We've Only Just Begun

By JP

The Cardinals just got done taking two of three games from the Cubs and Braves, respectively, over the last two series and next up are the Arizona Diamondbacks. The D-bags, er, D-Backs have a better record than the Cubs and the same amount of wins as the Pirates. So what does that mean?

Not a damn things. The Cardinals have been so wishy washy this season that it's hard to tell how they will fare against Arizona. From here, the Cardinals look in great shape with Wainwright, Wacha, and Lynn thowing the next three games. Allen Craig may be heating up and Kolten Wong looks like his stint in the minors did him a world of good, ala Micheal Wacha last season. But what is St. Louis's real problem?

It kind of looks like relievers. The Cards had a 4-2 lead against the Atlanta Braves, but the bullpen let that slip away. Jaime Garcia pitched decently, which is a pleasant surprise since he hasn't pitched since, um 2008? I didn't fact check that, but it's probably right.

Tony La Russa was fond of saying (or may never have said, again, I don't do a lot of fact checking) that the first goal is to get to 5 games over .500. A sweep of the D-Bags...dammit I did it again...D-Backs would put the Cardinals at 5 gamse over. That is, at least,  a starting point. They have to get to five over before they can get to twenty (yay math!).

Sure, it would be nice to have the Cardinals be at 30-10 or something like that, but what matters isn't having a great record in the regular season it's making the post season. Exibit A:2006. Exhibit 2-ish: 2011. In 2006 the Cardinals won their division ata record of 83-78, a mere five games over .500. They, of course, won the World Series that year. They were a Wild Card team in 2011 and again won the World Series. Cardinals fans don't have to look very far back in team history for evidence that the regular season doesn't mean much as long as they make the playoffs.