It's a great St. Louis sports debate because there is no clear answer. Is Randal Grichuk finally raking like Cardinals manager Mike Matheny kept telling us he could because of the Class AAA rinse cycles? Or did those two trips to Memphis (June 18-July 5, August 2-10) and the lack of regular major-league at-bats that preceded them only delay the center fielder's surge?

Whether it was one of the multiple swing changes or the Memphis tuneups or the eventual assurance from the Cardinals that he was going to be the club's everyday center fielder once again, something has clicked.

The 25-year-old has been through the wringer this season. He started it under incredible pressure to ascend alongside Stephen Piscotty as a new face in the Cardinals core. He felt the hot shame of a demotion not once, but twice. And still he deals with mixed signals, like bouncing between seven spots (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) on Matheny's lineup card since his successful return.

None of it has seemed to matter lately. Grichuk's noteworthy run continued during Tuesday night's 10-5 win over the Rockies. Batting eighth, he went three-for-four with two doubles, an RBI and a career-high four runs.