"To Lance Berkman, this season has been about meeting rather than exceeding expectations.

A player who came to the Cardinals as a well-worn free agent first baseman enters the postseason as one of the National League's most productive outfielders. A team projected to miss the playoffs after the loss of ace Adam Wainwright travels this morning to Philadelphia, where it will begin a best-of-five division series Saturday against the five-time NL East champion Phillies.

Others may be impressed. Berkman believes an often-trying season has brought him and the Cardinals to an appropriate place.

"To me, this is what this team is capable of," Berkman asserted before the Cardinals completed their rundown of the Atlanta Braves for the NL wild card. "Everyone in this locker room had been asking, 'When are we going to go on a run?' We have a great lineup. We have a very capable pitching staff. Recently, it seems like we've been able to do what we expected of ourselves.""