If the Chicago Cubs make it to the World Series this year, infielder Mike Fontenot can point to his contact lenses as one of the contributing factors.

In 2003, while struggling at the plate with a batting average around .200 for the AA Bowie Baysocks—a minor league affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles—Fontenot noticed his vision was at times not as sharp as it should be. A visit to the eye doctor and a prescription for Acuvue 2 contact lenses helped correct his vision problems. He finished the season with a .325 average.

Fontenot joined the Cubs in 2005 as part of the trade that sent Sammy Sosa to Baltimore. He appeared in seven games for the Cubs in 2005 and spent the 2006 season with the club’s AAA team in Iowa, posting a .296 average.

Following the season, Fontenot’s eye doctor prescribed Acuvue Advance contact lenses for astigmatism. After getting off to a torrid start with the Iowa club in 2007, he joined the parent club midway through the season, appearing in 86 games and making two appearances as a pinch hitter in the National League Division Series against Arizona.

Today, the 28-year-old Fontenot is a vital part of the Cubs’ 2008 success. Through the mid-way point of August, he already established career highs in home runs and RBIs, while sporting a .290 batting average.

“At the major league level, good vision is critical to success,” he says. “Contact lenses have made a huge difference for me. My vision is crisp and clear and at the plate I can pick up the spin and direction of the ball, helping me to maximize each at bat.”