St. Louis Cardinals: 5 Reasons Why Albert Pujols and Company Lead the Division

Coming off of a season in which they finished a disappointing five games behind the Cincinnati Reds, the St. Louis Cardinals were projected by many to finish no better than second or third in the NL Central.  To make matters worse, the team was unable to come to terms on a contract extension with slugger Albert Pujols during spring training, casting a potentially huge shadow over the actual on-field product.  Then, before the season even began, one of the Cardinals' two aces, Adam Wainwright, was lost for the season to ligament damage in his elbow.

Yeah, things looked pretty bleak.  However, the Cardinals are currently 21-15 on the year, sitting one game ahead of the Reds for first in the NL Central. They look like a team that has it's eyes set on the playoffs.  How have they done it? 

Here are five reasons that the Cardinals are currently leading the NL Central.

Lance Berkman and the Offense Have Been the Best in Baseball

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ST. LOUIS, MO - MAY 5: Lance Berkman #12 of the St. Louis Cardinals rounds the bases after hitting the game-winning three-run home run against the Florida Marlins at Busch Stadium on May 5, 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Ima

When the Cardinals signed Lance Berkman in the offseason, there were probably more than a few snickers in major league clubhouses.  Berkman was coming off of a terrible year for him personally, and was battling the perception that he was too out of shape and washed up to ever be a productive big league player again. 

But he has been nothing short of the NL MVP as of this point in the season. He has lead an offensive explosion that has propelled the Cardinals to the top of the division.  Berkman currently ranks first in RBI, first in slugging, first in OBP, second in homeruns, second in runs, third in average and eighth in BB.

Even with a struggling Albert Pujols, the Cardinals (behind Berkman and Matt Holliday) lead the majors in team average, OBP and runs while running second in slugging and OPS.  If Pujols can ever get on track, and is there really any doubt that he will, then the Cardinals offense might be the best in baseball this year.

Tony La Russa's Mentality Has Taken over the Franchise

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PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 12: Manager Tony La Russa of the St. Louis Cardinals sits in the dugout during the Major League Baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on April 12, 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Cardi

Tony La Russa often gets grief from opposing fans and teams—and from St. Louis partisans as well—for his penchant for over-managing games and instigating feuds over almost invented slights against the baseball code.  But truth be told, La Russa is undoubtedly one of baseball's all-time great managers, and also one of it's toughest.

La Russa prides himself over having teams that are scrappy and play a hard nine, and this year's team looks like it could be one of his favorites. 

When the club didn't get the contract extension with Pujols done, La Russa refused to let it become a distraction as the season began.  When La Russa and the Cardinals lost Wainwright for the season, La Russa just went on with the season and said that the Cardinals would adapt.  Until he missed yesterday's game La Russa had managed every game while battling shingles in his face, never complaining and just showing up for work and giving his all.

His team has followed in his footsteps all year long, and have yet to let the many possible distractions and excuses alter how they perform on the field.  While sometimes a pain to watch and cheer for, La Russa deserves all of the credit for molding the entire Cardinals franchise into a tough-minded group.

Cardinals Pitchers Have Answered the Bell

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ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 3: Starter Jaime Garcia #54 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the San Diego Padre at Busch Stadium on April 3, 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

When Adam Wainwright went down in spring training, it looked like it could be a rough year for Cardinals pitching.  But while losing an ace is never easy, the Cardinals have weathered the storm thanks a balanced starting rotation that has been steady—and often times dominating—so far this season.

Jaime Garcia, coming off a fantastic 2010 rookie season, is 4-0 thus far on the year and already has two complete-game shutouts.  The second-year man also sports a sub 2.00 ERA and leads the team in strikeouts.

Equally impressive and surprising have been the two Kyles: Kyle Lohse (4-2, 2.24 ERA) and Kyle McClellan (5-0, 3.3 ERA).  Both began the year as pitching concerns and have risen to the occasion as the first quarter of the season comes to an end.

And then there is the leader of the staff, Chris Carpenter, and another reliable veteran in Jake Westbrook.  Both have struggled somewhat this year with only three wins between them, but Carpenter is an always steady presence due for a breakout of dominating performances and Westbrook is all you can ask for from your fifth-best starter.  When these two are your worst starters in your rotation, you are probably going to be in good shape.

Pujols Has Not Been a Distraction

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ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 21: Albert Pujols #5 of the St. Louis Cardinals hits a two-run home run against the Washington Nationals at Busch Stadium on April 21, 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

To be fair, most players would love to be having the season that Albert Pujols is having.  But for a player as good as Albert Pujols, 2011 has been a major disappointment so far.

That being said, he is still one of the most valuable players in all of baseball for what he has not done this year: cause distractions.

Pujols, the best player in baseball, will be a free agent at the end of the season after failing to get a contract extension from the Cardinals this spring.  And while some athletes would take this as an opportunity to hold a city hostage and whine every other week to the media (Carmelo Anthony anyone?), Pujols has stayed true to his word in not discussing the matter. At all.

One can't help but think that it is has been this stance by Pujols, and to a lesser extent the Cardinals, that has led to the eerie calm that has surrounded the team all year.

Pujols will surely get his season going eventually, but his demeanor has already paid big dividends for the Cardinals this year.

It's the Schedule Stupid

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ISTANBUL, TURKEY - AUGUST 26: Fans of Fernando Alonso of Spain and McLaren Mercedes hold a sign saying 'Ham Tearful, swindler you will be a loser all your life' aimed at Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and McLaren Mercedes during the F1 Grand Prix of Tur

While any number of good things can be pointed to in explaining the Cardinals' good start, the picture would be incomplete without at least acknowledging the schedule that the Cardinals have played this year.

The Cardinals are currently in the middle of their 12th series of the season.  So far, they have played only four clubs with a winning record and eight teams with either a losing record or playing .500 ball. 

For the season, the combined record of all of the teams the Cardinals have played is 205-222.

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but the Cardinals won't get to play teams this bad all year long.  As the road gets tougher, the other four factors that have gotten the Cardinals to this point will all have to continue, and Albert Pujols will have to start playing much better for the Cardinals to have continued success.

But so far, things have been pretty good for the Birds on the Bat.