Pirates @ Cardinals Series Thread

[mizzoupacers]

vs.



Tuesday, 7:10 p.m.: Zach Duke [1-4, 5.19] vs. Adam Wainwright [3-3, 6.34]

Wednesday, 7:10 p.m.: Ian Snell [4-2, 2.76] vs. Kip Wells [1-8, 6.75]

Thursday, 12:10 p.m.: Tom Gorzelanny [5-2, 2.43] vs. Braden Looper [5-3, 3.27]

Those pitching matchups set up really poorly for us--Waino and Wells have been almost automatic losses of late, and I'm not sure we can beat Gorzelanny. But we'll see what happens.

You guys probably know that this series starts off a long stretch of relatively easy schedule. If the Cardinals are going to make any noise at all this season, it's now or never. If we can get some wins against bad teams in the next month, then stay in striking distance in the mediocre NL Central until we can get Carpenter and Mulder back...OK, I don't feel too optimistic about it either, but it's too early to start talking about football.

[bigboy1234]

Getting creative I see. The only thing is that one of those cardinals is a female, I guess thats about right though.

To tell you the truth my mind isn't on this series, it's more on our next series which will be the battle of the 2 worst teams in the game and perhaps the #1 pick next year, Pedro Alvarez.

I think the best pitching matchup for us in this series is the Looper game.

[mizzoupacers]

I'll take it as a positive sign that the Cardinals have gone a whole week now with some semblance of a hitting attack. Keep it up for another week, and maybe I'll stop posting pics of female Cardinals.

Wainwright gave up nine hits and a walk in just 5 1/3 innings, so you can't really call that anything but a subpar game...but I thought there were a few encouraging signs with him too. First, he actually threw some good curveballs--that is his money pitch, and its been AWOL. Second, all nine hits were singles, most of them through the infield...it's a bit unusual I think that so many balls found the holes instead of turning into outs. And third, in my book guys who can pitch out of trouble are highly underrated--it looks ugly on the WHIP, but if you have a knack for stranding runners on base, well, all that counts is whether or not runs score. Not saying that Wainwright has proved he has a knack for stranding runners, but at least for one night he was able to get out of jams.

Nice win tonight. Man, Duncan has some impressive raw power.

[bigboy1234]

2 game winning streak, take that all you nay-sayers(me)!

Pretty good outing by Kip tonight, which we haven't seen in a while, it's good to have him back, for now.

We haven't been shutout for 8 straight games, which also another promising sign.

[mizzoupacers]

Kip Wells is starting to remind me of John Tudor. In 1985 Tudor started out about 1-8 too. Big things ahead for the Kipster.

Now I'm putting down the bong and backing slowly away from the keyboard.

[mizzoupacers]

Yay, a Sweep!!!

This is a good day, not just for the Cardinals but for my fantasy league team, which has just two Redbirds on it, Izzy and Looper (Looper is probably just a temporary pickup while Huston Street is on the DL).

Isringhausen is quietly having a really good season. It will be interesting to see what happens with him. If we are out of the race at the trade deadline and he is still pitching like this, then we could get some really good trade offers for him. Or, if we keep him, I wonder what the Cardinals will do about his contract situation--pick up the team option for one more year, or negotiate an extension?

[bigboy1234]

Too bad the Cards can't just play the Pirates this season.

Wellemeyer has been really good for us, so far.

I don't see anyway the Cards don't pick up his option, seeing as how it's pretty much a 6.75M option, because theres a 1.25M buyout clause. But as we all know I want us to blow it up, but maybe thats just my love of young players wanting that.