It certainly takes both talent AND luck to make it to the WS. It is possible to go 95-67 during the regular season, and still miss the post-season. But with luck, you can make the post season with a record of 85-77.
What kinds of luck are we talking about? Pitching match-ups, injuries (both for the Reds and opponents), hot and cold hitters (both for the Reds and opponents), and other intangibles that don't always show up in a box score. I've seen umpiring crews influence entire series. I've seen Gold Glovers, who commit very few errors, botch a simple play in a crucial situation in a crucial game.
Take the 1999 Reds, for example. The main reason that team won had to do with several pitchers and hitters who had well above career average years all in the same season. Folks like Pete Harnish, Ron Villone, Steve Paris pitched above their career averages. Eddie Taubensee, Sean Casey both had career years that season, and others like Mike Cameron and Jefferey Hammonds had career highs in HR's at that point in their career.