Not in the Cards

The Cardinals are still in third place in the NL Central. This seems to be a theme with them.

i'll give the Cardinals credit for having the exact opposite problem from everyone else- they have a fantastic pitching rotation, and nobody who's willing to hit. Yeah, infield's great, fielding is fine, but there's been a shortage of real bats, as a number of guys are only hitting 14 home runs and only one starter has a +.300 average (and it's Tommy Pham).

Unlike most years, where the Cards have at least been competitive, we're dealing with a relatively inconsequential Cardinals team, one with a youth movement that's trying to emerge, and a core that's beginning to get too rusty. And finding a middle ground between those two components has become difficult for them.

Plus, the Cubs and Brewers have a ton more going for them than the Cards do. So they're kind of fighting a losing battle this year, regardless.

Coming Tomorrow: An outfielder for the still-unbelievable Houston Astros.