How close we were to 1964, 1967 and 1968 not happening.

[Brownieand45sfan]

Senators refused Devine's offer of Gibson and Ron Kline for Shantz in 1960.

http://mclff.blogspot.com/2017/04/if...s-made-in.html

[JessePopHaines16]

@ the senators.

[Herr28]

And who knows, maybe 1982, 1985, and 1987 don't happen if whichever NY team doesn't trade Willie McGee for lefty Bob Sykes? History is fun lol.

[Whoman69]

The 60s teams happened because we traded for Lou Brock. Cardinals were 28-30 in 7th at the time of the trade. Brock batted .348 and scored 81 runs in 103 games. Cardinals went 65-39 .625 the rest of the way including an important sweep of the Phillies in the late season. Brock had perhaps his best season in '67 and led the league in doubles and triples in '68.

[Whoman69]

A better story would be how close we came in 1948 and 1939. A a Max Lanier and Dizzy Dean to those teams and we have two more pennants.

[Steve Jeltz]

A better story would be how close we came in 1948 and 1939. A a Max Lanier and Dizzy Dean to those teams and we have two more pennants.

You could possibly add 1981 as well. Best overall record in the NL East, but that dumb split season playoff format kept the Cardinals out.

[sleeper54]

Best overall record in the NL East, but that dumb split season playoff format kept the Cardinals out.

.
Slightly OT.

Cincinnati Reds suffered the same fate. Would have been interesting to have somehow used a wild card format of some sort to ... at the least ...let the Cards and Reds have an opportunity.

I guess the wild card idea was still decades away.

imagine a wild card format in use since 1981. Lots of 'alternative history' playoff possibilities there.

...tom...