Manager Mike Shildt's recent declaration that the Cardinals' current roster includes five No. 1-type starting pitchers inspired us to publish Rick Hummel's compilation of the top 50 Cardinals pitchers since the franchise joined the National League in 1892.
Bob Gibson
Adam Wainwright
Dizzy Dean
Jesse Haines
Harry Brecheen
Max Lanier
Chris Carpenter
Larry Jackson
Mort Cooper
Bill Sherdel
Bill Doak
Howie Pollet
Matt Morris
Silver King
Bob Forsch
Steve Carlton
Slim Sallee
Bill Hallahan
Curt Simmons
Ted Breitenstein
Vinegar Bend Mizell
Al Brazle
Jack Stivetts
Harvey Haddix
Bob Tewksbury
Gerry Staley
Red Munger
Ray Washburn
Ernie Broglio
Lance Lynn
Jose DeLeon
Murry Dickson
Joe Magrane
John Tudor
Carlos Martinez
Joaquin Andujar
Syl Johnson
Jaime Garcia
Cy Young
Lindy McDaniel
Dave Foutz
Flint Rhem
Pete Alexander
Danny Cox
Lon Warneke
Michael Wacha
Reggie Cleveland
Bob Caruthers
Paul Dean
Historically, Cardinals pitching has been pretty much average. Since the start of the American League in 1901, the Cards are 8th of the "original" 16 teams in total fWAR for pitchers, which isn't bad but is certainly not as good as they've done with non-pitchers, where only the Yankees and Giants have more fWAR than the Cards. Having one pitcher of Gibson's caliber over that length of time is probably about average too, though that's kind of hard to quantify.
Woody Williams is probably a top-50 all time pitcher for the Padres and Blue Jays. Tewksbury could arguably be for the Twins if you ignore their Senators years before they moved to Minnesota, and he only pitched there two years. Fifty pitchers goes a lot deeper into a franchise's history than you might think.