Hunt and Peck

You know what? Let’s just peek at the Cardinals’ playoff odds - A Hunt and Peck

One quick look couldn’t hurt, right?

By lil_scooter93 Aug 14, 2018, 1:00pm EDT

MLB: Washington Nationals at St. Louis Cardinals

I am big believer that I am a giant jinx and curse on this baseball club and that everything I do in a cosmic sense will determine the future of my favorite baseball team. Earlier this year I wrote about the team being in first place (see how I am carefully avoiding using the team’s name here) and they pretty much immediately proceeded to sink further down into the standings.

But I am going to risk jinxing them today in order to point out just how much more fun it is watch them play now.

One month ago the manager was fired. On that day, the team was 47-46, third in their division and 7.5 games back of the division-leader. The team’s chances to win the division (according to Fangraphs)? 2.6% To win the Wild Card? 18.4%. That means the playoff odds were around 21%.

Around July 24 is where things started to look a little bleak. People were advocating selling and playing for 2019. The team had dropped to fourth in the division at 51-50, with total Fangraphs playoff odds sitting at 17%. It grew bleaker from there, dropping all the way down to 7.0% at the trade deadline.

Then the team made some moves. They made a few trades, brought up some young players from the minors, cut some ineffective veteran relievers and brought up the youngsters. The team also started hitting better and its best hitter was suddenly in talks as an MVP candidate. The playoff odds began to climb

Today, the team is 64-55, sitting at third place and five games back in the division. Their odds to make the playoffs? 28.8%.