Not long ago, the St. Louis Cardinals found themselves in a tight race with the Milwaukee Brewers for the NL Central title. The Brewers had tremendous pitching and former MVP Christian Yelich, but the Cardinals separated themselves from Milwaukee after the All-Star break. St. Louis holds a sizable eight-game lead with less than 20 contests remaining, almost guaranteeing them that spot in the next couple of days.
Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado will likely finish at one and two in the NL MVP race, which is a massive confidence booster for the team heading into the postseason. The Triple Crown chase is on for Goldschmidt, and he has a chance to make history. With the postseason approaching in the next couple of weeks, these are the reasons why the Redbirds can shock the MLB and win the World Series crown.
Two names, four words: Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado
Paul Goldschmidt has been close to winning the NL MVP for several seasons already, but he has not reached the top. This season, the likelihood of that trend ending is likely to happen. Many hitters in this era are focused more on power and homers, but Goldschmidt possesses more of an all-around approach. That is evident because Goldschmidt is top 10 in almost all hitting categories.
Nolan Arenado is on a tear as well as he is proving that he can hit on a high level even if he is not in Coors Field anymore. Being in the middle of the order with many other reliable hitters, Arenado has been a force like Goldschmidt. To add to that, his defense has continued to be arguably the best in the MLB at the 3B position.
Phenomenal young talent
In numerous MLB conversations throughout the season, a slew of revelations has surprised the casual MLB fan. Dylan Carlson is on his third season in the majors, and he has been an everyday outfielder for the Cardinals already. Carlson's numbers have plummeted from last season, but manager Oliver Marmol has deployed him consistently.
Brendan Donovan, Lars Nootbar, and Nolan Gorman are other individuals who have earned their playing time in this St. Louis team. Being an inexperienced individual player in the major has not been an excuse for this Cardinals team because they contributed instantly when they were promoted. The challenge for them is to continue it in the postseason.
Fuel from Cardinal Legends
One of the most talked stories in September is Albert Pujols' chase for 700 homers. It has been a terrific sight to see for all baseball fans as he is at 698 with well over 15 games remaining for the Redbirds. Even if he does not get to play every day, the chase for history has definitely been an inspiring journey for his youthful teammates.
It is not only Pujols who may retire after this season, but Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina are winding down into their final few seasons in the big leagues as well. Recently, Wainwright and Molina recorded their 325th game together as a battery, the highest mark in MLB history. These three legendary men are ingrained in the minds of the Cardinals fans, and they have left a legacy on the organization.
With the combination of veterans and youngsters in the franchise, St. Louis has the tools and weapons to be a force in the postseason. Finding the aces in the postseason is still in question, so Marmol must form a pitching staff that can compete with the likes of the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets. Even with that still in consideration, the offense will carry this team to their first World Series crown in 11 years.
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