ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Since 2011, the bill for clubhouse carpet cleaning and/or replacement has been high for the St. Louis Cardinals. It's a price willingly paid for all those champagne fests, every step of the way.
Like clockwork, October arrives and so do the Cardinals, primed for another deep postseason run. The last four years, they've advanced to the NL Championship Series, winning the World Series in '11.
The script changes from year to year, and so does the supporting cast. The bottom line: consistent excellence.
Despite myriad injuries and without an MVP or Cy Young Award candidate among them, the Cardinals led the majors with 100 victories.