Um...why? If we scrapped the format, then the Red Sox(a team you just called one of the Top 2 teams in the AL) wouldn't be in the playoffs, while either Anaheim or Minnesota(both finished 9 games behind the Yankees) would. By that same token, both Atlanta(9 games behind St. Louis) and Los Angeles(12 games behind St. Louis) should also not be in the playoffs because, by your logic, they finished too far behind St. Louis to merit consideration as a World Series team.
Playoffs go both ways. Some years you will have four infinitely qualified teams who deserve to be there. Heck, Boston had the third best record in baseball, but was a wild card team this year. Other years, you will have teams that are nothing more than first round fodder in the wild card spot.
Besides, at the beginning of the year, Houston was certainly among some people's picks as a possible World Series contender, and they added Carlos Beltran to that. On paper, at least, they seem like they would fit right in as a World Series team, certainly moreso than the Dodgers and the Braves.
Let's also not forget that even though the Astros were 13 games behind St. Louis they beat the Cardinals more times than the Cardinals beat them during the season. The Astros can more than hang with St. Louis and they have won their way through the playoffs to get to this point, which means beating teams that had better records in those playoffs.
I don't think it's disgusting if the Astros make it to the World Series because they worked their butts off to get back into this position.