Around this time of the year during the last four years, I have become a pure fan of baseball. The St. Louis Cardinals haven’t been in the playoffs since 2015. Since then, I’ve been pulling for either an American League team or the Los Angeles Dodgers, because one of my closest friends back home is a fan of the Dodgers.

This year’s playoffs are a lot different. The Cardinals will be in the playoffs, either as a Wild Card team or as the NL Central division winner.

The Cardinals have crushed their record in the month of September. If you had told me in late July when I was at a Cubs v. Cardinals game that the Cardinals would sweep the Cubs at Wrigley Field in order to make the playoffs, I would have said no chance.

The Cardinals were not making the routine plays that win baseball games at that point of the season. They lost the game I attended due to a routine catch that should’ve been made, and because Matt Wieters tried to throw someone out at second, but missed and resulted in a 2-0 lead.

That series at Wrigley Field was the most competitive, and the best baseball game I have seen the Cardinals play in a long time. They played with grit and determination every play.

The Cardinals were down in all four games of that series. In the first game, Matt Carpenter hit the winning home run off closer Craig Kimbrel in the 10th inning.

In the third game of the series, down again in the 9th inning, the Cardinals came back and won. Yadier Molina and Paul DeJong each homered off the first pitch from Kimbrel.

The Cardinals’ magic number is three to win the division. They will play their last series against the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium.

Even though the Cardinals lost twice against the Arizona Diamondbacks this weekend, I believe they are still one of the best teams in the National League.

This 2019 Cardinals team reminds me of the past teams that have been able to compete in the NL Central. I get that the Dodgers are the favorites to win the World Series in the National League, but the Cardinals should not be ignored.

So with the last weekend of regular baseball season approaching, I will be eager to watch this weekend. I’m more eager though for October baseball this year, more than I have been in the last few years.

Blake Faith is a senior journalism major. He can be reached at 581-2812 or at bmfaith@eiu.edu.