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St. Louis Cardinals: Five can’t miss series’ of 2016

By Landon Clapp

Mar 31, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA;St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright (50) and third baseman Matt Carpenter (13) gets pumped up in the dugout before the game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 31, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA;St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright (50) and third baseman Matt Carpenter (13) gets pumped up in the dugout before the game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 7, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen (left) fist bumps first base coach Nick Leyva (16) after McCutchen hit a single against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning in the National League Wild Card playoff baseball game at PNC Park. The Cubs won 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 7, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen (left) fist bumps first base coach Nick Leyva (16) after McCutchen hit a single against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning in the National League Wild Card playoff baseball game at PNC Park. The Cubs won 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

September 30-October 2 vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

If 2016 goes anything like the the past couple of seasons in the Central, I would bet that this three game set to close the regular season is going to have massive playoff implications.

I mean, the last three seasons, the Cardinals finished three, two and two games ahead of the Buccos in the final NL Central standings.

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Considering there is the potential for a three-game swing in the final weekend of the regular season, games 160-162 could be the difference in an NL Central title for these two clubs.

It is very conceivable that games in the first and last series of the season (as the Pirates and Cardinals face off in both) will be the determining factor in the division race.

Of course, our old hero David Freese is now playing in Pittsburgh. That adds to the intrigue of an already awesome NL Central match up.

Over the past three seasons, the Cardinals are 30-27 against the Buccos. The run differential in those 57 games has actually been +8 in favor of Pittsburgh.

I don’t expect anything different in 2016.

Next: Late roster changes mean uncertainty ahead of 2016

With the spotlight squarely on Busch Stadium in St. Louis in the season’s final weekend, the winner of that three-game set very well could be your NL Central Champion.

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