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Cardinals STL

199773–89 (0.451)
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GM: Walt Jocketty

Overview

Ranks vs the 30 teams in 1997, or a custom range (defaults to every team-season since 1985, when our data starts).

to

Front Office

PoorAverageGreat
Value
Payroll $M
$44M
Surplus $M
-4
Win %
0.451
TAB
+5.0
WAB
-10.5
Roster composition
Roster fWAR
40.7
Dead money %
20%
Depth Players
9.0
Dead WAR
-5.1

Offense

PoorAverageGreat

Pitching & Defense

PoorAverageGreat

Roster

1997 depth chart — stacked by playing time

C

RMike DiFelice91
LTom Lampkin86
REli Marrero17
RTom Pagnozzi13
RDanny Sheaffer9

1B

BDmitri Young74
RMark McGwire⇄51
LJohn Mabry49
LMark Sweeney⇄44
RGary Gaetti20
RTom Pagnozzi2
RMike DiFelice1

2B

LDelino DeShields147
RDavid Bell23
RMike Gallego11
RJeff Berblinger4
RDanny Sheaffer3
RRoberto Mejia3
RSteve Scarsone2

3B

RGary Gaetti132
RDavid Bell35
RDanny Sheaffer30
RMike Gallego7
LScott Livingstone⇄5
RMike Gulan3
LJohn Mabry1
RSteve Scarsone1
RTom Pagnozzi1

SS

RRoyce Clayton153
RDavid Bell13
RLuis Ordaz11
RMike Gallego10

LF

RRon Gant128
BWillie McGee18
LPhil Plantier⇄13
RDanny Sheaffer13
BDmitri Young9
RScarborough Green7
LJohn Mabry4
BMicah Franklin4
RRoberto Mejia1
RSteve Scarsone1

CF

LRay Lankford131
BWillie McGee18
RBrian Jordan14
RScarborough Green12
LJohn Mabry6
RDanny Sheaffer2
RSteve Scarsone1

RF

LJohn Mabry71
BWillie McGee53
RBrian Jordan30
LPhil Plantier⇄23
BDmitri Young10
BMicah Franklin9
RDanny Sheaffer9
RRoberto Mejia1
LScott Livingstone⇄1

DH

BWillie McGee3
BDmitri Young1
RRon Gant1
LScott Livingstone⇄1

Starters

RAndy Benes5.4 WAR
RMatt Morris5.0 WAR
RTodd Stottlemyre4.1 WAR
RAlan Benes3.5 WAR
RRigo Beltran1.0 WAR
LDonovan Osborne1.0 WAR
RManny Aybar0.3 WAR
RBrady Raggio0.3 WAR
RMike Busby0.2 WAR
LFernando Valenzuela⇄0.0 WAR
LDanny Jackson⇄-0.0 WAR
RSean Lowe-0.0 WAR
RMark Petkovsek-0.6 WAR

Bullpen

★ RDennis Eckersley36 sv
LTony Fossas0 h
RJohn Frascatore0 h
RMark Petkovsek0 h
RT.J. Mathews⇄0 h
RRigo Beltran0 h
RCurtis King0 h
RBrady Raggio0 h

Each position shows its top 3 by games (top = starter) — click "+more" for the rest. The letter is bats/throws; ⇄ marks a player traded mid-season. Starters are ranked by WAR, bullpen by holds; ★ marks the closer (most save chances). MLB Stats API.

Key additions (new vs 1996)

PlayerfWAR
Matt Morris5.0
Delino DeShields3.9
Mark McGwire2.2
Rigo Beltran1.0
Tom Lampkin0.8
Curtis King0.5

Key subtractions (gone from 1996)

Player1996 fWAR
Ozzie Smith1.3
Luis Alicea1.1
Cory Bailey0.7
Jeff Parrett0.5
Pat Borders0.3
Terry Bradshaw0.1

Contract Value

WAR translated into tier-adjusted market value, then compared with what the player was paid by Cardinals. Guaranteed contracts from the 2015-present contract-data period use the known contract period through 1997; everyone else is shown as a 1997 season snapshot.

