The date was Aug. 7, 2016. The Cincinnati Reds weren't a good team, but Mike Leake and the St. Louis Cardinals were making them look like the gods of October.
The Cardinals were shut out 7-0 that day by Brandon Finnegan and the Reds, completing a series win for the division opponent that should have served as a stepping stone for the playoff hopeful Cardinals. It was the beginning of a rough month for the Birds, a revelatory period that would define a season of sudden disappointment.
In missing the playoffs by a single game two seasons ago, the Cardinals didn't have to look far for the reason. They went 10-9 versus Cincinnati that season, crippling their September run. In addition to losses to the Reds, the Atlanta Braves took two of three against St. Louis at Busch Stadium the following weekend, which ended in a 6-0 shutout with Adam Wainwright on the mound. It was ugly.
So when I hear fans bicker about sweeping the Reds during this young season twice in a week, I roll my eyes. How many times in franchise history can you recall the Cardinals winning seven straight games versus a divisional opponent? I'll keep going while you fire up the googles. It's rare. The 2005 Albert Pujols-powered Cardinals didn't have this much early season success against a divisional opponent. It's nothing to sleep on or take lightly.
A little more success against a team like the Reds the past two seasons and the playoff picture would change. The Cardinals went 10-9 versus Cincinnati and 5-14 against the Chicago Cubs last year, which crippled their chances of seeing mid-October classic action. If you can't beat your neighbors, don't even think about driving down the street.
The Cardinals are 11-4 versus their division so far this year, and I know it's early, so save me the small sample size brigade. They didn't just beat the Reds the past two weeks; the Cardinals embarrasses Walt Jocketty's team. They outscored them 44-17 and rarely gave the Ohio natives a lead to dream about. Yadier Molina isn't just booed by Cincy fans because of a past feud with former Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips. They don't like "Yadi" because he destroys their pitching every season. Paul DeJong is the new villain in the Reds story, clubbing them for game changing home runs that stretch games out of reach.
If it weren't for a late game collapse from Dominic Leone, the Cardinals would have swept the Milwaukee Brewers on the road. They settled for a 3-3 record instead. The Cardinals split two games against Chicago, in a pair of games that couldn't be more different and lop-sided.
Here's the takeaway for the common fan: all wins count. It doesn't matter if it comes against Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers or Brandon Finnegan and the Reds. When September closes up and October fires up, a team needs to look back on their schedule and know they took care of business against bad teams, aka the lumps of dirt that can be blown off the table with a deep breath and slow exhale.
The Cardinals are proving early on that they can hang with the division, which will only help their chances later this summer. Pittsburgh awaits this weekend for the first test, but I don't think they should be too much of a handful. I don't buy their early success nor do I think it will last. The Cardinals aren't even hitting as a complete unit yet and are beating teams with ease. Their bullpen is still finding its identity, but there are wins stacking up. The rotation is spraying leaks already, but finding ways to impress. Just wait until Alex Reyes and Jack Flaherty show up for duty.
Speaking of Finnegan and the Reds, remember when I told you the lefty beat the Cardinals back in 2016. Well, the Cardinals put a hurt on him twice in a week this month. They pounded his offerings into the stands and showed little mercy. He found little success against these mightier Birds.
The fact is that this is different Cards team. The kids are starting to show up and lend a hand. The older guys are sitting down or taking pleasure in watching the youth movement unfold. Molina is finding a fourth wind on the field. They are smiling more and dancing on social media. Winning brings happiness, which leads to more happiness.
It's easy to be happy when you find comfort in beating teams you're supposed to beat. After a hiatus, the Cardinals are doing that again. Don't frown on it. Appreciate its quiet yet potent importance.
