The St. Louis Cardinals took two of three games over the weekend from Cincinnati, the team they're chasing in the NL Central. The Cardinals swept the Reds nearly a month ago in Cincinnati.  A lot has gone wrong for the Cardinals in between -- more, it seems, than the nine-game shift in the division standings thanks to St. Louis' 5-13 record in a stretch that included just three games against teams with winning records.  Take what Albert Pujols had to say before the Cardinals beat the Reds on Sunday to pull to within a still long-shot seven games out.:  "It is a privilege to play in this organization," Pujols said. "To be in the post-season every single year. It's pretty special."  Whether the Cardinals make their eighth postseason in 11 years is seriously in question. How much some internal problems have to do with that is nearly as interesting.  Pujols was sounding off in response to a simmering problem between manager Tony La Russa and outfielder Colby Rasmus.  Pujols clearly is siding with La Russa.  "I'm a leader on this ballclub," Pujols said. "If I hear somebody on this ballclub saying they don't want to be here then, you know, they shouldn't be here."  La Russa told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Rasmus asked for a trade, something that Rasmus denied to reporters. But La Russa said the request, and ongoing tension between the two, dates back to a July incident in Chicago when La Russa threatened Rasmus with demotion to the minors.  Rasmus, third on the team with 19 homers and 54 RBI, has been in and out of the lineup since, with La Russa openly questioning the second-year player's approach at the plate.  It hasn't been the calmest of seasons in St. Louis, with Pujols and La Russa having their own dugout spat in May. And then there's that little matter of La Russa's contract being up at the end of the season.  Without a playoff race to keep everyone focused, September could get stormier in St. Louis.  To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor  . For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to  . Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to
Cardinals' Albert Pujols sounds off on Colby Rasmus-Tony La Russa rift - Daily Pitch: MLB News, Standings, Schedules & More - USATODAY.com