Turn into pumpkins in October? Cards do just the opposite

ST. LOUIS -- This is what they mean by "just get there and you'll have a chance."

David Eckstein -- excuse me, World Series MVP David Eckstein -- in the middle of more things than your little brother. Scott Rolen's bat stirring to life just before the clock struck midnight. Yadier Molina showing the world that you don't have to be named "Ivan Rodriguez" to be one of the most dangerous catchers in the business. Albert Pujols having a nice little series, nothing spectacular, and getting by with a little help from his friends.

Everyone wants a piece of World Series MVP David Eckstein. (US PRESSWIRE)

Jim Edmonds bouncing back from post-concussion syndrome and clearing the cobwebs from his head for what might be a final time in St. Louis. Jeff Weaver bouncing back from post-lit-up syndrome and rediscovering his arm angle and confidence.

An injury-ravaged Cardinals team -- excuse me, a World Series champion Cardinals team -- that was nearly de-feathered in what would have been the most spectacular collapse in baseball history during the final two weeks in September.

This is what they mean by "just get there and you'll have a chance."

The Cardinals finished blowing through October with a relentless 4-2 exclamation point of a Game 5 blitz of the Detroit Tigers to win the 10th World Series title in franchise history in front of a sellout Busch Stadium crowd of 46,638, many of whom were either still partying in the ballpark well after midnight or honking their horns in a glorious symphony just outside.

Just get there and you'll have a chance?

Until these Cardinals, no team in baseball history had won as few as 83 games during the regular season and moved on to win a World Series.

The previous low-water mark for regular-season wins for a world champion was the 1987 Minnesota Twins, who won just 85 games.

"I think it's a credit to this club," said Dave Duncan, perhaps the most famous -- if not the best -- pitching coach in the game. "Probably if we'd have needed 90 wins to win the division, we'd have somehow gotten them.

"We got enough wins to win the division."

Not to diminish what the Cardinals did in October, knocking down San Diego in the first round, belting the hated New York Mets in the National League Championship Series and then systematically carving up the Tigers to become the first NL team to win a World Series since the 2003 Florida Marlins.

But they're the living, breathing example that the most difficult part is just surviving the 162-game grind from April through September.