IT'S JUST A GAME: CARDS NEED PRODEUCTION, NOT MCGWIRE, TO WIN NLC

Call me crazy, but the Cardinals can still win the division, and make it to the World Series, without a blockbuster trade.

Look at the St. Louis Cardinals roster and tell me what this team is missing.

I've looked, and I just can't figure out what it is. Players and fans have been begging for Cardinals' General Manager Walt Jocketty to make a trade, but whatever it is the Cards are needing, it's my bet they won't find it in any of the trade rumors that have circulated around St. Louis.

Even though the Birds have been pathetic at the plate this year, the talent is there for the Cards to turn things around and make the playoffs. Yes, even if they don't trade their entire farm system for Oakland slugger Mark McGwire, who now says he would okay a trade to St. Louis.

Let's face it, the Cardinals are in the National League Central, and it won't take another "Big Red Machine" or "Murderer's Row" to win this division.

The Cardinals have arguably one of the best young lineups in the business. The main problem this year has been injuries (Brian Jordan) and lack of production (Ron Gant).

Looking at the two players above, the Cardinals have virtually played the entire season without the production of Jordan (104 RBIs in 1996) and Gant. Jordan has been on the disabled list nearly all season and may be shelved for the rest of the year because of a disc problem in his back.

Gant, who appears to have no physical problems, has suffered through a severe case of not being able to make contact with the baseball in pressure situations. This is major problem if you're the highest paid player on the team and expected to hit 30 home runs.

Even without the normal offensive numbers of these two players, the Cardinals are still within striking distance of division-leader Houston.

By far, the Cards have the best pitching in the division, if not the league. They even have a few guys having pretty solid offensive years. Ray Lankford has been "The Man" and Delino DeShields has also been productive at the top of the order.

Injuries have hurt, but it's still not an excuse to be playing below .500 when you have other talented players such as Royce Clayton, John Mabry, Gary Gaetti and Dmitri Young.

The Cards have the talent on their roster now, without a trade, to make the playoffs. It's just a matter of the players stepping up and coming through when they're needed.

Toronto clutch hitter Joe Carter could probably help in this regard. But overall, I don't see how sacrificing some of the Cardinals young talent in a trade guarantees the Birds post-season play this fall.

Jocketty keeps saying he wants to make a trade to show the fans he's trying to help the team, but a trade just for the sake of making a trade doesn't always do the trick (i.e., Danny Jackson for Fernando Valenzuela).

As scary as this may seem, the guy who's going to win or lose the division for St. Louis is Gant. The man's a streaky hitter who is still searching for his first hot streak.

I truly believe it's going to happen, and the Birds will snap out of this season-long funk they've been in. If not, Gant, and the rest of the Redbirds, will have no one to blame but themselves.

Rus Baer is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.