Intertwined are three teams competing for one spot in the playoffs: the Milwaukee Brewers, who are in contention for the first time since 1982, the “lovable losers” that are the Chicago Cubs, and the defending World Series Champions, the St. Louis Cardinals.

So here we are on September 5 with the Cubs in first, a half game ahead of the Brewers, and one game ahead of the Cardinals. But the real story is how we got to this point, and to fully appreciate it, let’s take a look back.

The Brewers, who notoriously finish in the cellar of the division, came out of the gates in the opening months of the season on fire, going 24-10. The team looked like a new and invigorated ball club that was ready to be taken seriously. Behind stellar pitching that carried it through the first half and a youthful core of players—four of which made the all-star team, including the National League’s current home run leader Prince Fielder (he has 40)—the “Brew Crew” stormed to the top of the NL Central, making for one of the best stories around the league.

Since then, Milwaukee has seen its starting rotation fall apart and its bullpen implode. While things have gotten continuously shaky, the Brewers are still in the mix despite losing 14 of their last 19 games, and falling back to .500. Positives for the team though are that ace Ben Sheets is back from the disabled list and phenom Ryan Braun is hotter than Eva Longoria watching husband Tony Parker from the sidelines in the NBA Championship as the third baseman makes his push for Rookie of the Year.

The Cubs also have an interesting tale of their own. New skipper Lou Piniella took over in the offseason and stud hitter Alfonso Soriano was acquired as well. As a result, Chicago was picked by many to win the division, maybe even run away with it. Early season struggles led to a tumble in the standings as the offense lagged to score runs, and power numbers were non-existent.It looked like another one of those years for the Cubbies.

Then there was the fist-fight between hot-head pitcher Carlos Zambrano and catcher Michael Barrett (who has since been traded). The following day, Piniella had a tantrum at third base over a close play and was ejected. It appeared that Chicago had hit rock bottom.

In actuality, it brought the team together, and the team got hot—really hot. The offense finally came around, and the starting pitching—one through five—has proved to be one of the best in baseball. The Cubs continued to pile up the victories and eventually claimed first place from the Brewers.

Then there are the former champs. The Cardinals saw nothing go right from day one. Ace of the pitching staff Chris Carpenter injured his elbow in the first week, which would ultimately lead to season-ending surgery—seemingly foreshadowing the continuing turmoil that would follow the Redbirds. The makeshift rotation found it hard to learn on the job, third baseman Scott Rolen was again banged-up once again, and starters Jim Edmonds and David Eckstein made their way to the disabled list as well.

Then pitcher Josh Hancock died in a tragic car crash, and it seemed as if all that had gone right for the Cards a year ago was now gone, and a once promising team appeared as if they had forgotten how to win.

Manager Tony LaRussa, however, did not give up on his team like so many other experts had. In perhaps his finest managerial stint ever, LaRussa rallied the troops, and slowly the Cardinals got back to their fundamentals of pitching and defense. Then pitcher-turned- outfielder Rick Ankiel sparked the club with his feel good story of the year, and the Cards slowly began to show signs of life.

St. Louis, who was behind 10 and a half games on June 30, now find themselves just two games back of first, and have a legitimate chance to once again make it back to the playoffs. If anyone knows how to get hot at the right time, it’s the Cardinals, who stunned the world a year ago.

So here we are back to present: Cubs, Brewers, Cardinals. Three teams in an all-out sprint to the finish line. One thing is certain: this race will begin to shape up very soon. This week, the Cubs and Brewers will meet in Chicago for their final match-up of the season, so one team will gain an edge on the other as they head further into September. Additionally, both teams have one more series with the Cardinals as well. The Cubs will play five games in four days versus the Cards on the 14th, and St. Louis will then travel to Milwaukee on the 24th.