John Mozeliak | |
---|---|
Born | Boulder, Colorado, U.S. | January 18, 1969
Education | University of Colorado |
Occupation | Management |
Employer | St. Louis Cardinals |
Title | President of Baseball Operations |
Spouse | Julie Mozeliak |
John Mozeliak (born January 18, 1969) is an American professional baseball executive who is the president of baseball operations of the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Never a professional player, Mozeliak came to the Cardinals as Walt Jocketty's assistant in 1995 and became the organization's 12th general manager after the 2007 season.
The winner of three Executive of the Year awards, Mozeliak has overseen the Cardinals make playoff appearances in six years, win one World Series title, and two National League pennants. They have had a winning record in all but one season (2023) since he was appointed general manager. The Cardinals' minor league farm system has received numerous accolades following the volume of prospects that have succeeded at the major league level, including Baseball America bestowing the franchise with the Organization of the Year Award in 2011 and 2013. Mozeliak is signed through the 2025 season. [1]
Mozeliak attended Fairview High School in Boulder, Colorado. He played for the school's baseball team as a pitcher and first baseman. He also played American Legion baseball. [2] Mozeliak attended the University of Arizona, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, before ultimately graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder. [3]
In 1993, Jay Darnell, the Colorado Rockies' video coordinator, introduced Mozeliak to Bryn Smith, pitcher for the Rockies. Smith was looking for a location to go fly fishing. A few days after Mozeliak took Smith fly fishing, the Rockies invited Mozeliak to serve as a batting practice pitcher, since they needed someone who could throw left handed. Dante Bichette took a liking to Mozeliak, and they created a clubhouse job for Mozeliak. He began to work with Bob Gebhard, the Rockies' general manager (GM), and Walt Jocketty, the assistant GM. [2] [3]
When the St. Louis Cardinals hired Jocketty as their GM in 1995, Mozeliak went to St. Louis as well. He served as an assistant within the scouting department and later spent five seasons as Jocketty's assistant GM. [2] He became the assisting scouting director in 1998. The next season, Mozeliak was promoted to scouting director and oversaw the drafting of talent such as Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina. [4] He garnered much attention as a major up-and-coming GM in the industry and interviewed with the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros. [5]
On October 3, 2007, chairman of the board of directors Bill DeWitt announced that the Cardinals "had cordially and respectfully" parted ways with Jocketty based on philosophical differences of player development. [6] DeWitt named Mozeliak the interim GM. Dating back to the year before, tension arose after Jeff Luhnow, later the Astros' GM, was promoted to vice president of amateur scouting and player development. After more than a decade as GM, Luhnow's promotion tacitly signaled he had usurped that sphere of Jocketty's authority. [7]
While other candidates interviewed for the GM position, it appeared Cleveland Indians assistant GM Chris Antonetti was the early favorite. However, Indians ownership improved Antonetti's offer to take over the full GM position and enticed him to stay. On the evening of October 30, 2007, Mozeliak accepted the Cardinals' offer and the team formally introduced him as the new GM the next day. [8]
One of Mozeliak's first major moves was to trade iconic center fielder Jim Edmonds to the San Diego Padres for third baseman David Freese on December 15, 2007. Although stating regret at first over trading the popular but often-injured Edmonds, Freese later proved to be integral in the Cardinals' 2011 season. [9]
In 2009, Mozeliak acquired slugger Matt Holliday in a trade with the Oakland Athletics and signed him to the richest contract in team history the following January, valued at $116 million. [10] [11] Holliday produced an .874 OPS and an OPS+ of 138 as a Cardinal, compared to 132 for his career. [12] On September 26, the Cardinals clinched their first division title during Mozeliak's tenure as GM against the Colorado Rockies. [13] However, they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS. [14] When Holliday was a free agent the following offseason, DeWitt became frustrated with agent Scott Boras and walked away from negotiations. However, Mozeliak, who had developed a strong working relationship with DeWitt, persuaded him to sign Holliday for seven years at $17 million per year. [15]
After Édgar Rentería manned shortstop for the Cardinals from 1999 to 2004, he left for the Boston Red Sox via free agency. The Cardinals found difficulty filling the position. In 2009, a trade involving Mark Worrell and Luke Gregerson brought Khalil Greene from the Padres. With poor performance and a $6.5 million salary, he took time off in May and June. It was revealed that he may have been attempting to inflict injury upon himself, indicative of social anxiety disorder. Greene appeared in 77 games that season, batting just .200 with six home runs and 24 runs batted in. That was the last time he appeared in the major leagues. [16] All told, in the 13 seasons between 2005 and 2017, the Cardinals featured 10 different Opening Day shortstops, with only David Eckstein (2005-2007) serving as the primary shortstop more than two seasons. [17] The positional flux eased with the 2017 ascendance of Paul DeJong, who started a majority of the team's games at SS for five consecutive seasons (2017-2021).
