OK, OK - I've become a Cardinals fan...

No, not a true Cardinals fan mind you - I could never root for Satan's minions (as Desipio has so humorously referred to them) for any sustained period of time - but I am, nevertheless, going to be purposefully rooting for the Cardinals in the very near future.

Am I a traitor, perhaps, or even a fair-weather fan?

Let's think about this for a minute - the Cardinals have a very interesting road trip coming up immediately after this meaningless series at home against San Francisco (a series in which it is apparently taking last minute heroics against a pathetic SF team to pull out victories - and surely by now you have come to expect me taking swipes at the Cardinals at every available opportunity :-).

In any event, after the San Francisco series, the Cards open up a four game series at the newly named Four Rivers Stadium - but then, my friends, it gets interesting. The Cards then open up a 3 game series against the Nationals, and then a 3 game series against Florida, and then a 3 game series against Houston.

Right after those 9 games they come to Wrigley for 3 games against the Cubs, which should be just about the right time for them to cool off after a [hopefully] torrid 9 game win streak.

Then, the Cardinals host the Mets for 4 games, and then they still have 2 home games left at the end of September against the Astros.

So that means the Cardinals have exactly 15 games left against four of the five teams ahead of the Cubs in the wildcard chase. It's just too bad that the Cards are done with the Phillies (although the Phillies have been handling the Cards just about as easily as the Cubs have this year so maybe it's just as well that they're done with them).

It's sad and pathetic - but we've been reduced to rooting for the deadbirds in the near future - especially on this upcoming road trip where they play 3 of the 5 teams ahead of the Cubs in the wild card chase for 9 consecutive games.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but...

GO CARDINALS!!!!!

Let it never again be slanderously said that I have never charitably wished an adversary well.