MLB Thu, Jul 21, 2005
Game of the day: Cubs at Cardinals
Brian Covert
The line: Oddsmakers have the Cubbies listed at +145 and the Cards at -165. The St. Louis Cardinals are -155 favorites to take the series. The teams split a two-game series earlier this year. The Cards were favored in both games.
The total: The total is set at 7 runs. The under has cashed both times these teams have played this season.
Big series for Cubbies
The Chicago Cubs enter the weekend series thirteen games behind the Cardinals in the race for the National League Central title. If they have any hope of catching the Cards they have to start moving now.
“I put it like this: They want it and we need it,” Cubs manager Dusty Baker told the Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Today’s game is the first of 14 games the two teams have left against each other. Baker sees no reason why the Cubs can’t make a run at the title, although mostly everyone has ceded the title to St. Louis.
"Everybody is catchable," says Baker. "Were the Cubs catchable in `69? Were the Phillies catchable the year they got caught (in 1964)? I`m sure (St. Louis manager) Tony (La Russa) doesn`t take anything for granted."
A classic pitchers duel
Chris Carpenter has been nearly untouchable lately. The All-Star has allowed five runs in his last eight starts, translating into a microscopic 0.70 ERA. He threw a complete game, three-hit shutout helping St. Louis beat the Houston Astros as a -147 favorite his last time out.
“Unfairly to him, you kind of expect him to go out and throw shutouts," said teammate Scott Rolen to the Associated Press. “He`s making it look easy. You tip your cap to Carp because he`s throwing unbelievable."
His counterpart, Carlos Zambrano is no slouch either. The young hurler is 2-0 in his last three starts, with a 2.05 ERA. He worked eight solid innings, scattering five hits on only 95 pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday. The Cubs won 8-2 as -205 favorites.
"He threw the ball great today," Baker said. "He minimized his pitches, probably the lowest pitch count he had in a long time."
‘Don’t try to be cocky’
Baseball fans can only hope for a game like the last one in which Carpenter and Zambrano faced each other.
Zambrano was the story of the game. The fiery Cubs hurler was ejected for plunking Jim Edmonds twice, the second time in alleged retaliation to Edmonds’ prolonged admiration of a home run in the fourth inning. Zambrano had words for the Cardinals slugger as he rounded the bases.
“I just told him to run the bases and don`t try to be cocky,” Zambrano told reporters after the game.
“I don`t care what the rivalry is, what the circumstance is, what the standings are, you are not allowed to cross the line in this game,” said Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa. “And it was pretty clear their pitcher crossed it twice."
The Cardinals won 5-4 as –140 underdogs. Carpenter struck out five in eight innings of work.
Pujols on the move?
Tony La Russa is open to the idea of moving Albert Pujols.
"Have I thought about it? Yeah, but I doubt it will happen," La Russa told the St. Louis Dispatch about moving Pujols to the cleanup spot in the Cardinals order.
LaRussa has entertained the idea of putting Pujols, batting .338 with 26 homers, between Jim Edmonds and Larry Walker against right-handed pitchers. The idea is to disrupt pitchers by putting the right bat between the left-handed hitters.
Pujols never has indicated a preference for a specific spot in the order.
"There is no doubt in my mind, as tough-minded as Albert is, that he would hit wherever we put him," said La Russa.
Game of the day: Cubs at Cardinals
Brian Covert
The line: Oddsmakers have the Cubbies listed at +145 and the Cards at -165. The St. Louis Cardinals are -155 favorites to take the series. The teams split a two-game series earlier this year. The Cards were favored in both games.
The total: The total is set at 7 runs. The under has cashed both times these teams have played this season.
Big series for Cubbies
The Chicago Cubs enter the weekend series thirteen games behind the Cardinals in the race for the National League Central title. If they have any hope of catching the Cards they have to start moving now.
“I put it like this: They want it and we need it,” Cubs manager Dusty Baker told the Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Today’s game is the first of 14 games the two teams have left against each other. Baker sees no reason why the Cubs can’t make a run at the title, although mostly everyone has ceded the title to St. Louis.
"Everybody is catchable," says Baker. "Were the Cubs catchable in `69? Were the Phillies catchable the year they got caught (in 1964)? I`m sure (St. Louis manager) Tony (La Russa) doesn`t take anything for granted."
A classic pitchers duel
Chris Carpenter has been nearly untouchable lately. The All-Star has allowed five runs in his last eight starts, translating into a microscopic 0.70 ERA. He threw a complete game, three-hit shutout helping St. Louis beat the Houston Astros as a -147 favorite his last time out.
“Unfairly to him, you kind of expect him to go out and throw shutouts," said teammate Scott Rolen to the Associated Press. “He`s making it look easy. You tip your cap to Carp because he`s throwing unbelievable."
His counterpart, Carlos Zambrano is no slouch either. The young hurler is 2-0 in his last three starts, with a 2.05 ERA. He worked eight solid innings, scattering five hits on only 95 pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday. The Cubs won 8-2 as -205 favorites.
"He threw the ball great today," Baker said. "He minimized his pitches, probably the lowest pitch count he had in a long time."
‘Don’t try to be cocky’
Baseball fans can only hope for a game like the last one in which Carpenter and Zambrano faced each other.
Zambrano was the story of the game. The fiery Cubs hurler was ejected for plunking Jim Edmonds twice, the second time in alleged retaliation to Edmonds’ prolonged admiration of a home run in the fourth inning. Zambrano had words for the Cardinals slugger as he rounded the bases.
“I just told him to run the bases and don`t try to be cocky,” Zambrano told reporters after the game.
“I don`t care what the rivalry is, what the circumstance is, what the standings are, you are not allowed to cross the line in this game,” said Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa. “And it was pretty clear their pitcher crossed it twice."
The Cardinals won 5-4 as –140 underdogs. Carpenter struck out five in eight innings of work.
Pujols on the move?
Tony La Russa is open to the idea of moving Albert Pujols.
"Have I thought about it? Yeah, but I doubt it will happen," La Russa told the St. Louis Dispatch about moving Pujols to the cleanup spot in the Cardinals order.
LaRussa has entertained the idea of putting Pujols, batting .338 with 26 homers, between Jim Edmonds and Larry Walker against right-handed pitchers. The idea is to disrupt pitchers by putting the right bat between the left-handed hitters.
Pujols never has indicated a preference for a specific spot in the order.
"There is no doubt in my mind, as tough-minded as Albert is, that he would hit wherever we put him," said La Russa.