CHICAGO • The idea, general manager John Mozeliak suggested a few weeks ago, would be to have a pocket of prospects gather at Class AA Springfield and, like the Jon Jay and Allen Craig or Matt Adams and Kolten Wong groups of the past, advance together as they learned to win together.
Advancing is something the Cardinals control.
Winning is something they cannot script.
Until now.
Two of the Cardinals’ full-season affiliates clinched berths in their leagues playoffs Sunday with wins. The Class AA Springfield Cardinals won the first half of the Texas League season for their third title since 2009 and first since winning the league championship in 2012.