This is a relatively short post – in terms of words, anyway. Here I am offering a visual representation of the Cardinals minor league affiliates over the last 35 years. On the left is the number of clubs in the playoffs (or finishing in first place in non-playoff leagues) as well as number of championships (or first-place regular season finishes in non-playoff leagues).
Championship teams names are in bold while playoff teams are in italics. I’ve tried to distinguish when league changes were made as well as which Springfield (IL or MO) was involved. For additional details, check out the detailed articles on each level, linked-to below.
| Year | # tms | P’offs | Chps | Triple-A | Double-A | A-Advanced | A (Midwest) | A (WCL/Sally) | Short-Season A | Rookie | Complex |
| 2009 | 7 | Memphis | Springfield (MO) | Palm Beach | Quad Cities | Batavia | Johnson City | Gulf Coast | |||
| 2008 | 7 | 2 | 1 | Memphis | Springfield (MO) | Palm Beach | Quad Cities | Batavia | Johnson City | Gulf Coast | |
| 2007 | 7 | 2 | 0 | Memphis | Springfield (MO) | Palm Beach | Quad Cities | Batavia | Johnson City | Gulf Coast | |
| 2006 | 6 | 2 | 0 | Memphis | Springfield (MO) | Palm Beach | Quad Cities | State College | Johnson City | ||
| 2005 | 6 | 2 | 1 | Memphis | Springfield (MO) | Palm Beach | Quad Cities | New Jersey | Johnson City | ||
| 2004 | 6 | 2 | 1 | Memphis | Tennessee (Sou) | Palm Beach | Peoria | New Jersey | Johnson City | ||
| 2003 | 6 | 1 | 0 | Memphis | Tennessee (Sou) | Palm Beach | Peoria | New Jersey | Johnson City | ||
| 2002 | 6 | 2 | 1 | Memphis | New Haven (East) | Potomac (Car Lge) | Peoria | New Jersey | Johnson City | ||
| 2001 | 6 | 0 | 0 | Memphis | New Haven (East) | Potomac (Car Lge) | Peoria | New Jersey | Johnson City | ||
| 2000 | 6 | 1 | 1 | Memphis | Arkansas | Potomac (Car Lge) | Peoria | New Jersey | Johnson City | ||
| 1999 | 6 | 0 | 0 | Memphis | Arkansas | Potomac (Car Lge) | Peoria | New Jersey | Johnson City | ||
| 1998 | 6 | 1 | 0 | Memphis | Arkansas | Prince William (Car) | Peoria | New Jersey | Johnson City | ||
| 1997 | 6 | 0 | 0 | Louisville | Arkansas | Prince William (Car) | Peoria | New Jersey | Johnson City | ||
| 1996 | 6 | 1 | 0 | Louisville | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Peoria | New Jersey | Johnson City | ||
| 1995 | 7 | 1 | 1 | Louisville | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Peoria | Savannah | New Jersey | Johnson City | |
| 1994 | 8 | 5 | 3 | Louisville | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Madison | Savannah | New Jersey | Johnson City | Arizona |
| 1993 | 8 | 2 | 1 | Louisville | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Springfield (IL) | Savannah | Glens Falls | Johnson City | Arizona |
| 1992 | 8 | 1 | 0 | Louisville | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Springfield (IL) | Savannah | Hamilton | Johnson City | Arizona |
| 1991 | 8 | 0 | 0 | Louisville | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Springfield (IL) | Savannah | Hamilton | Johnson City | Arizona |
| 1990 | 8 | 1 | 0 | Louisville | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Springfield (IL) | Savannah | Hamilton | Johnson City | Arizona |
| 1989 | 8 | 3 | 1 | Louisville | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Springfield (IL) | Savannah | Hamilton | Johnson City | Arizona |
| 1988 | 8 | 1 | 0 | Louisville | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Springfield (IL) | Savannah | Hamilton | Johnson City | |
| 1987 | 7 | 4 | 0 | Louisville | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Springfield (IL) | Savannah | Erie | Johnson City | |
| 1986 | 7 | 3 | 1 | Louisville | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Springfield (IL) | Savannah | Erie | Johnson City | |
| 1985 | 7 | 3 | 1 | Louisville | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Springfield (IL) | Savannah | Erie | Johnson City | |
| 1984 | 7 | 3 | 1 | Louisville | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Springfield (IL) | Savannah | Erie | Johnson City | |
| 1983 | 7 | 3 | 0 | Louisville | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Springfield (IL) | Macon | Erie | Johnson City | |
| 1982 | 7 | 2 | 1 | Louisville | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Springfield (IL) | Gastonia | Erie | Johnson City | |
| 1981 | 6 | 1 | 0 | Springfield (IL) | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Gastonia | Erie | Johnson City | ||
| 1980 | 5 | 2 | 2 | Springfield (IL) | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Gastonia | Johnson City | |||
| 1979 | 5 | 1 | 1 | Springfield (IL) | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Gastonia | Johnson City | |||
| 1978 | 6 | 2 | 0 | Springfield (IL) | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Gastonia | Johnson City | Calgary (Pioneer) | ||
| 1977 | 6 | 3 | 2 | New Orleans | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Gastonia | Johnson City | Calgary (Pioneer) | ||
| 1976 | 5 | 2 | 1 | Tulsa | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Johnson City | Gulf Coast | |||
| 1975 | 5 | 2 | 2 | Tulsa | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Johnson City | Gulf Coast | |||
| 1974 | 5 | 1 | 1 | Tulsa | Arkansas | St. Petersburg | Modesto (Cal) | Gulf Coast |
My final group of posts in this series will look at minor league managerial records across the system over the years.
Related articles:
“Cardinals in the Gulf Coast, Arizona and Pioneer Rookie Leagues”
“Cardinals in Triple-A – 1977 to present”
“Cardinals in Double-A – 1966 to present”
“Cardinals in the Florida State League – 1966 to present”
“Quad Cities: Cardinals top minor league club has a long history”
“Cardinals in the Appalachian League – 1975 to present”