The Cardinals, while not panicking, understand the position they find themselves in today: not in first. The stunning development---the first time since last May 30 that the Cardinals found themselves below first place---has the team speculating on what they need to do to get back on top:

"We need to play a game," said skipper Tony LaRussa. "That would be a start."

Still, with just 162 games left to go in the regular season, some fans wonder whether the team has enough in the tank to catch the Cubs, the Reds and the surprising Brewers, all of whom sit atop the N.L. Central. "It's disappointing, so far," said George Andrews, a Cardinal rooter from Painesville, OH, who arrived this afternoon in St. Louis after driving eight hours to see Opening Day. "I haven't seen much from any of the new guys, but, hopefully, they'll start to perform before it's too late." When told that tonight's Cardinal opener is being played in Houston---not St. Louis---Edwards said, "That seems really stupid. Opening Day should be at home."