So far I am 3-0 in bases with 2 plays already going tomorrow on Cards under and Dodgers. But this will be my strongest play of the 3 on the day. Though bases is not my best area of expertise, at least when it comes to capping, I feel this strongly now after doing my research on this play:
5* Cardinals +135
I am sure many of you are shocked, lol, but really feel this is a great play. On the surface this game favors Padres with Wells vs Weaver. The fact that Cards have struggled vs lh batters and Wells in the past does not look favorable. Even Weaver's playoff record of 0-2 with over a 9 era looks worse. But first let me share with you Weaver's Road performance as a Cardinal.
@LA (W) 6-1 Cards 1 run
@Cincinnati (W) 13-1 Cards 1 run
@ Cubs (ND) 5-4 Cubs 5 2/3 innings 4 runs all earned
@ Pitt (L) 3-2 Pirates 3 runs
@ Arizona (W) 6-2 Cards 2 runs
@ Milwaukee (W) 12-2 Cards 2 runs
@ Mets (ND) 8-7 Mets 5 runs 4 earned
Overall on road 4-1 in 7 road starts with total runs given up by Weaver of 17 including unearned runs!
NOte: Jeff Weaver's era as a Cardinal in day games is 1.23!
Wells has the gout and really has had trouble even staying healthy this year. IMO it would have been smarter to start Young here with the home crowd and used Wells experience on the road. But I guess Bochy liked Young's 6-0 road record this year.
Bochy has been pushing all the wrong buttons. Taking into account his lousy set up of his pitching as I mentioned above, the SD bench is really weak despite some of the names and the way he used it in Game 1 is extremely questionable considering he put Mark Bellhorn in the game with the bases loaded with Pads a chance to come back. Bellhorn is a switch hitter who is a better lh but despite that Bellhorn had had only 1 official at bat in the last 3 weeks. With as an important at bat as this obviously was, why would you bring a guy up who has basically seen no action in 3 weeks!
Larussa has already announced that his lineup for tomorrow will be as follows:
Eckstein
Wilson
Pujols
Rolen
Encarnacion
Edmonds
Belliard
Molina
Weaver
So only Edmonds bats lh out of the entire group which will be a plus vs Wells. Wilson is the one who has been hot and has made a difference as witnessed in our last game vs quality lh in Capuano when Cards scored 7 runs which was the most off a lh starter all year!
Bulletin Board Material:
There are 3 things that I believe will serve as bulletin board material for Cards tomorrow with 2 of them coming after the finish of Game 1 and the other from Wells in August.
1. Dave Roberts Guarantees Victory in Game 2....Roberts was interviewed in locker room by SD Beat writer after Game 1 and guaranteed a victory in Game 2 for the Padres.
2. On the Sports Talk Radio Shows, they have been babbling the last 24 hours about the only reason we won Game 1 was Carpenter was going on an extra 2 days rest and slighting the rest of the Cardinals performance.
3.This is the one I find to be the most interesting. Cardinals during the waiver deadline after August 1st, had a deal in place to pick up, you guessed it, DAVID WELLS! Wells refused the trade which was no big deal but his comments about it were and I quote "I would retire before I played one inning in a Cardinal uniform." Throwing in Wells comments in Aug 04,when the Cards were on way to 105 victories, saying they are very beatable (He was with Padres at time) and his bean ball of JD Drew which in all liklihood ended Drew's career as a Cardinal as he was never the same, means there is a ton of animosity in Cards clubhouse with not only veterans but Larussa and Jocketty.
IMO, Cards make Wells pay tomorrow and jump on him early and often. I don't see Wells making it through 5 innings with his endurance issues,my predicted lack of success, and his issues with the gout.
Shadow Issue:
Cards bullpen is the big question mark as Weaver won't go past 7 innings as his history has shown as a Card but believe Cards will have comfortable lead at time which is huge. Around the 7th inning is when the shadows are scheduled to hit around the pitchers mound and the plate which if any of you watched on Tuesday, there were few baserunners and weakly hit balls on both teams due to the shadows between and on the pitchers mound and the plate. Throw in fact Looper and Wainwright are well rested, this is a big plus. Both throw hard and have nasty offspeed pitches (especially Wainwright) imo means lights out for Padres.
History:
This is third time Cards and Pads have met in divisional series. Cards have won first 2 series. Cards are 7-0 now vs Pads. Tony Larussa both in Oakland and St. Louis is 19-5 in divisional round games which is just below an 80% winning percentage.
Overall:
After winning Game 1,the above factors mentioned above, the way Cards handled Pads in Game 1, and the confidence and momentum the Cards are now showing,I am making the Cards +135 a 5* Play! I am also calling for this series to never make it back to SD and will likely end in a sweep on Saturday. Also, from my above mentioned and unmentioned homework, I am going to jump off of the under and make it a no play for tomorrow.
