"The season's first half allowed them only one winning streak longer than three games, denied them anything more than consecutive wins on the road and witnessed just two nine-inning wins when surrendering four runs or more. The preceding biographical sketch doesn't describe the Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros or Baltimore Orioles. It's the Cardinals. Yet a team so maddeningly inconsistent during the season's first three months that it led the coaching staff to post an effort chart in the players lounge opened the current road trip leading the National League in run differential and 21/2 games off the loop's best record. "For me, they're the best team in the league. They always have been. Now they're playing like it," offered one rival NL scout during the 7-1 home stand preceding the current trip to Wrigley Field and Citi Field. As if to underscore their volatility, the Cardinals followed a one-hit, 11-inning loss to the Philadelphia with consecutive stinkers in Chicago." http://www.stltoday.com/sports/base...cle_e7020472-8eb0-544d-a3df-41c6f504862d.html
