Defying Expectations/Logic/Common Sense to a 35-17 Record

This is the worst best Cardinals team I can remember. Let me count the ways we should be bad:

-The number 2 pitcher is out for the season (Carpenter). Maybe.

-The number 3 pitcher is out for the season (Garcia). Definitely.

-The number 1 pitcher may not be ready to be a number 1 as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery (Wainwright).

-The number 4 (or is it 5?) pitcher has been hurt for the better part of May (Westbrook).

-The other number 4 (or is it 5?) pitcher is a rookie who had an up...