The Cardinals had an extraordinary run of success from 2000 through 2015, competing in more postseason games (125) and winning more postseason games (65) than any team in major-league baseball. And Busch Stadium (both venues, old and new) were pulsating with tremendous October excitement.

But the Cardinals are in a different time and place, and October has turned quiet in our baseball village. The Cards have just one postseason victory at home over the past nine seasons and have just four postseason wins overall during that time.

What happened to the great baseball? Where did all of the big stars go? How did the Cardinals go from being an October fixture to an October non-factor?

It makes me sad, because I truly miss those autumn days when the Cardinals delivered magic moments and won so many huge games during a stretch that produced four NL pennants and two World Series titles -- and they gave us enough sweet memories to last a lifetime.