The Cardinals announced that Mozeliak endorsed a new three-year contract extension with the team through 2013 on July 15, 2010. [18] The following offseason, Mozeliak created a stir––even drawing ridicule––for inking 34-year-old Lance Berkman to a one-year, $8 million contract on December 4. Due to his 2010 results of a .248 batting average with 14 home runs and 58 RBIs in 122 games with the Houston Astros and New York Yankees, opinions circulated that he was too old to continue to produce at his former levels. [19]
However, Berkman dramatically improved his physical shape in the offseason. Early the next season, hitting coach Mark McGwire corrected a flaw in Berkman's swing that had been introduced by leg injuries and he responded with a .301 batting average, 31 home runs and 94 RBIs. [20] His 164 OPS+ was the highest of his career and his accolades for the year included an All-Star appearance, the NL Comeback Player of the Year award and seventh place in the MVP voting.
Mozeliak engineered what proved to be an exceptional in-season move to shape the 2011 season on July 27. He traded the highly regarded but troubled center fielder Colby Rasmus, relievers Trever Miller, P. J. Walters and Brian Tallet to the Toronto Blue Jays for starter Edwin Jackson, relievers Octavio Dotel and Marc Rzepczynski, outfielder Corey Patterson and three players to be named or cash. [21] [22]
Still 10.5 games short of the wild card berth after 130 games on August 25, the Cardinals ended the season on a 22-9 run while capitalizing on the Atlanta Braves' collapse to avoid elimination on the season's final day, capping one of Major League Baseball's epic regular-season comebacks. [23] Dotel and Rzepczynski proved to factor significantly in making up the 10.5 games as they helped stabilize questionable bullpen performance. Dotel posted a 3.28 ERA and struck out 32 of the 96 batters he faced. [24] Rzepczynski posted a 3.97 ERA. [25] Jackson started twelve games for the Cardinals and posted a 3.58 ERA, winning five games and losing two. [26] The 10.5 games-won deficit is also the highest-surmounted at 130 games in MLB history.
In the postseason––the Cardinals' second appearance during Mozeliak's tenure as GM––Freese set the-then single postseason RBI record with 21. He also salvaged the Cardinals from elimination in the World Series against the Texas Rangers by driving home the tying run on the final strike in the ninth inning of Game 6 –– which was accomplished again later that game. Tying the score twice on the final strike in one game was the first such occurrence in World Series history. [27] Berkman became the second batter to tie the game on the team's final strike in the ninth inning or later with a two-run single in the tenth. Freese then ended the game in the eleventh with a home run off Mark Lowe. [28] Berkman and Freese became just the third and fourth hitters in World Series history to knock game-tying hits where the alternative was elimination. [29] Driven primarily by the Rasmus and Freese trades and the Berkman acquisition, Mozeliak achieved his first World Series title culminating in a game that "ranks among the greatest games in Fall Classic history" and "one of the greatest thrillers in baseball history." [28] [30]
Following the 2011 World Series, the Cardinals found themselves in the position of having to negotiate to re-sign iconic first baseman Albert Pujols when he filed for free agency on December 1. The Cardinals had offered $198 million over nine years the previous January. After the season concluded, the Cardinals reopened their bid with five years and $130 million. [31] Other teams reportedly pursuing him were the Miami Marlins and two "mystery teams." The Marlins' offers were for nine years, then ten, but at first neither monetary figures were disclosed nor information was available on whether a no-trade clause would be included. [32]
The Cardinals increased their offer to $200 million over ten years, then $220 million; however, the two unidentified teams eclipsed the initial offer. Miami offered $200 million then $225 million. [33] [34] Pujols then signed with one of the two anonymous teams on December 8 which had been revealed through rumors just a few days before –– the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim –– for $254 million over ten years. [35]
After signing with the Angels, Albert Pujols' wife, Diedre Pujols, commented on a St. Louis radio show that what the Cardinals had offered was an "'insult" and that they were "confused" after being told "'we want you to be a Cardinal for life.'" [31] Even so, Pujols' performance decline started before he became a free agent: in 2012, he finished in career lows in multiple categories, and in 2013, plantar fasciitis cut his season short. [36] Since then, Mozeliak's decision to let Pujols walk has paid off, as with the money he saved by not signing him, he extended ace Adam Wainwright and star catcher Yadier Molina. Also, with the two Compensation Picks the St. Louis Cardinals received from the Angels, they drafted 2013 postseason hero Michael Wacha and a promising young hitter who was the Cardinals' top prospect after 2014 according to MLB.com, Stephen Piscotty.
