Red Schoendienst
The switch-hitting second baseman who anchored the Cardinals' infield for over a decade was built for longevity, not power. Schoendienst's 84 home runs across 19 seasons tell only part of the story — his .289 career average and remarkable durability made him the steady heartbeat of St. Louis baseball through the 1950s.
Ten All-Star selections don't happen by accident. Schoendienst combined reliable hitting with exceptional defensive instincts at second base, becoming the kind of player managers dream about but fans sometimes overlook. His 2,216 games played represent an era when stars showed up every day, through doubleheaders and train travel.
The Veterans Committee recognized what his contemporaries always knew — consistent excellence over flashy numbers. Schoendienst later managed the Cardinals to two World Series appearances, proving his baseball intelligence extended far beyond his playing days.
Career · Batting
19 seasons| Year | Team | G | AB | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS | OPS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | STL | 137 | 565 | 1 | 47 | .278 | — | — |
| 1946 | STL | 142 | 606 | 0 | 34 | .281 | — | — |
| 1947 | STL | 151 | 659 | 3 | 48 | .253 | — | — |
| 1948 | STL | 119 | 408 | 4 | 36 | .272 | — | — |
| 1949 | STL | 151 | 640 | 3 | 54 | .297 | — | — |
| 1950 | STL | 153 | 642 | 7 | 63 | .276 | — | — |
| 1951 | STL | 135 | 553 | 6 | 54 | .289 | — | — |
| 1952 | STL | 152 | 620 | 7 | 67 | .303 | — | — |
| 1953 | STL | 146 | 564 | 15 | 79 | .342 | — | — |
| 1954 | STL | 148 | 610 | 5 | 79 | .315 | .794 | — |
| 1955 | STL | 145 | 553 | 11 | 51 | .268 | .711 | — |
| 1956 | NY1 | 132 | 487 | 2 | 29 | .302 | .726 | — |
| 1957 | ML1 | 150 | 648 | 15 | 65 | .309 | .795 | — |
| 1958 | ML1 | 106 | 427 | 1 | 24 | .262 | .641 | — |
| 1959 | ML1 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | — |
| 1960 | ML1 | 68 | 226 | 1 | 19 | .257 | .630 | — |
| 1961 | STL | 72 | 120 | 1 | 12 | .300 | .764 | — |
| 1962 | STL | 98 | 143 | 2 | 12 | .301 | .717 | — |
| 1963 | STL | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | — |
| Career | 2216 | 8479 | 84 | 773 | .289 | — | — | |
Matchups, projections, comps — grounded in Lahman, Retrosheet, and Statcast.