Central Casting: What role will Cardinals play in making the division a real race?

CINCINNATI -- The Cardinals continue a stretch of 12 consecutive games against National League Central rivals, and all five division teams will reach their 50th game of the season with a record at .500 or better.

At least four will have winning records as the first third of the season comes to an end.

But is there a real NL Central race?

Post-Dispatch editor Nathan Mills joins baseball writer Derrick Goold to discuss the division and what each team needs to do to win the title. The Cubs and Brewers stand out. The Reds have intriguing talent. The Pirates have a wicked pitching staff. The Cardinals ... must continue to win at the margins, and there's a word that Goold gives to that: "Zero Defect." 

Besides, the real race in the division may not be on the field at all.

It could be in the dugout.

If the Cardinals continue to play beyond expectations, manager Oli Marmol may present the best challenger in the division to Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy's three-peat as National League Manager of the Year.

Also discussed on this episode:

• The method behind the six-inning starts from the Cardinals rotation.
• How to update classic pitching metrics for a modern starter.
• The invention, in real-time of Skyline Chili poutine. You're welcome.

More Post-Dispatch podcasts. 

Please consider subscribing.

In its 14th season as one of the first and most widely heard podcasts on baseball and the Cardinals, the Best Podcast in Baseball has reached a new season-high with 30 episodes. Each episode is sponsored weekly by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and lead baseball writer Derrick Goold.