2019 St. Louis Cardinals Hall Announced
On line voting starts in one month on the 2019 St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame class.
Voters will get to vote for two players. Six players are on the ballot. Picking only two will not be easy. Three were great pitchers. Three were position players who could hit and supply outstanding, sometimes spectacular defense.
On the ballot are..
First baseman Keith Hernandez. Hernandez came up at the end of the 1974 season and was traded to the Mets in June of 1983. Hernandez was the National League MVP in 1979 as he hit .344 and led the NL in runs scored. He was also the gold standard on defense at first base.
Relief pitcher Jason Isringhausen. Izzy pitched for the Cardinals from 2002 through 2008 before finishing his career in Tampa Bay. He racked up 217 saves during his seven seasons in St. Louis.
Starting pitcher Matt Morris. Matty Mo came up in 1997 and anchored the Cardinal pitching rotation through 2007. Morris was 101-62 as a Cardinal with an ERA of 3.98
Shortstop Edgar Renteria. 6 years of outstanding play at shortstop while hitting .290 with 71 as a Cardinal. Renteria spent most of his prime in St. Louis. Wasn't as flashy as Ozzie Smith at short, but he had his share of spectacular plays.
Third baseman Scott Rolen. One of the best defensive third basemen in history. Came to the Cardinals in July 2002. Went to Toronto for the 2008 season. As a Cardinal, Rolen hit 286 with 111 home runs and 453 RBI’s.
Starting pitcher John Tudor. Cardinals obtained this lefthander from Pittsburgh prior to the 1985 season. After starting the ’85 season with a 1-7 record, he finished the year 20-8 with a league leading ten shutouts and a 1.95 ERA. Only Cardinal hurler to get close to Bob Gibson’s legendary 1968 season. Tudor was with the Cardinals into the 1988 season. He returned to finish his career in St. Louis in 1990.
I believe all eight belong in the Cardinals Hall of Fame. At this point, I’d vote for Keith Hernandez for sure. After that, it’s a tossup for my second vote.
The ballot is viewable at cardinals.com/HOF