If succeeding under adversity indeed shows strength and character, then the Cardinals are going to win the National League Central, and maybe the NL pennant. No team has undergone more this year, from injuries to slumps to death -- first their voice of 49 years, then their leader.

And yet there they are, with a 51-40 record, in first place by 3½ games. They mourned the loss of legendary broadcaster Jack Buck, and just when they began working past that, Darryl Kile died. They may never get over that as Kile left a huge hole in their soul and, far less important, a void in a starting rotation which couldn't afford it. Yet they have righted themselves again, led by, of all things, their pitching staff, which has posted a 2.95 ERA in July.

	The Cardinals have a definite ace in Matt Morris.

They are down to one proven starter, Matt Morris, and he hasn't won since June 19 (he's 0-2 with a 5.04 ERA in his last four starts). But thanks to some terrific work from rookie Jason Simontacchi (7-1, 3.04) and a marvelous bullpen, they have picked up 3½ games on the Reds since July 1. They have done this despite having no one on the All-Star team (Morris made it, but was injured, and was not replaced by another Cardinals player), despite having only one player with at least 50 RBI (the Yankees have six, counting Raul Mondesi) and despite playing what seems to be a different lineup most every day.

Cardinals right fielder J.D. Drew was supposed to finally have his breakthrough season this year, but injuries have limited him to 35 RBI. Tino Martinez was supposed to replace Mark McGwire's production, but he's hitting .245 with 10 homers. The rotation was supposed to include Garrett Stephenson and Bud Smith, but because of injuries and ineffectiveness, respectively, those two are a combined 2-9. The rotation that was supposed to be so good has needed 12 different starters.

The Cardinals are winning because, like many Tony La Russa teams, they are built around a couple of really good players -- Albert Pujols and Jim Edmonds -- as well as a deep bullpen and versatile bench. They are a team of interchangeable parts, of guys who are always ready to play no matter what the circumstance. Take Eli Marrero. He got 11 hits in his first 15 at-bats this season, then later endured an 0-for-32 slide. On June 4-5, he started consecutive games in center field and catcher, the first major leaguer to do that since B.J. Surhoff in 1995, the second since Craig Biggio in 1990. The Cardinals don't have dazzling numbers, but they're a team of tough outs, including Fernando Vina, Edgar Renteria and Placido Polanco.

To win the NL Central, the Cardinals likely will have to make a deal for a pitcher before the July 31 trading deadline. Bartolo Colon (to the Expos), Jeff Weaver (to the Yankees) and Ryan Dempster (to the Reds) have already been traded, leaving, among others, Kenny Rogers, Scott Erickson, Sidney Ponson, Esteban Loaiza, Chris Carpenter, Chuck Finley and Ismael Valdes as trade possibilities. But the Cardinals don't have a lot to deal from within their minor-league system, which probably has kept kept them from getting a big-time pitcher, such as Colon. There have been rumors that Drew might have to be dealt to get pitching help.

In the meantime, they will slug away with what they have, with rookies in the starting rotation, and with heavy hearts over the losses of Buck and Kile. It is hard to not root for the Cardinals.

Tim Kurkjian is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and a regular contributor to Baseball Tonight. E-mail tim.kurkjian@espnmag.com.