Red Birds red-hot despite key Injury

Since the 2010 MLB Postseason, the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals have flip flopped representing the National League in the World Series with the Giants making their appearance in each of the past three even numbered years and St. Louis going during the odd numbered years. Though the 2015 season is still very young, the Cardinals are off to an amazing start as they look to continue that pattern. The formula took a major hit just two weeks ago, however, when it was learned that Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright would miss the remainder of the season with a torn Achilles tendon, suffered during an at-bat on April 25.  

While an injury of this magnitude to a player as significant to his team as Waino is would normally crumble a franchise for the season moving forward, it's almost as if the injury inspired the ball club. Since the injury to their ace occurred, the Cardinals have gone 9-3 and are coming off their first nine-win homestand since 2002, helping them jump out to a 6 1/2 game lead in the NL Central standings. After posting a record of 19-6 which set a mark for the best start in franchise history through the first 25 games of the season, the Red Birds now stand at a league-best record of 21-7 following Thursday's 5-1 win over the archrival Chicago Cubs. Since 2009, Wainwright has been one of the premier pitchers in all of baseball, placing in the top three of NL Cy Young voting four times in his career. And through his first four starts of 2015, Wainwright was off to another stellar start to the season, boasting a record of 2-1 and an ERA of 1.44.

With the game of baseball now without one of its best pitchers for the remainder of the season, it's that time of year to bring up the annual discussion of, "should the National League adopt the designated-hitter rule" like their American League counterpart. Any time a pitcher gets injured either at the plate or on the base paths by way of a freak injury as was the case with Wainwright, you can bet your bottom dollar those in favor of the DH will come out of the woodwork with lit torches and pitchforks in hand in support of the National League adopting the designated-hitter. While most teams are afraid to lose their multi-million dollar pitching investment to an injury while at the plate which doesn't quite pertain to what they were initially signed for, the small-ball strategy which goes into the National League's game is the last remaining component separating the two leagues. 

But in the meantime, NL pitcher's continue to hit and the Cardinals continue to win. Prior to Wainwright's injury, St. Louis was struggling on offense as runs were at a minimum. But since then, the Cardinals have averaged nearly six runs per game as the bats have awoken, backed by some stout pitching from veteran pitcher John Lackey who has registered several gems this season as well as a bullpen which has been nails during their most recent homestand which saw a combined ERA of 1.01 over 44 1/3 innings. If there's one team in all of baseball who can overcome the absence of a 3-time All-Star like Wainwright and still contend for a title as we've learned over the years, it's the Red Birds. After all, this isn't their first go-around without their workhorse as the Cardinals went on to win the 2011 World Series with Wainwright sidelined for the entire season. The only surprise this time around would be if St. Louis can continue at their current pace all season long in an NL Central division which features two teams that are young and hungry in the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates, both of whom weren't even a blip on the radar in 2011.


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