Series Thread: Cards @ Royals

[theohall]

Friday, June 27: Joel Pineiro, RHP (2-3, 3.86) @ Gil Meche, RHP (5-8, 4.91), 7:10 pm
Saturday, June 28: Mark Mulder, LHP (0-0, -.--) @ Kyle Davies, RHP (3-0, 3.12), 6:10 pm
Sunday, June 29: Braden Looper, RHP (9-5, 4.22) @ Brian Bannister, RHP (7-6, 4.47), 1:10 pm

No way is Mulder pitching on Saturday, so pencil in Mitchell Boggs, RHP (2-0, 5.40) for that start.

Time to pay back the Royals for the crappy start to this series of interleague play. Oh, and if Boggs does go, then I like all three starters.

[BoxCar]

Trade Parisi and Duncan to the Royals on the condition that Parisi starts all three games this series.

[theohall]

Why trade? Just give them to the Royals. And Duncan has to play LF as well.

[stlmark]

We should win 2 of 3, but what the hell do I know.

[theohall]

Actually, it's not going to be that easy. Bernie's Extra Points says what needs to be said about the Royals (even the angst part we Cards fans tend to have about KC )

[not_a_wings_fan]

I won't be surprised when the Royals take 2/3 over the weekend. They are playing really well, and the biggest thing has been quality at bats. Huge change in the team at the plate recently. They have been stringing together hits and really doing the small things that move runners. This isnt' the team that has lost 100 games for years.

[stlmark]

I have lost confidence in this team. The hitting isn't coming up with the hits when we need them. Of course, the bullpen has sucked.

Piniero really needed to get Gordon out with 2 out and the bases juiced.

[theohall]

Starting pitching has been stunningly good. Last night, the pitching had a rough start and once again, the hitting failed to produce when they had the chance to tie the game.

They have to get better hitting with RISP or it won't matter one whit what the pitching does. The home series against the Royals - absolutely no offense. Starting pitching in that series - outstanding. The lack of run support, IMO, is what really did in the bullpen. Our 'pen has some ridiculous number of holds, but that stat is meaningless when you're up by three runs. What I'd like to know is how many holds does the 'pen have with only a 1-run lead. We already know they are really bad when it comes to surrendering runs with inherited runners.

Basically, the injuries are catching up when it comes to the bullpen and it's really hurting the Cards when their offense isn't going. I still say Duncan needs to get the hell out of the way. His average with RISP has to be horrendous.

[cprice12]

We're fortunate the Cubs are losing some games now, otherwise we'd be 6 1/2 out or more right now.

My prediction... we win today (Saturday) and the Cubs win too. Which has pretty much been the case over the past couple weeks. When we win, the Cubs win...when we lose, the Cubs lose.

[theohall]

I'm not confident the club will win with Duncan hitting in the 6 hole. Other players have generated runs from that position in the order and without them, the pitching isn't good enough to win game. With those, the pitching is good enough.

The magic number is still 4+ runs. If the Cards score only 3 or less, expect a loss with the way the 'pen always seems to surrender at least one run. And with Duncan in the lineup - regardless of whether Pujols is present or not - the offense has gone south for the most part.

Yes, there were the two weird games where errors occurred when Duncan was batting which led to key runs - but they should've been outs and would've been likely game-losing outs.

[stlmark]

We really needed that win.

And Dunc get's a cheap rbi single to go along with 2 BB's.

[marco]

5th time is a charm... about time we beat KC this year.

[theohall]

We really needed that win.

And Dunc get's a cheap rbi single to go along with 2 BB's.

Still can't believe they walked Duncan twice - and with no one on base. He hasn't hit the ball anywhere near well enough to be considered a home-run threat. Throw him strikes, and he'll fly out/ground out more often than he'll get a hit this season.

Anyway - nice start by Boggs. Good recovery when getting in a little trouble and those 3rd out strike out pitches - those looked crazy-wicked.

[stlmark]

Missed a lot of the game, but we held on and won the series.

[theohall]

Basically, the Cardinals blew up Bannister and it was fun to watch. LaRue getting creamed at the plate, holding on for the out, then jacking a 2-run dinger in the bottom of that same inning - AWESOME! Those 2 plays changed the tone of the game, IMO. The only guy who really struggled was Looper, but the offensive explosion took care of that.

A small hat tip to the Royals for playing hard and never quitting even though the Cards kept getting 4 run leads.