Righting the wrongs of MLB Network's 'Fan Favorite' Cardinals lineups

Harold Reynolds and Matt Vasgersian of MLB Network recently released two lineups composed of ‘fan favorites’ from Redbird lore. Although some of the names on this markup are slam dunks, the list missed a few key players you can’t leave out. It’s time to right the wrongs of the national media's perspective, as a Midwest market often has to do.

Who was left off the Cardinals fan favorites that deserve a spot?

In a manner that demands explanation, neither list by Vasgersian nor Reynolds included the likes of legendary backstop and unofficial team captain Yadier Molina. Utterly asinine. Their teams were labeled ‘fan favorite’ rather than best Cardinals ever, either way, Molina fits the description. The greatest defensive catcher of all time has a chance to be a first ballot Hall of Famer, side-by-side his longtime teammate, Albert Pujols, who did make the list. Molina cut down would-be baserunners like he was a machete, blocked pitches like an inevitable wall, called games like the greatest pitching coach you could ever ask for, and helped revolutionize framing in the game of baseball. Oh, and he learned to swing it, too.

When Molina was first called up, legendary manager Tony La Russa made it a point to take away the offensive stress that comes with being a newfound big leaguer. It was made clear to ‘Yadi’: he was here to catch. And catch he did. The final out of a World Series championship in 2006 ended up in the catcher's mitt of Yadier Molina. You cannot tell the story of the Cardinals without Molina. You can’t even walk through the history of St. Louis sports without him. One day, sooner rather than later, a statue will be erected in his honor outside of Busch Stadium, and maybe, just maybe, when that day comes, the national media will stop disrespecting the legacy that he left on the game of baseball.

Recently departed first baseman Paul Goldschmidt didn’t find himself making the cut either. Although this makes a little more sense, due to the dense talent pool of Cardinal first basemen. ‘Goldy’ was a cornerstone for more than one playoff team and even left the Cardinal faithful with an MVP season to remember. I look forward to seeing him don a red jacket one day. A true Redbird legend that deserves his flowers.

Lance Lynn is another name that didn’t find himself on either team. Now, when you first hear this, you might roll your eyes. However, other pitchers in MLB Network's selection process included the likes of Danny Cox, Joaquin Andujar, and Bob Forsch. Maybe they’re better than Lynn, but not by leaps and bounds. Lynn ranks sixth in strikeouts all-time as a Redbird, and his renaissance season in 2024 was nothing to scoff at from a veteran far past his prime. He was consistent, eccentric, fiery, and in his heyday, he mowed hitters down. Lynn makes my list.

Now for a moment of recency bias, plug your ears (eyes?) if you’re allergic to opinion, because this might sting, especially with how things ended. Ryan Helsley is one of the best relievers the Cardinals have ever dialed the phone for. His fastball was devastating, his curveball looked like it bounced out of his hand before plummeting under a hitter's barrel, and his slider was one of the best pitches in baseball for multiple seasons. Outside Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter and Cardinal legends Trevor Rosenthal and Jason Isringhausen, there aren’t many better men who have manned the ninth. Helsley’s time at Busch will likely be remembered solely for his shortcomings, as is the life of the reliever. His debacle in the 2022 wildcard was an atrocity, and towards the end of his Cardinal tenure, he became rather hittable. Don’t let the salt pour itself into the wound, and maintain perspective on Helsley’s dominance for the Birds on the Bat. Rage against the dying of the light and remember better times when immaculate innings felt like a breeze, and 102mph was no biggie.

Alright, it’s that time of the offseason, let’s get CRAZY! Carlos Martinez was a really good Cardinal. His inability to remain consistent masked short-term dominance in The Lou that had a bit of an aura to it, I might add. Martinez was flashy, deceptive, volatile, and exciting. At his peak, he was also reliable. The two-time All-Star had a three-year run tossing at least 179 innings while keeping his ERA in check. The end of his career was the toughest kind of pill to swallow. A former ace turned gunshot wound that the organization had to tend to in the form of cutting him loose. There’s no way to pony up the end of Martinez’s career with the Cards, but his best years were something that any fan would love to replicate in the form of a young starter headed into 2026. The man who ranks eleventh all-time in strikeouts as a Redbird gets a bad rap. Next time you get a chance, remember the good times.

As the Cardinals venture into baseball ambiguity by defining themselves as ‘rebuilding but not conceding,’ it’s fun to look back on some talent that toed the green at Busch. Some former faces that paved the way for more success than anyone could have ever imagined. The St. Louis fandom can only hope that the 2026 roster has another prime Carlos Martinez, Lance Lynn, or Paul Goldschmidt in store. The possibilities are exciting, but the uncertainty redefines the past; these guys are legends, not commodities.