Kevin Millar, who helped the Red Sox end their 86-year curse in 2004 with a World Series title, will try to accomplish a similar feat with the Cubs. "It's important that a team stays loose," said manager Lou Piniella. "When you've got a guy with a knack for saying the right things, for pulling the right pranks, for making everybody relax, it's valuable. "In Chicago, the temperature rises and falls really quick, and a guy like Millar can deflect a lot of pressure. That's why he's here. We're going to give him every opportunity. Let's see if he's got enough gas left in the tank." "This is the year," Millar said. "We won it in Boston in '04 and it was nuts. If the Cubs win it in 2010, I challenge Chicago to make it as nuts or more. You've just got to believe this is the year."