Top 15 Cardinals who missed out on an All-Star appearance despite their phenomenal performances
Spotlighting Overlooked Cardinals Legends Missing All-Star Roster
Just because you ain't a household name doesn't mean you ain't deserving, and that's the case for some of the finest Cardinals players who never graced an All-Star stage. These legends shined brightly, but got snubbed despite their stellar performances. Let's shed the spotlight on them and the years they deserved the Mid-Summer Classic nod.
Rogers Hornsby (1916-26)
Known as the "Rajah" of baseball, Hornsby unleashed an unprecedented dynamism from 1916-26, encompassing All-Star seasons with the Redbirds excluding the fact the All-Star game started in 1933, after his prime. He ranks 12th all-time in career WAR, with 91.5 of those outstanding points earned as a Cardinal.
Bob Forsch (1975)
In 1975, Forsch notched 5.5 WAR, including a splendid seven complete games and four shutouts. He also compiled 15 wins, 230 innings, and a 2.86 ERA, but ironically, the All-Star nod eluded him.
John Tudor (1985)
Tudor put together a season for the ages in 1985, clinching a luminous 21-8 record, 14 complete games, and ten shutouts, all while maintaining a jaw-dropping 1.93 ERA. However, his brilliance went unnoticed, landing him second in the Cy Young voting.
Jose Oquendo (1989)
Oquendo showcased his talents in 1989, amassing 162 hits while flaunting a scintillating .291 batting average. Although he lacked in the power department, his 5.4 WAR season was enough to warrant an All-Star nomination, unfortunately missed.
Bernard Gilkey (1993)
Despite playing in only 137 games in 1993, Gilkey boasted an incredible 170 hits, 16 home runs, 70 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases while hitting .305. Even in 1996, with the best season of his career with the Mets, he failed to earn an All-Star selection.
Fernando Tatis (1999)
A memorable name amid a frenzy of uncertainty, Tatis pitched 3 WAR in 1999, with 160 hits, 34 home runs, 107 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, and an .298 batting average. These numbers certainly warranted All-Star recognition.
Fernando Vina (2001)
Vina exploded in 2001, amassing 191 hits, 56 RBIs, 17 stolen bases while batting .303. His dazzling glove work clinched him a Gold Glove, but an All-Star selection eluded him.
Steve Kline (2001)
An MVP vote-worthy performance in 2001 saw Kline pitch in a league-high 89 games, with nine saves and a minuscule 1.80 ERA. Kline's tireless work earned him recognition but never managed an All-Star nomination.
Similar stories of deserving players missing out on the All-Star game continued with the likes of Jason Motte, Kyle Lohse, Jaime Garcia, Tommy Pham, Kolten Wong, Jack Flaherty, and Tommy Edman in more recent years. Yet, they too share a similar fate with the legends of old, shining brightly on the field but missing out on the Mid-Summer Classic spotlight.
Sports enthusiasts may find it surprising that baseball legends like Rogers Hornsby, who displayed exceptional talent during his time with the Cardinals from 1916-1926, never played in an All-Star game despite his high ranking in career WAR. Similarly, in 1999, Fernando Tatis, with his impressive 34 home runs and 107 RBIs, also failed to earn an MLB All-Star nomination.
