History of the St. Louis Cardinals (1990–present)
Cardinals won two World Series from 2000 to 2013.
The St. Louis Cardinals, a National League franchise in Major League Baseball, underwent significant changes starting in 1990 after the death of longtime owner Gussie Busch. His brewery, Anheuser-Busch, took over the team until an investment group led by Drew Baur and William DeWitt, Jr. bought the club in 1996, retaining ownership ever since.
The early 1990s featured the dazzling defensive play of shortstop Ozzie Smith, who won Gold Glove awards each year from 1980 to 1992. In 1998, Mark McGwire captivated the nation alongside the Chicago Cubs' Sammy Sosa in a chase for Roger Maris's single-season home run record of 61, with McGwire also setting several team home run records. For the entire decade, the Cardinals won one division title and finished above .500 five times, posting a .490 winning percentage.
Under the Baur-DeWitt ownership, the team maintained its winning ways. General manager Walt Jocketty, hired in 1995, brought in renowned manager Tony La Russa. The front office focused on key player acquisitions and, despite a farm system often ranked near the bottom by outlets like ESPN and Baseball America, emphasized developing minor league talent. From 2000 to 2013, the Cardinals made ten playoff appearances, won four National League pennants, and captured two World Series titles. Their 1,274 regular-season wins against 993 losses (.560 winning percentage) led the National League and ranked second in MLB behind only the New York Yankees. Key additions included center fielder Jim Edmonds in 2000 and third baseman Scott Rolen in 2002, while 13th-round draft pick Albert Pujols unexpectedly produced one of the most productive ten-year stretches in history, batting .331 with 408 home runs. Free agent pitcher Chris Carpenter anchored the pitching staff during multiple playoff runs.
The 2000s brought revelations of widespread banned substance use in baseball, retroactively tainting McGwire's home run chase and the comeback of former pitcher Rick Ankiel as a hitter. Despite these scandals, the Cardinals replaced Edmonds, Pujols, Rolen, and Carpenter with Matt Holliday, Lance Berkman, Carlos Beltrán, and Adam Wainwright. McGwire later issued a public apology and returned to the club as hitting coach. La Russa retired after 2011 with a franchise-record 1,408 wins and two World Series championships, replaced by Mike Matheny. The player
- ownership_1990_1995
- Anheuser-Busch (after Gussie Busch's death in 1989)
- ownership_1996_present
- Investment group led by Drew Baur and William DeWitt, Jr.
Lore & Background
Key acquisitions included Jim Edmonds in 2000 and Scott Rolen in 2002. Albert Pujols, a 13th-round draft pick, put together one of the most productive ten-year spans in Major League history. Pitcher Chris Carpenter led the pitching staff. Despite revelations of banned substance use that retroactively affected McGwire's record and Rick Ankiel's comeback, the Cardinals acquired Matt Holliday, Lance Berkman, Carlos Beltrán, and Adam Wainwright. La Russa retired after 2011 with the most wins in franchise history (1,408) and two World Series championships. Mike Matheny replaced him. From 1990 to 2013, St. Louis made 11 total playoff appearances with a combined record of 2,032 wins and 1,787 losses for a .531 winning percentage.
Reader's Guide
The St. Louis Cardinals' history from 1990 to 2013 reflects a period of transition and sustained success. After the death of Gussie Busch, the team was sold by Anheuser-Busch to an investment group led by Drew Baur and William DeWitt, Jr., who retained general manager Walt Jocketty. Jocketty hired Tony La Russa, whose strategic innovations and coaching staff contributed to the team's competitiveness. The Cardinals won two World Series and four NL pennants from 2000 to 2013, leading the National League in regular season wins during that span. Key players included Ozzie Smith, Mark McGwire, Albert Pujols, and Chris Carpenter. The team's player development model, despite a farm system that lagged near the bottom, produced talents like David Freese and Allen Craig. The era also saw the home run record chase of 1998 and later scandals involving banned substances. Overall, the Cardinals maintained a winning tradition, with a .531 winning percentage from 1990 to 2013, fourth-best among all major league teams.
Did You Know?
- Ozzie Smith set the single-season record for fewest errors at shortstop (8) in 1991.
- Mark McGwire broke the single-season home run record in 1998 with 70 home runs.
- The Cardinals avoided finishing last in the entire league every year since 1918, the longest such streak in Major League history.
- From 2000 to 2013, the Cardinals led the National League in regular season wins with 1,274.
More in History of Major League Baseball by team 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record