Despite the Cardinals' major league success in the 21st century spanning well before Mozeliak's tenure as GM –– they have just one losing season and nine playoff appearances since 2000 –– the farm system had lagged behind until more recent seasons. Between 2000 and 2007, the highest rank the farm system garnered was 21st; between 2002 and 2005 it "ranked 30th, 28th, 28th and 30th." [37] [38] After 2011, Baseball America bestowed the Cardinals franchise with their first Organization of the Year award. [39] Seventeen of the 25 players on the 2011 playoff roster were players who had spent their entire careers with the Cardinals. [40] ESPN's Keith Law and Baseball Prospectus also ranked the Cardinals organization #1 for the 2013 season. [41] [42]
After losing shortstop Rafael Furcal to injury in 2012, the Cardinals called up Pete Kozma to replace Furcal. Noted for his defense, Kozma had shown a poor track record in the minor leagues as a hitter, producing a .652 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) in 671 minor league games. [43] However, during his major league call-up in 2012, he batted .333 with a .952 OPS in 82 plate appearances. His skillful hitting continued in the playoffs, as he hit an RBI single in Game 5 against the Washington Nationals in the NLDS that ultimately proved to be the game and series winner, allowing the Cardinals to advance to the NLCS. Kozma became the starting shortstop the next season, but could not sustain his improved hitting in the Major Leagues, slumping to a .548 OPS. [44] In the following World Series against the Boston Red Sox, a two-play error contributed to a Red Sox' Game 1 victory on the way to the Red Sox winning the Series. [45]
On February 14, 2013, the Cardinals extended Mozeliak's contract by three years to end after the 2016 season. [46] Late in spring training 2013, right-handed starting pitcher Adam Wainwright agreed to a five-year, $97.5 million extension that runs through 2018, the richest contract the Cardinals have awarded to a pitcher. [47] That spring, the Cardinals also signed first baseman Allen Craig to a five-year, $32 million contract.
After making it to the 2013 World Series only to lose to the Boston Red Sox, the Cardinals addressed weaknesses the following offseason at shortstop and center field. First, they traded Freese and relief pitcher Fernando Salas to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for center fielder Peter Bourjos and right fielder Randal Grichuk. [48]
Just two days later, they signed free agent shortstop Jhonny Peralta to a four-year, $53 million contract. [49] The Cardinals still had yet to find consistency at shortstop since the days of Rentería, and Peralta was seen as a player who could bring that consistency. However, the signing drew scrutiny because he had served a 50-game suspension for his connection to the Biogenesis of America scandal earlier in the season.
Fellow players such as Brad Ziegler of the Arizona Diamondbacks publicly complained that the 50-game suspension was not enough of a deterrent, because it appeared to fail to prevent players who violated the collective bargaining agreement's banned substances use policy to receive compensation for their performances equal to those who had not been found to violate the policy. Mozeliak defended the contract, stating that the Cardinals were not self-appointed "morality police". He further explained that "character and makeup are something we weigh into our decision-making. In his case, he admitted what he did, he took responsibility for it. I feel like he has paid for his mistakes, and obviously if he were to make another one, then it would be a huge disappointment." [50]
The Cardinals signed All-Star second baseman Matt Carpenter to a six-year, $52 million extension on March 6, 2014. Included was an option for 2020 worth $18.5 million. The year prior, he led the major leagues in hits, runs scored, and doubles while batting .318 and becoming a regular at a position he had yet to play as professional. Mozeliak cited his work ethic as another factor in the extension. [51]
On April 12, 2014, the Cardinals announced they had extended Mozeliak's contract by two years through the 2018 season. [52] They won the division this season but fell to the Giants in the NLCS.
