Who has edge in Cubs-Cardinals rivalry after first series of 2016?

— -- The Cubs won their first two games of the season against the Cardinals, but St. Louis battled back to avoid being swept and win a rain-soaked finale Wednesday afternoon. What does the first chapter between the NL Central foes say about the state of the rivalry, and what we can expect as the season continues? 

ESPN.com's Jesse Rogers and Mark Saxon weigh in with their initial impressions.

Jesse Rogers: Well, Mark, it took about six hours for the Cardinals to avoid the sweep Wednesday, but I'm not sure they can avoid the inevitable: The Cubs are taking over the division. Or am I being way too optimistic? Usually it's not easy in baseball to see the big picture, but clearly, the tide has turned in this series since about the middle to end of last year. Until that point, the Cardinals were dominating and were never out of a game against the Cubs. Joe Maddon said as much. But now it's the Cubs who can add runs late and/or come from behind, as they did a bit in Games 1, 2 and even 3, in which they almost came back after that torturous rain delay. We know the Cardinals aren't going anywhere, but the Cubs' 11-4 start isn't a shock to baseball observers. Is it to you?

Mark Saxon: No, not at all. I don't think it's a shock to any baseball media member, considering the Cubs were guaranteed to win the World Series the minute all these experts decided to pick them. We've seen how well-rounded the Cubs are in this series, for sure. They certainly look more athletic and sound in the field than the Cardinals. They brought the back end of their rotation and still generally out-pitched St. Louis. Here's the thing, though: They might have woken a sleeping giant by letting Matt Holliday and some of the other key Cardinals hitters get going in the third game. The Cardinals have managed to keep their heads above water because of weird contributions from guys no one has ever heard of. They need the big names to get going, but their track records suggest they will. What have the Cubs said about the Cardinals and how important it is to grab a big early lead?