Not in the Cards

To me, there are three possible explanations for the Cardinals spectacular fall from first to hopelessly out ofthe playoffs during two short woeful weeks in August.

Theory 1 - The Lineup

The lineup boasts two quality hitters, three when Rasmus is permitted to play. It's hard to score runs consistently with 6-7 outs in the lineup.

Theory 2 - Team Effort

To date, the team is 8 games over .500 against playoff-destined teams, and 6 games under .500 against all other teams. If they can play well when they want, they should all of the time.

Theory 3 - Team Management

The Cardinals play as if the steriod era was still active, showing little aptitude for the speed/strategy aspect of baseball, and waiting for the long ball. Of their top four offensive weapons, one was traded away for little in return, one will cost a fortune to retain, one is a hired gun, and the other has been unnecessarily alienated.

Take your pick. It's a mystery to me.