Reports surfaced on June 16, 2015, that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were reviewing an alleged incident involving Cardinals' front office officials hacking into the Houston Astros' database of players, scouting reports and proprietary statistics. It was regarded as the first known case of corporate espionage involving computer network hacking in professional sports. [53] The matter wasn't adjudicated until January 30, 2017 when Commissioner Rob Manfred ruled that the Cardinals forfeit its top two selections in that year's MLB Draft (numbers 56 and 75 in the second and competitive balance round B respectively) and $2 million in damages to the Astros. [54]
On September 19, 2015, the Cardinals became the first team in MLB to clinch a playoff spot that season. It also extended a franchise record of five consecutive seasons of reaching the postseason, a record which the club had set the previous season. [55]
On June 30, 2017, Mozeliak was promoted to president of baseball operations, while assistant GM Mike Girsch was named the new vice president and general manager of the Cardinals. These promotions came with contract guarantees for both through the 2020 season. [56]
After a three-year absence from the postseason, the Cards won the NL Central in 2019 and defeated the Atlanta Braves in a five game NLDS. However, they went on to fall in a four game sweep to the Washington Nationals in the NLCS.
In 2020, the Cardinals would only end up playing 58 total games due to COVID-19 pandemic that had reached American shores in late January. The Cardinals were hit particularly hard by COVID, with many games being delayed and cancelled due to persistent outbreaks in the clubhouse. [1] As a result of the shortened season, MLB expanded the playoff format for 2020 to eight teams in each league, in which the Cardinals landed themselves in as the five-seed team, finishing 2nd in the NL Central with a final record of 30–28. The Cardinals visited San Diego for a 3-game Wild Card series, where they took Game 1 but fell in Games 2 and 3 to lose the series and end their season.
In 2021 the Cardinals finished the season at 90–72, with help from a franchise-record 17-game winning streak in September to put them into the postseason. [5] The team also was the first to have five players win Gold Glove Awards in the same season, with those being first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, second baseman Tommy Edman, third baseman Nolan Arenado, left fielder Tyler O'Neill and center fielder Harrison Bader. [7] In the NL Wild Card Game, the Cardinals faced the 106-win Los Angeles Dodgers, where both teams battled each other for eight innings in a 1-1 ballgame before Alex Reyes surrendered a walk-off 2-run homerun to Chris Taylor, ending the Cardinals historic season. [10] Eight days later, the Cardinals dismissed Mike Shildt, who had been manager since 2018, and elevated bench coach Oliver Marmol in his place. [11]
In March 2022, Mozeliak and the Cardinals worked a deal with free agent and franchise player Albert Pujols for him to return on a 1-year, $2.5 million deal to finish his career with other franchise legend Yadier Molina. [12]
In the first year of managing for Oliver Marmol, the Cardinals were guided to a 93–69 record, which was enough to win them the NL Central for the first time since 2019. Throughout the year the team had several individual successes and milestones, which most notably included Albert Pujols' 700th career homerun in a 11–0 victory vs. the Dodgers in Los Angeles on September 23. [14] On September 14, Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina made their MLB-record 325th start as battery mates, breaking the record previously held by the Detroit Tigers pair of Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan. [15] First baseman Paul Goldschmidt won the NL MVP, and third baseman Nolan Arenado was a MVP finalist.
Going into the postseason as the 3-seed, the Cardinals were the favorites at home against the Philadelphia Phillies, who had made the postseason as the 6-seed as part of MLB's expanded playoff format. This was the Phillies first postseason trip since 2011. The Cardinals, however, were upset in a 2-game sweep, resulting in the third straight first round playoff exit in three years for St. Louis. [16]
On February 13, 2023, the Cardinals signed Mozeliak to a contract extension that runs through the 2025 season. The Cardinals finished the 2023 season with a 71–91 record. [57]
Mozeliak, his wife Julie, daughter Allyson and son Will reside in St. Louis. He is the National Trustee for the Foundation Fighting Blindness. [4]
Jared Michael "Skip" Schumaker is an American former professional baseball outfielder and second baseman, coach, and manager, most recently of the Miami Marlins from 2023 to 2024. He played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Cincinnati Reds. He previously served as a bench coach for the Cardinals and San Diego Padres, and currently serves as a senior advisor for the Texas Rangers.
