|
|
One week gone in the majors, and if the season ended today, here would be the post-season match-ups in both leagues:
AL: Mariners vs. Orioles; Blue Jays vs. Tigers
NL: Padres vs. Braves; Marlins vs. CardinalsFrankly, if two of those eight make it to the actual playoffs, I'll be surprised - though to prevent the storming of SnakePit Towers by irate Padres fans, I'll hold off on the disparaging comments. However, the hot-hitting, hot-pitching Cardinals come into Chase on a roll, having swept the Astros, and will undoubtedly present a challenge to both our arms and bats.
However, today certainly doesn't have the look of a pitching duel to it, with neither starter having set the mound aflame in their opening starts. Their combined line: 10 IP, 16 H, 6 BB, 9 ER. What might help Davis, on the other hand, is that the Cardinals have hit lefties significantly less well thus far. In 143 PAs facing southpaws, their line is .256/.345/.355 - an OPS three-hundred points below what they've done against RHP [.349/.425/.575 in 123 PAs]. If that keeps up, this may be our best chance of taking a game, even if - as we've seen the past two series - winning the first contest in a series is no guarantee of success. Scoring nine runs again, as we've done each time in the opener this season, would be nice.
After the fairly dismal performances by the Diamondbacks on Saturday and Sunday, it's probably no bad thing that tonight's game will not be screened on television in the Arizona area. Instead, I will be beginning the task of packing for the seismic shift in location of SnakePit Towers [about ten miles SW], though may still listen to the radio and/or have the 'puter handy, as we cram things into tubs. Given I have boxes unopened from my 2000 move to Arizona, you'll understand I'm not looking forward to the task.
Lineup
-
F. Lopez 2b -
C. Young cf -
S. Drew ss -
C. Jackson lf -
C. Tracy 1b -
M. Reynolds 3b -
J. Upton rf -
C. Snyder c -
D. Davis p