Cardinals Host Padres for Four in St. Louis
It's desperation time for the Cardinals, and nearly that as well for the Padres. The two National League clubs begin a four-game MLB betting series in St. Louis tonight.
In baseball terms, this weekend's four-game set in St. Louis that opens Thursday is pretty simple: The Cardinals need to sweep the San Diego Padres, or at least take three of four while the Reds or getting beat up in Houston. And the Friars need to take at least three of four to stay atop the NL West or at the very least hang with the Giants and Rockies. Even a split could be the fatal blow to both teams' chances for extended play.
For fans and bettors, it should lead to a very strong playoff atmosphere at Busch Stadium. Even the weather is going to cooperate with an October-like feel. More on that later.
The only thing that won't make the opener seem like a postseason matchup is the lack of star power in the starting pitching for Game 1. Tim Stauffer (2-1, 1.54) is set to go for the Padres with St. Louis sending Jake Westbrook (2-6, 3.78) to the mound.
BetJamaica opened with the Cardinals 120 favorites, and had its total set at 7½, minus 110 both high and low.
San Diego failed to complete the sweep in Colorado on Wednesday, falling behind early and never catching up in a 9-6 loss to the Rockies as 140 'dogs on the MLB odds board. Following some tough times recently, it was encouraging for Bud Black to see his team win the first two at Coors Field in that series. Colorado was 50-22 at home when the set opened.
Black has to be a bit discouraged by the outing Clayton Richard gave him on Wednesday, however. The lefty burned out 80 pitches in just three frames, allowing eight runs and 11 hits. San Diego will now send Stauffer out to halt the skid at one against a team he's struggled with in limited action over his career.
Stauffer has made three career starts versus the Redbirds, and the Pads have lost all three. Two of the games came last year in back-to-back August starts. Both times the righty gave up four runs in five innings. His other start is way back in July 2005, a 3 1/3-inning stint when he surrendered seven runs.
The death knell may have sounded for St. Louis on Wednesday when the Cards dropped a 7-3 decision at home to the Cubs. The Redbirds had the right pitching matchup, or so they thought, with Chris Carpenter 175 chalk against Chicago's Carlos Zambrano. The win completed the Cubs' first three-game sweep in St. Louis since June 1988.
Westbrook has been very level since coming to the Cardinals from Cleveland. He's worked at least six in all eight assignments, allowed more than three runs just once, and that was four in Pittsburgh a few starts back. The right-handed veteran will be making just his fourth start in front of the Cardinals fans, his first after four road starts.
St. Louis is a whopping eight games behind Cincy with 18 to go. The Cardinals have to win at least three of four while the Reds drop three of four the next few days to the Diamondbacks and Astros. San Diego's lead in the NL West is just a half-game over the Giants with the Rockies 2½ back. If there's any good news for those three clubs it's that they might not have to win the division to get into the postseason. As badly as the Braves are playing right now, there's a good chance the National League wild card will com from the NL West.
A cool front is pushing through on Wednesday evening and the high in the Gateway City is only going to reach the mid-70s during the day. North winds around 10 mph (straight in from LF) are in the forecast, with a first-pitch team of around 70ºF before dropping into the mid-50s.
The long weekend series continues Friday with San Diego sending its ace Mat Latos (17-10, 2.43) to the hill in St. Louis to face Kyle Lohse (6-8, 6.85). Saturday and Sunday mound battles aren't written in ink yet, but expect the Pads to go with Cory Luebke (2-1, 4.60) and Jon Garland (17-13, 3.44) opposite Jaime Garcia (15-13, 2.70) and Adam Wainwright (18-13, 2.50) respectively.
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
It's desperation time for the Cardinals, and nearly that as well for the Padres. The two National League clubs begin a four-game MLB betting series in St. Louis tonight.
In baseball terms, this weekend's four-game set in St. Louis that opens Thursday is pretty simple: The Cardinals need to sweep the San Diego Padres, or at least take three of four while the Reds or getting beat up in Houston. And the Friars need to take at least three of four to stay atop the NL West or at the very least hang with the Giants and Rockies. Even a split could be the fatal blow to both teams' chances for extended play.
For fans and bettors, it should lead to a very strong playoff atmosphere at Busch Stadium. Even the weather is going to cooperate with an October-like feel. More on that later.
The only thing that won't make the opener seem like a postseason matchup is the lack of star power in the starting pitching for Game 1. Tim Stauffer (2-1, 1.54) is set to go for the Padres with St. Louis sending Jake Westbrook (2-6, 3.78) to the mound.
BetJamaica opened with the Cardinals 120 favorites, and had its total set at 7½, minus 110 both high and low.
San Diego failed to complete the sweep in Colorado on Wednesday, falling behind early and never catching up in a 9-6 loss to the Rockies as 140 'dogs on the MLB odds board. Following some tough times recently, it was encouraging for Bud Black to see his team win the first two at Coors Field in that series. Colorado was 50-22 at home when the set opened.
Black has to be a bit discouraged by the outing Clayton Richard gave him on Wednesday, however. The lefty burned out 80 pitches in just three frames, allowing eight runs and 11 hits. San Diego will now send Stauffer out to halt the skid at one against a team he's struggled with in limited action over his career.
Stauffer has made three career starts versus the Redbirds, and the Pads have lost all three. Two of the games came last year in back-to-back August starts. Both times the righty gave up four runs in five innings. His other start is way back in July 2005, a 3 1/3-inning stint when he surrendered seven runs.
The death knell may have sounded for St. Louis on Wednesday when the Cards dropped a 7-3 decision at home to the Cubs. The Redbirds had the right pitching matchup, or so they thought, with Chris Carpenter 175 chalk against Chicago's Carlos Zambrano. The win completed the Cubs' first three-game sweep in St. Louis since June 1988.
Westbrook has been very level since coming to the Cardinals from Cleveland. He's worked at least six in all eight assignments, allowed more than three runs just once, and that was four in Pittsburgh a few starts back. The right-handed veteran will be making just his fourth start in front of the Cardinals fans, his first after four road starts.
St. Louis is a whopping eight games behind Cincy with 18 to go. The Cardinals have to win at least three of four while the Reds drop three of four the next few days to the Diamondbacks and Astros. San Diego's lead in the NL West is just a half-game over the Giants with the Rockies 2½ back. If there's any good news for those three clubs it's that they might not have to win the division to get into the postseason. As badly as the Braves are playing right now, there's a good chance the National League wild card will com from the NL West.
A cool front is pushing through on Wednesday evening and the high in the Gateway City is only going to reach the mid-70s during the day. North winds around 10 mph (straight in from LF) are in the forecast, with a first-pitch team of around 70ºF before dropping into the mid-50s.
The long weekend series continues Friday with San Diego sending its ace Mat Latos (17-10, 2.43) to the hill in St. Louis to face Kyle Lohse (6-8, 6.85). Saturday and Sunday mound battles aren't written in ink yet, but expect the Pads to go with Cory Luebke (2-1, 4.60) and Jon Garland (17-13, 3.44) opposite Jaime Garcia (15-13, 2.70) and Adam Wainwright (18-13, 2.50) respectively.
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.