The Adam Wainwright appreciation post

I have written several posts waxing poetic about the unmatched grace and charm of the Cardinals long-time righthanded darling, Adam Wainwright. We can always use more, though, because

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┃┃╱╲ In this
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╱╱╭╮╲╲ we love
▔▏┗┛▕▔ & appreciate
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Adam Wainwright
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That meme format is still relevant and cool, right? RIGHT?!

Anyway let’s talk about Adam Wainwright. Waino made his debut with the Cardinals in 2005 and has been with the team ever since. In those 17 seasons (16 playing since he missed 2011 recovery from Tommy John surgery) he has amassed 44.1 fWAR, started 350 games, pitched 2324 innings, and has a record of 178-105. His career ERA is 3.37 and career FIP is 3.43. In his 14 seasons as a starter he only has four below replacement level (2.0 fWAR) seasons — all of those were shortened seasons either to injury or global catastrophe. Waino is a three-time All Star, two-time Gold Glover, a Silver Slugger, and a four-time Cy Young finalist, coming in second place twice. He has 1.97 career Cy Young voting shares, the most of any player to not win the award and more than many players that have won the award.

Among Cardinals he is second in fWAR and in strikeouts to the late great Bob Gibson, third in wins, sixth in inning pitched, and fourth in games started. He is 23rd in career shutouts with 11, and has 27 complete games.

Among pitchers over age 39 or older Wainwright’s 2021 season is tied for 96th in history in fWAR with 2.8. He is currently 47th in ERA. Among Cardinals pitchers 39 or older he is having the fourth best season according to fWAR. There are very few pitchers that were able to continue pitching with this type of sucess late into their career. Even some of the very best could not.

On top of it all, he is just a cool dude. Remember when he painted his face for the US Men’s National Soccer Team match?

Or when he started his foundation Big League Impact and was awarded the Roberto Clemente Award?

Or all his cool family Halloween costumes?

Or his “Day After Pitching Old Man Walks”?

Or when Waino and Yadier Molina were The Cutest Friends?

I think Lexi Maddux put it pretty nicely in her tweet after Wainwright’s complete game shutout this season:

Adam Wainwright deserves the world!