The Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs are having difficulty winning probably from trying to play while looking over their shoulders at the defending World Champs, the St Louis Cardinals. Fresh off a three-game road sweep of the Brewers at Miller Park and winners in eight of their last ten games, the Cardinals head to Chicago for a weekend series with the intent of doing as much damage as possible. The Cardinals, whom had been given up for dead heading into August, have found some mojo brought on from two unlikely players, former pitcher turned outfielder Rick Ankiel and right hand pitcher Joel Pineiro. 

 Ankiel, brought up from the Cardinals triple-AAA affiliate Memphis on August 9 has made an impact from the beginning. In his first game starting in the outfield Ankiel hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning off San Diego pitcher Doug Brocail to help the Cardinals defeat the Padres 5-0. Two days later, against the Dodgers, Ankiel drew three standing ovations with both his batting and fielding. At the plate he went 3-4, with two home runs and three RBI and made a spectacular catch in right field in the eighth inning, which saved an almost certain extra base hit. In seven games with the Cardinals, Ankiel has given the team a needed boost hitting .296 with three home runs, six rbi, an on base percentage of 345 and slugging percentage of .667. With Ankiel, the Cardinals have now won 6-of-7 games. He has given the team a much needed offensive punch.

Just like in 2006 when an ailing St Louis pitching staff found an unlikely hero when they picked up Jeff Weaver, (now with Seattle) who helped the Cardinals in their drive to a World Championship, they come up with Pineiro, an almost forgotten arm with the Boston Red Sox. Since a rocky first outing versus the Washington Nationals, Pineiro has been solid, only giving up three runs in 14 innings pitched against the Padres and Brewers. 

Oddsmakers at Bodog.com, an online sports gaming giant , have now moved the Cardinals from a 10/1 long shot to a 2/1 odds challenger for the National League Central Division Crown. The first place Brewers and second place Cubs, still hold a slight edge in the odds at 11/10 but it is closing fast The Cardinals have gone from 4/1 to 2/1 overnight from Thursday to today. 

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