1970 St. Louis Cardinals season


The 1970 St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 89th season in St. Louis, Missouri, and the 79th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 76–86 during the season and finished fourth in the National League East, 13 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates. The season was also the first of 26 seasons for AstroTurf at Busch Memorial Stadium.

Offseason

, because of a salary dispute with Gussie Busch, was traded after the 1969 season but refused to go to the Philadelphia Phillies and on January 16, 1970, filed a civil lawsuit to challenge baseball's reserve clause. The case eventually reached the Supreme Court and, though he lost, paved the way for free agency to change the game.

Regular season

won a Gold Glove and the Cy Young Award this year, with a 3.12 ERA, 23 wins, and 274 strikeouts. The Cardinals won only 76 games, their lowest total since the days of the 154-game schedule. Vic Davalillo had 24 pinch hits, breaking the National League record, and tying the Major League record set by Dave Philley in 1961.
Steve Carlton posted one game where he struck out 16 batters.
Third baseman Mike Shannon was limited to 52 games and soon would retire because of a kidney disease that threatened his life.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Opening Day starters

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PosPlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
C161624203.32521100
1B122459128.27934101
2B139513129.251242
3B5517437.213022
SS15239980.201028
LF155664202.3041357
CF148552162.2931074
RF12126460.227623

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
139451122.2711468
8228469.243324
10424561.249645
389524.25306
627915.19003
217021.30008
23475.10602
6176.35301

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
342942373.12274
34253.210193.73193

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
30106.2676.2459
1156.2334.6123
831.1123.1614
813.2117.249

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGWLSVERASO
372242.9226
111012.958
72013.185
60008.789
10000.000

Awards and honors

1970 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Lewis-Clark