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    So far in 2013, the St. Louis Cardinals have the second-best record in baseball, but the interesting thing is how they've done it. With teams like Atlanta, Detroit, and the Los Angeles Angels stock-piling power hitters, it seems as if the top priority of most clubs is hitting home runs. The Atlanta Braves, for example, lead the National League in home runs, but also have the second highest strikeout total. Atlanta is a perfect example of an all-or-nothing team-a club that lives and dies by the home run. However, with a 31-17 record, the St. Louis Cardinals are winning, but don't rely on the long ball at all. In fact, the Cards are 27th in the league in home runs and extra-base hits. So how are the Cardinals winning despite a season-long power outage?

St. Louis is boasting a .990 fielding
percentage (2nd in MLB)

    With all the focus in the league on home runs and hitting for power, St Louis instead, focuses on a lost art: "small ball". "Small ball" focuses on the fundamentals of the game, such as hitting for contact, fielding, pitching and just  getting on base any way you can. This is how the 2011 World Series champions are once again one of the league's best teams in 2013.

    In sports, it is usually the team that makes the fewest mistakes that wins the game, and St. Louis does not make mistakes. They have the second-best fielding percentage in all of baseball.

Pitcher Adam Wainwright is 6-3 with a
2.38 ERA and 69 strikeouts for
the Cardinals in 2013

    Despite being near the bottom of the league in the major power categories, St. Louis is 9th in the league in hits. All you need to do to score is get on base, and that's what the Cardinals do. They have the seventh-best on-base percentage. How do you get on base? You don't strike out-only seven teams strike out less often than St. Louis. However, the Cardinals have also proven that you don't necessarily have to get on base to help your team score. They are third in the majors in sacrifice hits. This means that the man at the plate often gives himself up for an out to score another runner or advance one into scoring position.

    While their small ball offense has been very good, it is the St. Louis pitching staff that has fueled their success so far this season. The Cardinals have the best team ERA in Major League baseball, they have allowed the fewest runs, are in the top 10 in strikeouts, and have allowed a minuscule .246 batting average against them. 

    They may not be as exciting to watch as Atlanta or Detroit, but the St. Louis Cardinals are a team built to win a championship. If an all-or nothing team like Atlanta were to face these Cardinals in the playoffs, the pitchers would be striking Braves hitters out while the St. Louis hitters were eating them up with the little things. Keep an eye on this team come playoff time.