Cardinals Host Rockies To Close Season
What could have been was killed off earlier this week when the Cardinals and Rockies were eliminated from the postseason. They open a set in St. Louis tonight.
Thursday's series opener in St. Louis between the Cardinals and Colorado Rockies held such promise when looking at the schedule before the season started. It could have easily been a preview of an NLDS or NLCS matchup.
Both teams were eliminated from postseason play on Tuesday, however, and all four games have instead become a tough sell for both baseball promoters and baseball oddsmakers. The latter group – And trust me, this is not a meaningless game to the sports books – will put its money line on the Cardinals minus 125-130. Thursday's total came out at 8½ with the 'over' costing a few pennies more.
This is also not a meaningless game for at least some of the players. Still, there's the wafting aroma of uncertainty, beginning with the starting pitching matchup.
Jason Hammel (17-12, 4.64) has been no mystery his last four starts though the Rockies are level at 2-2 in those assignments. He's allowed 17 earned runs in 20 innings during the stretch, and served up three solo taters in his last outing. Hammel no-decisioned in a 10-9 Colorado win at home on Sept. 25 as 135 chalk versus the Giants.
The Greenville, SC, native will be popping his cherry against the Cardinals, having missed St. Louis earlier this campaign in Colorado.
Adam Wainwright was originally scheduled to pitch this one for St. Louis, but he's being skipped with Chris Carpenter (21-13, 3.31) working on the usual four-day rest. Carpenter dropped a game to the Rockies at Coors Field in July, allowing all of Colorado's runs in a 4-2 win. St. Louis and Carpenter were 135 MLB odds underdogs against Ubaldo Jimenez and the Rockies.
That previous meeting, the only other get-together for the Rocks and Cards in 2010, ended with Colorado sweeping the series. The Carpenter-Jimenez affair was the only 'under' in that set that saw the Rockies favored in the 135-155 range all three games. The last time the clubs met at Busch Stadium, Colorado pulled off a four-game sweep (June 5-8, 2009). The Rockies, underdogs in the 115-160 range the entire series, outscored St. Louis by a 33-9 span. Carpenter did not appear in that series.
The sidebar story to this game specifically and this series in general is it could very well decide the NL MVP. Albert Pujols and Carlos Gonzalez are battling Joey Votto for votes. Votto's Reds are in the postseason, so give him an edge. Ho-hum numbers from Pujols and Gonzalez should give the hardware to the Cincinnati first baseman. Big stats to close the season from either Pujols or Gonzalez could steal the award for one of them.
Friday's second game pits Jorge De La Rosa (11-8, 4.24) on the hill for the Rocks against St. Louis' Jake Westbrook (4-7, 3.88).
Weather shouldn't hinder this game in any manner. It will be cool; look for about 66ºF at first pitch and dropping through the 50s. But there are clear skies in the forecast with a light NNW wind at 8-10 mph (in from right-center towards 1B).
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
What could have been was killed off earlier this week when the Cardinals and Rockies were eliminated from the postseason. They open a set in St. Louis tonight.
Thursday's series opener in St. Louis between the Cardinals and Colorado Rockies held such promise when looking at the schedule before the season started. It could have easily been a preview of an NLDS or NLCS matchup.
Both teams were eliminated from postseason play on Tuesday, however, and all four games have instead become a tough sell for both baseball promoters and baseball oddsmakers. The latter group – And trust me, this is not a meaningless game to the sports books – will put its money line on the Cardinals minus 125-130. Thursday's total came out at 8½ with the 'over' costing a few pennies more.
This is also not a meaningless game for at least some of the players. Still, there's the wafting aroma of uncertainty, beginning with the starting pitching matchup.
Jason Hammel (17-12, 4.64) has been no mystery his last four starts though the Rockies are level at 2-2 in those assignments. He's allowed 17 earned runs in 20 innings during the stretch, and served up three solo taters in his last outing. Hammel no-decisioned in a 10-9 Colorado win at home on Sept. 25 as 135 chalk versus the Giants.
The Greenville, SC, native will be popping his cherry against the Cardinals, having missed St. Louis earlier this campaign in Colorado.
Adam Wainwright was originally scheduled to pitch this one for St. Louis, but he's being skipped with Chris Carpenter (21-13, 3.31) working on the usual four-day rest. Carpenter dropped a game to the Rockies at Coors Field in July, allowing all of Colorado's runs in a 4-2 win. St. Louis and Carpenter were 135 MLB odds underdogs against Ubaldo Jimenez and the Rockies.
That previous meeting, the only other get-together for the Rocks and Cards in 2010, ended with Colorado sweeping the series. The Carpenter-Jimenez affair was the only 'under' in that set that saw the Rockies favored in the 135-155 range all three games. The last time the clubs met at Busch Stadium, Colorado pulled off a four-game sweep (June 5-8, 2009). The Rockies, underdogs in the 115-160 range the entire series, outscored St. Louis by a 33-9 span. Carpenter did not appear in that series.
The sidebar story to this game specifically and this series in general is it could very well decide the NL MVP. Albert Pujols and Carlos Gonzalez are battling Joey Votto for votes. Votto's Reds are in the postseason, so give him an edge. Ho-hum numbers from Pujols and Gonzalez should give the hardware to the Cincinnati first baseman. Big stats to close the season from either Pujols or Gonzalez could steal the award for one of them.
Friday's second game pits Jorge De La Rosa (11-8, 4.24) on the hill for the Rocks against St. Louis' Jake Westbrook (4-7, 3.88).
Weather shouldn't hinder this game in any manner. It will be cool; look for about 66ºF at first pitch and dropping through the 50s. But there are clear skies in the forecast with a light NNW wind at 8-10 mph (in from right-center towards 1B).
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.