RetroSimba

In 2012, Rafael Furcal figures to become the seventh shortstop 34 or older to spend a season as the Cardinals’ regular.

Furcal, who turned 34 on Oct. 24, 2011, will become the Cardinals’ oldest everyday shortstop since 39-year-old Ozzie Smith in 1994.

Acquired by the Cardinals from the Dodgers Aug. 31, Furcal has agreed to a two-year free-agent contract to remain with St. Louis. He likely will bat leadoff and will try to improve on the .255 batting average he compiled in 50 regular-season games as a Cardinal.

Furcal fielded flawlessly for the Cardinals in the 2011 postseason. In 157 combined postseason innings covering the National League Division Series, National League Championship Series and World Series, Furcal committed no errors at shortstop.

Here is a look at the players 34 or older who were everyday shortstops for the Cardinals since 1926, the first season St. Louis won a World Series title:

RABBIT MARANVILLE

Tommy Thevenow, 24, was the Cardinals’ Opening Day shortstop in 1928, but Rabbit Maranville, 36, played more games at shortstop (112) than Thevenow did (64) that season in helping the Cardinals to their second NL pennant.

Thevenow was batting .202 when he was replaced by Maranville as the everyday shortstop on May 26, 1928. But Maranville, inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1954, was well beyond his prime when the Cardinals turned to him. He hit .240 and committed 19 errors during the regular season. He did bat .308 in the four-game World Series against the Yankees.

After the season, the Cardinals sold Maranville’s contract to the Braves and traded Thevenow to the Phillies, handing the shortstop job to Charlie Gelbert.

AL DARK

Alex Grammas, the Cardinals’ everyday shortstop in 1955, was St. Louis’ starting shortstop on Opening Day 1956. But he didn’t hit well. On May 16, the Cardinals dealt Grammas to the Reds but were left with a hole to fill at shortstop. A month later, June 14, the Cardinals traded second baseman Red Schoendienst to the Giants for shortstop Al Dark.

Dark, 34, hit .286 for the 1956 Cardinals but committed 20 errors in 99 games.

The Cardinals stuck with him. At 35, Dark was the everyday shortstop for St. Louis in 1957, batting .290 with 64 RBI. He made 25 errors in 139 games but also helped turn 105 double plays and made 276 putouts.

Dark, 36, opened the 1958 season as St. Louis’ starting shortstop but was traded to the Cubs for pitcher Jim Brosnan on May 20. Eddie Kasko, 26, replaced Dark.

ALEX GRAMMAS

Daryl Spencer, 32, was the Cardinals’ Opening Day shortstop in 1961 but was traded to the Dodgers on May 30. Alex Grammas, reacquired by St. Louis from the Reds in October 1958, ended up playing more games at shortstop (66) for St. Louis that season than anyone else. Grammas, 35, batted just .212. Bob Lillis, Julio Gotay and Jerry Buchek also took turns at shortstop for the 1961 Cardinals.

DICK GROAT

In 1965, his third and last season as the Cardinals’ everyday shortstop, Groat, 34, hit .254 _ his lowest batting average since entering the big leagues with Pittsburgh in 1952. He also committed 27 errrors in 147 games. The Cardinals traded him to the Phillies after the season and turned to light-hitting Dal Maxvill to boost their defense.

DON KESSINGER

The Cardinals acquired Don Kessinger from the Cubs in October 1975 to keep the shortstop position filled until rookie Garry Templeton was ready.

Kessinger played 113 games at shortstop for St. Louis in 1976 before Templeton became the starter on Aug. 9. Kessinger, who turned 34 on July 17, 1976, batted .239 for the Cardinals with 22 doubles and 40 RBI.

OZZIE SMITH

From the time he turned 34, The Wizard played six seasons (1989-94) as St. Louis’ everyday shortstop. He remained remarkably consistent during that stretch, compiling 150 hits or more in four of those seasons and achieving a fielding percentage of .975 or better in five of those seasons.

In 1995, Smith, 40, was the Cardinals’ starting shortstop on Opening Day, but Tripp Cromer played more games at shortstop (95) that season than did Smith (41). In Smith’s final season, 1996, he played in 52 games at shortstop behind starter Royce Clayton (113 games).