St. Louis...We Have a Problem

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     As I have previously discussed, the St. Louis Cardinals' product is their talent. The way people can find out whether or not the Cardinals are producing a good product is based on the way the team plays, and the success that they have. And although I hate to say it, St. Louis.... we have a problem. 

    Since 2013, it seems as though the Cardinals have been unable to make it to the October classic. This is not due to a lack of talent or poor management, and this is the problem. There is no real answer to their problem, as their problem seems to be due to a head-scratching dip in production that almost always takes place in the month of October, during the playoffs. 

    For as long as I can remember, the Cardinals have been a second-half team. They'll barely keep their head above water until the All-Star break and then completely take off after the Mid-Summer Classic. There is no true reason why teams get hot at the times that they do. Talent is definitely the easy answer as to why a team starts performing well, but if that was truly the reason for total performance then teams like the Yankees, Dodgers, and Astros should never have points in the season when they are playing poorly. However, consistent greatness is nearly impossible to maintain in sports. This is why the answer for the Cardinal's second-half success may be based off of motivation and/or momentum. 

    Following the All-Star break, maybe one of the Cardinals veterans steps up and lights a fire under the rest of the team. Maybe a guy like Yadier Molina, who has been with the team since 2004 and is greatly respected, sits all of the guys down and tells them that they are too good to be performing how they are. Maybe this speech lights a fire under the team, but a fire that only burns until the first or second week of October. But maybe, we'll never truly know.  

    These streaks that teams get on usually come from nowhere, and are unexplainable. Some teams always choke in the playoffs. No matter how good their players are, they still find a way to underperform under the bright lights. Sadly, it is looking like the Cardinals are one of these teams, and there seems to be no true way for them to combat this. Nolan Arenado, Albert Pujols, Paul Goldschmidt, Yadier Molina, and a roster full of great, young talent and exceptional pitching, are not the answer, and it is starting to look like not much more can be done. 

    The only true way for this problem to be resolved is through progress. Unfortunately, this progress cannot be seen until next October. So, for now, we must hope that 2023 will be the year that the St. Louis Cardinals finally make it deep into the playoffs, and maybe even receive their 12th World Series Title. 

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