Matthew Thomas Holliday is an American former professional baseball left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2004 to 2018 for the Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, and New York Yankees. A World Series champion in 2011 with the Cardinals, Holliday played a key role in seven postseasons, including the Rockies' first-ever World Series appearance in 2007 and Cardinals' playoff success in the 2010s. His distinctions include a National League (NL) batting championship, the 2007 NL Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award, seven All-Star selections, and four Silver Slugger Awards. Other career accomplishments include 300 home runs, more than 2,000 hits, and batting over .300 eight times.
The St. Louis Cardinals, a professional baseball franchise based in St. Louis, Missouri, compete in the National League (NL) of Major League Baseball (MLB). Before joining the NL in 1892, they were also a charter member of the American Association (AA) from 1882 to 1891. Although St. Louis has been the Cardinals' home city for the franchise's entire existence, they were also known as the Brown Stockings, Browns, and Perfectos.
The St. Louis Cardinals' 2008 season was the 127th season for the franchise in St. Louis, Missouri and the 117th season in the National League. The Cardinals, coming off a 78–84 season that was their worst since 1999, improved by eight games, going 86–76 in 2008. However, this was only good for fourth place in the National League Central, 11.5 games behind the division champion Chicago Cubs.
The St. Louis Cardinals' 2009 season was the 128th season for the franchise in St. Louis, Missouri and the 118th season in the National League. The Cardinals, coming off an 86–76 season and fourth place in the NL Central, got off to a strong start in April before a team-wide offensive breakdown caused them to fall behind the Cubs in the NL Central standings. Brilliant seasons from starting pitchers Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, and Joel Piñeiro helped St. Louis to stay in contention until the key midseason acquisitions of Matt Holliday, Mark DeRosa, and Julio Lugo revived the Cardinal offense. An August 20–6 effectively ended the National League Central race, and the Cardinals won the division with a 91–71 record, seven-and-a-half games better than the second-place Cubs. However, their playoff run ended quickly when they were swept in three games by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS.
David Richard Freese is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He began his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2009, where, two seasons later, he was a key player during the 2011 postseason, batting .545 with 12 hits in the 2011 National League Championship Series (NLCS). At the time, he also set an MLB postseason record of 21 runs batted in (RBIs), which earned him the NLCS MVP Award and World Series MVP Award. In addition, Freese won the Babe Ruth Award, naming him the MVP of the 2011 MLB postseason. He also played for the Los Angeles Angels, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
The St. Louis Cardinals' 2010 season was the 129th season for the franchise in St. Louis, Missouri and the 119th season in the National League. The Cardinals began their season on the road against the Cincinnati Reds on April 5. St. Louis was coming off a 91–71 (.562) season and first place in the National League Central, followed by a quick playoff exit when they were swept in the NLDS versus Los Angeles. In 2010, however, the Cardinals fell back to the same record of 2008 (86–76), finishing second in the National League Central to the Reds by five games.
Allen Thomas Craig is an American former professional baseball outfielder and first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox. The Cardinals drafted Craig from the University of California, Berkeley in 2006, and he made his Major League debut with them in 2010.
The 2011 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2011 season. The 107th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Texas Rangers and the National League (NL) champion St. Louis Cardinals; the Cardinals defeated the Rangers in seven games to win their 11th World Series championship and their second in six seasons.
The St. Louis Cardinals' 2011 season was the team's 130th season in St. Louis, Missouri, its 120th season in the National League, and its sixth season at Busch Stadium III. The Cardinals began their season at home against the San Diego Padres on March 31, following an 86–76 (.531) record and second-place finish in the National League Central in 2010. The team returned to postseason play in 2011 as the Wild Card team, after finishing second in the NL Central to the Milwaukee Brewers by six games. The Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Phillies in five games in the NLDS and the Milwaukee Brewers in six games in the NLCS. They defeated the Texas Rangers in the World Series in seven games.