PlayerPeriodfWARTier Market $MPaid $MSurplus $M$ / WARTierContract
Andy Benes 1997 +5.4 +108.9 4.8 +104.1 $0.9M 2.50× –
Matt Morris 1997 +5.0 +100.5 0.1 +100.4 $0.0M 2.50× –
Ray Lankford 1997 +5.6 +92.2 4.5 +87.8 $0.8M 2.05× –
Todd Stottlemyre 1997 +4.1 +72.3 4.1 +68.2 $1.0M 2.19× –
Alan Benes 1997 +3.5 +54.4 0.2 +54.2 $0.1M 1.96× –
Delino DeShields 1997 +3.9 +37.1 1.6 +35.5 $0.4M 1.20× –
Royce Clayton 1997 +2.9 +27.5 2.6 +24.8 $0.9M 1.18× –
Gary Gaetti 1997 +2.2 +15.1 2.1 +13.0 $0.9M 0.85× –
Mark McGwire↔ 1997 +2.2 +14.5 2.3 +12.2 $1.0M 0.81× –
Donovan Osborne 1997 +1.0 +8.4 2.8 +5.7 $2.7M 1.02× –
Willie McGee 1997 +1.0 +6.7 1.3 +5.4 $1.3M 0.83× –
Rigo Beltran 1997 +1.0 +5.4 0.1 +5.2 $0.1M 0.67× –
John Mabry 1997 +0.6 +4.2 0.4 +3.8 $0.6M 0.83× –
T.J. Mathews↔ 1997 +0.6 +3.1 0.1 +3.0 $0.3M 0.67× –
Tom Lampkin 1997 +0.8 +3.5 0.5 +3.0 $0.6M 0.52× –
Curtis King 1997 +0.5 +2.7 0.1 +2.5 $0.3M 0.67× –
John Frascatore 1997 +0.5 +2.6 0.2 +2.5 $0.3M 0.67× –
Brian Jordan 1997 +0.8 +5.6 3.3 +2.3 $4.0M 0.83× –
Dmitri Young 1997 +0.5 +2.2 0.2 +2.0 $0.3M 0.56× –
Dennis Eckersley 1997 +0.3 +3.0 1.6 +1.4 $5.8M 1.34× –
Mike DiFelice 1997 +0.2 +0.9 0.2 +0.8 $0.7M 0.52× –
Ron Gant 1997 +0.8 +5.3 4.5 +0.8 $5.7M 0.83× –
Rich Batchelor↔ 1997 +0.1 +0.7 0.1 +0.6 $0.5M 0.67× –
Lance Painter 1997 +0.1 +0.6 0.4 +0.2 $3.6M 0.67× –
Fernando Valenzuela↔ 1997 +0.0 +0.3 0.4 -0.2 $13.0M 1.02× –
Rick Honeycutt 1997 +0.0 +0.1 0.5 -0.4 $18.1M 0.67× –
Eric Ludwick↔ 1997 -0.1 -0.4 0.1 -0.5 – 0.67× –
Jose Bautista↔ 1997 -0.1 -0.4 0.1 -0.5 – 0.67× –
Danny Jackson↔ 1997 -0.0 -0.1 1.1 -1.2 – 1.02× –
Mark Sweeney↔ 1997 -0.3 -1.2 0.1 -1.2 – 0.56× –
Tom Pagnozzi 1997 -0.0 -0.2 1.6 -1.8 – 0.52× –
Scarborough Green 1997 -0.3 -1.8 0.1 -1.9 – 0.83× –
Tony Fossas 1997 -0.2 -1.2 0.8 -2.0 – 0.67× –
Roberto Mejia 1997 -0.5 -2.1 0.2 -2.3 – 0.56× –
Scott Livingstone↔ 1997 -0.5 -2.1 0.4 -2.5 – 0.58× –
Mark Petkovsek 1997 -0.6 -3.0 0.3 -3.3 – 0.67× –
Danny Sheaffer 1997 -0.7 -3.5 0.4 -3.9 – 0.58× –
David Bell 1997 -1.1 -5.1 0.2 -5.3 – 0.58× –
Brady Raggio 1997 +0.3 +1.8 – – – 0.67× –
Eli Marrero 1997 +0.3 +1.3 – – – 0.52× –
Jeff Berblinger 1997 -0.2 -1.1 – – – 0.56× –
Luis Ordaz 1997 +0.2 +0.8 – – – 0.61× –
Manny Aybar 1997 +0.3 +2.8 – – – 1.02× –
Micah Franklin 1997 +0.3 +2.2 – – – 0.83× –
Mike Busby 1997 +0.2 +1.4 – – – 1.02× –
Mike Gallego 1997 -0.2 -1.1 – – – 0.56× –
Mike Gulan 1997 -0.2 -0.9 – – – 0.58× –
Phil Plantier↔ 1997 +0.2 +1.5 – – – 0.83× –
Sean Lowe 1997 -0.0 -0.4 – – – 1.02× –
Steve Scarsone 1997 -0.1 -0.4 – – – 0.56× –
Tom McGraw 1997 -0.0 -0.0 – – – 0.67× –
Total—+40.3+564.644.4+512.4—

Trades

Every graded 1997 deal involving the Cardinals — best expected value first. Surplus is realized value in $M; 4 total.

