How About Those Redbirds?

One of the front offices that I most admire is that of the St. Louis Cardinals. There are not many teams that can lose a future Hall of Fame franchise player to free agency in one year, make it to the championship series in the next and make it to the World Series two seasons later. Over the last ten seasons, the St. Louis Cardinals have been to the World Series four times, winning two titles and advancing to the Championship Series on two other occasions. The Cardinals overall record during this period is 904-715. Historically, the Cardinals have the most championship teams on the senior circuit with eleven. The only team in all of Major League Baseball with more World Championship clubs would be those “hated” Yankees. 

John Mozeliak, the current General Manager, has followed in the foot steps of Branch Rickey who was the very first St. Louis Cardinals General Manager. Mr. Mozeliak has been an astute baseball executive by recognizing opportunities in the open market. The front office staff have effectively drafted prospects like Matt Carpenter, Shelby Miller, Lance Lynn, and Matt Adams whose abilities have translated well at the Major League level. Additionally, acquiring free agents like David Freese, Matt Holliday, Lance Berkman, and Carlos Beltran have helped put the Cardinals over the top. This favorable balance has been their key to success. Because of this, the franchise consistently maintains a favorable payroll without sacrificing quality on the field. 

The St. Louis Cardinals payroll sits at just under $103 million, which puts them roughly in the middle of the pack. They’re number 14 out of 30 clubs with a payroll that’s approximately 1/2 the payroll of the New York Yankees. The Los Angeles Dodgers still have the highest payroll, which is in excess of $220 million. With an approximate team value of $716 million versus the Dodgers at $1.6 billion, the Cardinals revenue of $239 million only slightly trailed the Dodgers at $245 million. So, as Patrick Rische from Forbes magazine stated in October of 2013, the Cardinals are “Baseball’s Little Engine that Could”. 

Not only do the St. Louis Cardinals have one of the nicest-looking facilities in all of Major League Baseball, but it’s energy efficient as well. In 2012, the Cardinals installed 106 solar panels producing 32,000 kilowatt hours of energy. The team has cut energy use by 20% and water use by 10% since opening in 2006. 

In closing, I would like to share some thoughts on the public image of the St. Louis Cardinals. The organization seems like a class operation from the top down. Over the years, the franchise had been very fortunate to have Stan Musial represent that image and set the example with dignity and reserve. The fan base is extremely loyal to the Redbirds and they show tremendous respect for the game and it’s players. Just sit back, turn the radio on, imagine listening to the voice of the late Jack Buck and you’ll be transcended back in time. “Go crazy folks! Go crazy!”