If you would have told me on Aug. 10 that the St. Louis Cardinals, then 8.5 games out of the second National League wild card spot, would be in position to make the postseason, I would have laughed and told you there was little chance.
How could I not? The Cardinals were scuffling offensively. The pitching staff was once again without Jack Flaherty and relying on aging veterans Jon Lester and J.A. Happ to pitch meaningful innings. All-Star closer Alex Reyes was struggling mightily in the ninth inning. The team, as a whole, was in a bad position and appeared on the verge of collapsing without having a surge that they had promised all season.