My only plays are :
Cards +135
Dodgers +146
Best of Luck!
5* Cardinals +135
I am sure many of you are shocked, lol, but really feel this is a great play. On the surface this game favors Padres with Wells vs Weaver. The fact that Cards have struggled vs lh batters and Wells in the past does not look favorable. Even Weaver's playoff record of 0-2 with over a 9 era looks worse. But first let me share with you Weaver's Road performance as a Cardinal.
@LA (W) 6-1 Cards 1 run
@Cincinnati (W) 13-1 Cards 1 run
@ Cubs (ND) 5-4 Cubs 5 2/3 innings 4 runs all earned
@ Pitt (L) 3-2 Pirates 3 runs
@ Arizona (W) 6-2 Cards 2 runs
@ Milwaukee (W) 12-2 Cards 2 runs
@ Mets (ND) 8-7 Mets 5 runs 4 earned
Overall on road 4-1 in 7 road starts with total runs given up by Weaver of 17 including unearned runs!
NOte: Jeff Weaver's era as a Cardinal in day games is 1.23!
Wells has the gout and really has had trouble even staying healthy this year. IMO it would have been smarter to start Young here with the home crowd and used Wells experience on the road. But I guess Bochy liked Young's 6-0 road record this year.
Bochy has been pushing all the wrong buttons. Taking into account his lousy set up of his pitching as I mentioned above, the SD bench is really weak despite some of the names and the way he used it in Game 1 is extremely questionable considering he put Mark Bellhorn in the game with the bases loaded with Pads a chance to come back. Bellhorn is a switch hitter who is a better lh but despite that Bellhorn had had only 1 official at bat in the last 3 weeks. With as an important at bat as this obviously was, why would you bring a guy up who has basically seen no action in 3 weeks!
Larussa has already announced that his lineup for tomorrow will be as follows:
Eckstein
Wilson
Pujols
Rolen
Encarnacion
Edmonds
Belliard
Molina
Weaver
So only Edmonds bats lh out of the entire group which will be a plus vs Wells. Wilson is the one who has been hot and has made a difference as witnessed in our last game vs quality lh in Capuano when Cards scored 7 runs which was the most off a lh starter all year!
Bulletin Board Material:
There are 3 things that I believe will serve as bulletin board material for Cards tomorrow with 2 of them coming after the finish of Game 1 and the other from Wells in August.
1. Dave Roberts Guarantees Victory in Game 2....Roberts was interviewed in locker room by SD Beat writer after Game 1 and guaranteed a victory in Game 2 for the Padres.
2. On the Sports Talk Radio Shows, they have been babbling the last 24 hours about the only reason we won Game 1 was Carpenter was going on an extra 2 days rest and slighting the rest of the Cardinals performance.
3.This is the one I find to be the most interesting. Cardinals during the waiver deadline after August 1st, had a deal in place to pick up, you guessed it, DAVID WELLS! Wells refused the trade which was no big deal but his comments about it were and I quote "I would retire before I played one inning in a Cardinal uniform." Throwing in Wells comments in Aug 04,when the Cards were on way to 105 victories, saying they are very beatable (He was with Padres at time) and his bean ball of JD Drew which in all liklihood ended Drew's career as a Cardinal as he was never the same, means there is a ton of animosity in Cards clubhouse with not only veterans but Larussa and Jocketty.
IMO, Cards make Wells pay tomorrow and jump on him early and often. I don't see Wells making it through 5 innings with his endurance issues,my predicted lack of success, and his issues with the gout.
Shadow Issue:
Cards bullpen is the big question mark as Weaver won't go past 7 innings as his history has shown as a Card but believe Cards will have comfortable lead at time which is huge. Around the 7th inning is when the shadows are scheduled to hit around the pitchers mound and the plate which if any of you watched on Tuesday, there were few baserunners and weakly hit balls on both teams due to the shadows between and on the pitchers mound and the plate. Throw in fact Looper and Wainwright are well rested, this is a big plus. Both throw hard and have nasty offspeed pitches (especially Wainwright) imo means lights out for Padres.
History:
This is third time Cards and Pads have met in divisional series. Cards have won first 2 series. Cards are 7-0 now vs Pads. Tony Larussa both in Oakland and St. Louis is 19-5 in divisional round games which is just below an 80% winning percentage.
Overall:
After winning Game 1,the above factors mentioned above, the way Cards handled Pads in Game 1, and the confidence and momentum the Cards are now showing,I am making the Cards +135 a 5* Play! I am also calling for this series to never make it back to SD and will likely end in a sweep on Saturday. Also, from my above mentioned and unmentioned homework, I am going to jump off of the under and make it a no play for tomorrow.
My only plays are :
Cards +135
Dodgers +146
Best of Luck!