(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
C70: What's your prediction for the series?
AC: It looks like we've got Hampton/Piniero, Oswalt/Wainwright, and Wandy/Lohse. I'm a homer, so I'll say Hampton and Oswalt win and Wandy gets destroyed.
Appreciate James taking the time to look forward to this weekend's matchup. I've written it up at CardsClubhouse for the most recent Bird's Eye View, but I'll hit some of the highlights of the pitching matchups here.
It just doesn't seem like it's been that long ago when Mike Hampton struck fear into Cardinal fans' hearts. When he was with the Mets, he shut the Birds down with regularity,as he did in the 2000 NLCS.
So much so that the Cards pursued him vigoriously when he was a free agent, but because Colorado's schools are so much better, he went to the Rockies. Then he began his long-time affair with the disabled list.
He's healthy now (at this moment, at least—maybe I need to check ESPN to make sure) and goes again against the Cardinals.
However, this is a much different team than the one he used to dominate, as only Albert Pujols has had much of a career line against him. It's a pretty good one, though, hitting over .300 with two home runs.
Joel Pineiro goes for the Cards. I feel a little better about this since it's not in the bandbox called Minute Maid Park. Still, this will be an early test to see if Pineiro's spring carries over into the regular season.
If it does, the Cards probably take the first of the series. If not, the lose-win-lose-win pattern continues.
Saturday, we get to see the Cards on national television as the two aces, Roy Oswalt and Adam Wainwright, go head to head.
This should be a game worth watching, as Oswalt has usually done well against the Cards and Wainwright beat the Astros three times last year, though it was against the 'Stros that he left the game with the finger injury that cost him two months.
I like the Cardinals in this game because they'll be able to use all their left-handed weapons and that lineup could score quite a few runs if they get Oswalt out of the game.
Sunday, Wandy Rodriguez goes against Kyle Lohse. I looked it up and was right, Rodriguez did a number on the Cards last year, with a 1.11 ERA. Somehow, though, the Cards hung a 1-2 record on him.
That kinda tough luck won't continue. If Lohse is at all off of what he looked like in his first start, this one will go to the Astros.
7:15 tonight at Busch kicks it all off. Should be a fun weekend!
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