.

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.

2. Adam Wainwright

Adam Wainwright's career length can be explained by his ability to know his arsenal and adapt with age. Now entering his 18th and final season in the major leagues, all with the Cardinals, Wainwright has figured out how to mitigate the effects of Father Time. He has made three All-Star teams and led the league in wins in 2009 and 2013. Although he has not won a Cy Young Award, he finished second in voting in 2010 and 2013 and finished third in 2009 and 2014.

Adam Wainwright dropping absolute baseball knowledge while warming up

One of the games best over the last 16 years pic.twitter.com/4r2Efe7kmV
— Starting 9 (@Starting9) August 29, 2022

Wainwright's career looked to be reaching an end in 2016, where he led the league in hits allowed and runs allowed, and he endured a four-year stretch where he had an ERA of 4.58. In 2020, Wainwright reshaped himself by using his sharp curveball more often and relying less on fastballs. Since 2020, his ERA has gone down to 3.34, and he led the major leagues in complete games in 2020 and 2021. Wainwright will look to finish his excellent career with a flourish in 2023.

1. Bob Gibson

It's not often that a sport changes a rule because of one player's dominance, but Bob Gibson's 1968 season was otherworldly enough for baseball to lower the pitcher's mound from 15 inches to 10 inches and shrink the strike zone. Gibson had a hilarious 1.12 ERA and 13 shutouts that year in 304.2 innings, winning the Cy Young and MVP awards.

Gibson was known as a menacing figure who frequently challenged hitters inside if they were too comfortable in the box. The nine-time All-Star, two-time Cy Young Award winner, nine-time Gold Glover and two-time World Series MVP brandished his ferocity on and off the field, refusing to talk to opposing players and being reticent with the press. His performance spoke for itself; Gibson is the franchise leader in WAR, wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, complete games and shutouts, and he is deservedly considered one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history.

The Cardinals have developed a winning franchise thanks in no small part to their ability to develop pitching. With Wainwright retiring after this season, fans will hope the team can unearth another star on the mound to keep the wheels turning.

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