Peter Michael Kozma is an American professional baseball shortstop who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, and Oakland Athletics. The Cardinals selected him in the first round of the 2007 MLB draft from Owasso High School in Oklahoma, and he made his MLB debut for them on May 18, 2011. He is 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m), weighs 190 lb (86 kg), and bats and throws right-handed.
The 2011 National League Championship Series was a best-of-seven playoff pitting the winners of the 2011 National League Division Series, the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers, against each other for the National League championship and the right to be the league's representative in the 2011 World Series. The series was the 42nd NLCS in league history.
The 2011 National League Division Series were two best-of-five playoffs comprising the opening round of the Major League Baseball postseason, played to determine the participating teams in the 2011 National League Championship Series. Three divisional winners and a fourth team—a wild card—played in two series. TBS televised all games in the United States. The regular season finished on September 28, with the National League playoffs beginning October 1.
The St. Louis Cardinals 2012 season was the 131st season for the franchise in St. Louis, Missouri, the 121st season in the National League, and the seventh at Busch Stadium III. The Cardinals made their 25th trip to the postseason in 2012 after taking the NL Wild Card title by one game over the Atlanta Braves on the last day of the regular season in 2011. They began the 2012 season away against the Miami Marlins on April 4. St. Louis was coming off a 90–72 (.556) season, a second-place finish in the National League Central Division, the aforementioned wild card berth, and their National League-leading 11th World Series championship.
The 2013 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2013 season. The 109th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Boston Red Sox and the National League (NL) champion St. Louis Cardinals; the Red Sox won, 4 games to 2 to win their eighth championship. The Red Sox had home field advantage for the series, based on the AL's win in the 2013 MLB All-Star Game on July 16. This was the first World Series since 1999 to feature both number one seeds from the AL and NL. The Series started on October 23, 2013, ending with Game 6 on October 30, 2013.
The 2012 National League Championship Series was a best-of-seven playoff pitting the San Francisco Giants against the St. Louis Cardinals for the National League pennant and the right to play in the 2012 World Series. The series, the 43rd NLCS in league history, began Sunday, October 14, and ended Monday, October 22, with Fox airing all games in the United States. In shades of the 1996 NLCS, a series where the Cardinals blew a 3–1 series lead where they were outscored 32–1 over the final three games, the Giants came back from a 3–1 deficit and outscored the Cardinals, 20–1, over the final three games to win the series, 4–3.
The 2013 St. Louis Cardinals season was the 132nd for the baseball team in St. Louis, Missouri, the 122nd season in the National League (NL), and the eighth at Busch Stadium III. On Opening Day, April 1, the St. Louis Cardinals played the 20,000th game in franchise history against the Arizona Diamondbacks, dating back to the start of their American Association (AA) play in 1882. Heading into the 2013 season, St. Louis had an all-time winning percentage of .518.
The St. Louis Cardinals, a professional baseball franchise based in St. Louis, Missouri, compete in the National League (NL) of Major League Baseball (MLB). Brewing magnate Gussie Busch's 37-year-long ownership of the club ended with his death in 1989, and his brewery, Anheuser-Busch (AB) took over. In 1995, an investment group led by Drew Baur and William DeWitt, Jr., purchased the team and have owned the club since. Shortstop Ozzie Smith – nicknamed "The Wizard" – collected a staggering array of defensive records and awards while performing acrobatic spectacles such as somersaults and flips that mesmerized Cardinal and non-Cardinal fans alike. In 1998, Mark McGwire and the Chicago Cubs' Sammy Sosa collocated national attention with their chase of Roger Maris' single-season home run record of 61. In addition, McGwire also set numerous team home run records. For the 1990s, the Cardinals captured one division title and finished above .500 five times for a .488 winning percentage
The 2013 National League Championship Series, the 44th NLCS, was a best-of-seven playoff pitting the St. Louis Cardinals against the Los Angeles Dodgers for Major League Baseball's National League pennant. The Cardinals beat the Dodgers in six games.
The St. Louis Cardinals 2014 season was the 133rd for the franchise in St. Louis, Missouri, the 123rd season in the National League (NL), and the ninth at Busch Stadium III. The Cardinals entered 2014 as the defending NL champions.