The St Louis Cardinals will win the National League pennant again this year for several reasons: Bob Gibson, Orlando Cepeda, Lou Brock, Curt Flood, Tim McCarver, Roger Maris and Julian Javier.

If there is to be a challenge of serious proportions, it will come from one of three clubs--Chicago, Cincinnati or San Francisco. A fourth possible contender for the Cardinal crown, Pittsburgh, doesn't have the pitching to last down the stretch.

The order of the finish will be like this:

1. St. Louis.

2. Cincinnati--The Reds have all the potential to win the title, but they also have an unnerving affinity for the injury and the choke. Lee May and Tony Perez are among the best young players in baseball.

3. Chicago--Leo Durocher talks and manages a good game. Relying on a surprising 20 victory performance from Ferguson Jenkins and the expected slugging of Ron Santo and Ernie Banks, the "Lip" drove the Cubs from the cellar to third last year. Where they'll remain, pending much needed experience.

4. San Francisco--Juan Marichal reportedly has his temper, right arm, and left leg under control this spring. If he chips in his usual 24 wins and Mike McCormick puts together another 22 game season then Willie Mays's comeback will put the Giants in the fight.

5. Pittsburgh--Newly-acquired Jim Bunning will give the Pirates a front line pitcher for the first time since Vernon Law directed the pennant chase of 1960. He'll get continued hitting support from Roberto Clemente, Will Stargel and Felipe Alou, but the Pirates need two other decent hurlers and--with the departure of Jim Pagliaroni--someone to catch them.

6-7 Los Angeles, Atlanta--The Dodgers finished eighth last year; they don't figure to do as badly in 1968. Long suffering Don Drysdale will get pitching support from Claude Osteen and Tom Singer and it's possible that ex-Twin Mudcat Grant will help out both as a starter and a reliever. If another former Twin, Zoilo Versalles can fill the year-old short-stop gap, then the Dodgers may surprise a la 1959.

Atlanta has Henry Aaron, naturally, but the pitching still looks thin and now left fielder Rico Carty has been lost for the season with tuberculosis.

8-10 Philadelphia, Houston, New York--Who cares why? It's not even fun to watch the Mets play any more.