With the Major League Baseball postseason now underway, I thought I would celebrate each of the franchises and their storied pasts by selecting an All-Time Team for every club.
The teams consist of one player per infield position (1B, 2B, SS, 3B, C), three outfielders, three starting pitchers, and two relief pitchers. Each American League squad also consists of a designated hitter.
So without further ado, here is part 21 of a 30-part series documenting each franchise’s all-time greats.
One of the greatest hitters of all time, Pujols was named to 10 All-Star teams while winning three NL MVP Awards during his time in St. Louis.
The 2001 NL Rookie of the Year and 2004 NLCS MVP, Pujols led the NL in home runs twice while also leading the league in hits, RBI, and batting average once each.
A two-time recipient of the NL Hank Aaron Award and six-time Silver Slugger winner, Pujols was also a stud on the defensive side, winning two Gold Gloves and five Fielding Bibles.
Pujols is a member of the 3,000 hits club (3,384) and finished his career second all-time in RBI (2,218) and fourth in home runs (703).
While he was great individually, Pujols also had a major impact on winning. During his 12 seasons, the Cardinals reached the playoffs eight times, winning three NL pennants and a pair of World Series championships in 2006 and 2011.
Second Base: Rogers Hornsby 1915-26, 1933
A two-time Triple Crown winner and 1925 NL MVP, Hornsby became one of the greatest second basemen in league history while leading the Cardinals to their first World Series title in 1926.
Hornsby won six batting titles during his St. Louis tenure, also leading the NL in RBI four times and home runs twice.
A member of the MLB All-Century and All-Time Teams, Hornsby is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame whose .358 career batting average ranks third all-time.
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