RetroSimba

The 2011 Cardinals rate among the most dominant single-season hitting and run-producing teams in franchise history.

St. Louis led the National League this year in runs (762), hits (1,513), batting average (.273), on-base percentage (.341), slugging percentage (.425) and total bases (2,351).

It’s the first time in 67 years _and only the fourth time since 1900 _ the Cardinals have led the NL in all six categories.

A look behind the numbers:

_ The 2011 Cardinals are the only NL team to reach 1,500 hits this year. Their 1,513 total is 36 more than the No. 2-ranked team, the Mets.

_ With 2,351 total bases, the Cardinals, along with the Brewers (2,315), are the only NL teams this year to achieve 2,300 in that category.

_ The Cardinals shared the NL slugging percentage lead this year with the Brewers.

In qualfying for the postseason as the NL wild-card team at 90-72, St. Louis was led this year on offense by Albert Pujols (.299 batting average, 37 home runs, 99 RBI) and Lance Berkman (.301 batting average, 31 homers, 94 RBI).

Here are the other Cardinals teams that have equaled the 2011 Cardinals for offensive supemacy in the NL by finishing first in each of the six categories:

_ 1939 Cardinals: runs (779), hits (1,601), batting average (.294), on-base percentage (.354), slugging percentage (.432) and total bases (2,351).

Though St. Louis was 92-61 in 1939, it finished in second place, 4.5 games behind the NL champion Dodgers. This was one of the most explosive lineups in Cardinals history. The 1,601 hits rank fourth all-time among all Cardinals teams (the 1930 Cardinals hold the franchise’s single-season mark, with 1,732).

The 1939 Cardinals had 108 more hits than the next-best NL producer, the league champion Reds, and their batting average was 16 points higher than Cincinnati’s.

Leading the 1939 Cardinals’ lineup were Johnny Mize (.349 batting average, 28 homers, 108 RBI) and Joe Medwick (.332 batting mark, 14 homers, 117 RBI).

_ 1942 Cardinals: runs (755), hits (1,454), batting average (.268), on-base percentage (.338), slugging percentage (.379) and total bases (2,054).

St. Louis was the only NL team to reach 1,400 hits in 1942. The Cardinals and Dodgers shared the NL lead in on-base percentage.

The first of three consecutive pennant winners set a Cardinals single-season wins record in finishing 106-48. Leading the way were Enos Slaughter (.318 batting average, 13 homers, 98 RBI) and rookie Stan Musial (.315 batting average, 10 homers, 72 RBI).

_ 1944 Cardinals: runs (772), hits (1,507), batting average (.275), on-base percentage (.344), slugging percentage (.402) and total bases (2,199).

St. Louis was the only NL team with a slugging pecentage of at least .400 in 1942. The Cardinals’ slugging pecentage was 23 points higher than the No. 2-ranked club, the Pirates.

Finishing at 105-49, the 1944 Cardinals were a mirror image of the 1942 team. Both won World Series titles. Musial hit .347 with 12 homers and 94 RBI and Ray Sanders had a career year with a .295 batting mark, 12 homers and 102 RBI.