Cardinals

MLB National League St. Louis Cardinals 2022

In 2021, the Cardinals finished the regular season 90-72, good for second in the NL Central, five games behind the Milwaukee Brewers. While they made the team as a Wild Card team, they were knocked out by the Los Angeles Dodgers in a single-game playoff.

While the team didn’t win the division in 2021, they are expected to again be in the thick of the divisional race in 2022. In fact, they currently have the sixth-best odds of winning the National League in 2022.

Prior to the lockout, the team did help support their pitching staff by signing starter Steven Matz to a four-year deal and reliever T.J. McFarland to a one-year deal. They also made sure to keep one of the franchise’s best starters by re-signing Adam Wainwright to a one-year extension.

While the Cardinals’ are not as free of spenders as other franchises, it still wouldn’t be shocking to see them make some additional tweaks prior to the 2022 season starting.

The Cardinals also have some legitimate talent down on the farm. It would not be shocking to see prospects like infielder Nolan Gorman, pitcher Matthew Liberatore, catcher Ivan Herrera, or pitcher Zack Thompson in the majors this season.

With a roster prepared to compete now, expect the Cardinals to make a push at another playoff appearance in 2022. While it will be interesting to see how first-time manager Oliver Marmol does in his first year, the franchise is well equipped to add to its long history of postseason success.

MLB National League Central St. Louis Cardinals History

As one of the oldest franchises in Major League Baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals go back all the way to the beginning of the American Association. In fact, the Cardinals (then known as the St. Louis Browns) were one of the AA’s charter members.

Interestingly, in the AA, the team ran up against the Chicago White Stockings several times in the league’s championship. Given the Chicago White Stockings are an early version of the Chicago Cubs, it is understandable why the Cardinals-Cubs rivalry still exists today.

The team was known as the Browns through the 1898 season. In 1899, the team switched its name to the Perfectos. That only lasted one season, though, as the team permanently changed its name to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1900.

In 1892, the team officially joined the National League, where it has remained ever since.

When divisions were formed in 1969, the Cardinals were originally part of the NL East. They played in that division from 1969 until 1993. With realignment and the addition of another division in 1994, the Cardinals shifted to the NL Central. They have been in that division ever since.

Throughout their long history, the team has played in four ballparks. They started in Sportsman’s Park from 1882 to 1892. The team shifted to Robinson Field from 1893 to 1920 but then returned to Sportsman’s Park until 1966.

In 1966, the team started playing at Busch Memorial Stadium, where they would reside until 2005. In 2006, the team moved into their current ballpark, Busch Stadium.

Going back to their earliest season, the franchise has a winning record to date at 11,038 – 10,163, good for a .521 winning percentage.