1997 · STL / SDP
STL · Walt Jocketty +$5.6M
Scott Livingstone, Phil Plantier, Fernando Valenzuela
SDP · Kevin Towers −$5.6M
Rich Batchelor, Danny Jackson, Mark Sweeney
STL came out ahead by $5.6M
1997 · MIL / STL
MIL · Sal Bando +$0.0M
Keith Johns
STL · Walt Jocketty +$0.0M
Scotty Pace
Even trade
1997 · STL / OAK
STL · Walt Jocketty +$67.2M
Mark McGwire
OAK · Sandy Alderson −$67.2M
Eric Ludwick, T. J. Mathews, Blake Stein
STL came out ahead by $67.2M
1997 · CIN / STL
CIN · Jim Bowden +$45.6M
Dmitri Young
STL · Walt Jocketty −$45.6M
Jeff Brantley
CIN came out ahead by $45.6M

Current & Historical Payroll

1997 payroll
$44.5M

What the front office was committed to as of 1997, 1997–2003. Pre-2015 has no contract-terms data — forward italic $ are realized actuals (hindsight, not commitments known then). Control labels (ARB/FA) are point-in-time.

current $ guaranteed $ actual $ (hindsight) arbitration (proj) pre-arb (proj) free agent

Guaranteed / signed (22)

PlayerAgeSvc1997199819992000200120022003
Andy Benes298.000$4.8MFREE AGENT$2.9M$6.7M$6.4M
Ron Gant3210.000$4.5M$5.5MFREE AGENT
Ray Lankford307.000$4.5M$4.7M$6.6M$7.6M$5.6MFREE AGENT
Todd Stottlemyre329.000$4.1M$3.4MFREE AGENT
Royce Clayton276.000$2.6M$2.2MFREE AGENT
Mark McGwire3311.000$2.3M$8.9M$9.4M$9.3M$11.0MFREE AGENT
Gary Gaetti3816.000$2.1M$711kFREE AGENT
Tom Pagnozzi3410.000$1.6M$2.1MFREE AGENT
Dennis Eckersley4222.000$1.6MFREE AGENT
Delino DeShields287.000$1.6M$3.0MFREE AGENT
Willie McGee3815.000$1.3M$1.4M$1.0MFREE AGENT
Danny Jackson3514.000$1.1MFREE AGENT
Tony Fossas399.000$750kFREE AGENT
Tom Lampkin339.000$500k$500kFREE AGENT
Rick Honeycutt4320.000$500kFREE AGENT
Fernando Valenzuela3617.000$434kFREE AGENT
Danny Sheaffer3510.000$425kFREE AGENT
Scott Livingstone316.000$388kFREE AGENT
Mark Petkovsek316.000$325k$475kFREE AGENT
Jose Bautista329.000$52kFREE AGENT
Mike Gallego3612.000—FREE AGENT
Phil Plantier287.000—FREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (8)

PlayerAgeSvc1997199819992000200120022003
Brian Jordan305.000$3.3MFREE AGENT
Donovan Osborne285.000$2.8MFREE AGENT
John Mabry263.000$390kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Lance Painter294.000$375kARB 3FREE AGENT
Roberto Mejia254.000$185kARB 3FREE AGENT
John Frascatore273.000$155kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Rich Batchelor304.000$68kARB 3FREE AGENT
Steve Scarsone315.000—FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (21)

PlayerAgeSvc1997199819992000200120022003
Alan Benes252.000$240kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
David Bell242.000$170kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Dmitri Young231.000$155kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike DiFelice281.000$152kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Rigo Beltran270.000$150kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
T.J. Mathews272.000$150kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Matt Morris220.000$150kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Curtis King260.000$150kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Scarborough Green230.000$150kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mark Sweeney272.000$71kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Eric Ludwick251.000$70kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Manny Aybar250.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jeff Berblinger26–—
Mike Busby241.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Micah Franklin25–—
Mike Gulan26–—
Sean Lowe260.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Eli Marrero230.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Tom McGraw29–—
Luis Ordaz210.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brady Raggio24–—

Graphs

How each 1997 acquisition stacked onto Cardinals's playoff-odds curve. The side table is ranked by PPA.

Rosternomics — front-office performance, roster value, and transaction history. Follow @rosternomics on X.
Decision-maker records extend to 1933; resource-controlled WAR and payroll metrics cover 1985–2026. Data sources include FanGraphs, Baseball-Reference, the Chadwick Bureau register, the Lahman Database, prospect rankings from Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and FanGraphs, and public payroll records. Transaction and trade data was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Executive birth/death data via Wikidata (CC0).
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