The Cubs and Cards are playing a three-game series starting today. The Cubs are currently 3 games back and the Cards are 4 games back. At this point, the Cards worry me more than the Cubs. Cardinals: The Cards' pitching has been improved since the All-Star break. Both Renteria and Pujols are having their best months of the season. McGwire is always going to be a threat and is a lock to go yard at least once each series. Kile has the best ERA of any pitcher since the All-Star break and has been more than impressive. Hermanson has also pitched extremely well of late. Morris is a bonafide ace and gives the Cards a chance to win every time he takes the mound. Bud Smith is in his first season as a starter for the Cards and has shown poise and an ability to get out of jams and pressure situations. Smith's repertoire is well put together and could easily be mistaken as a Carlos Hernandez clone in pitching style and physical stature. Mike Matthews is the Cards' only question mark in their starting rotation. He has had good performances coupled with awful performances. He, in my opinion, is a crap shoot any time he takes the mound. As for the Cubs Cubs: Wood's status is up in the air even though his latest MRI showed no structural damage. Tavarez's latest poor start is forcing Baylor to move him to the bullpen. Tapani always seems to keep the Cubs in the game, but the team just doesn't seem to win when he is on the mound. There are exceptions to this Tapani theory, and proof of this lies in the Cubs drubbing of the Brewers 16-3 in Tapani's last start. Bere is a very streaky pitcher. He has good games and awful games ala Mike Matthews. When Bere is on and he is hitting spots and mixing speeds, he can be dominant. But when he is pressing, he is basically throwing batting practice to the opposing team. Lieber is very impressive. He is dynamite against right-handed hitters and can shut down the opposing team. A heavy left-handed lineup can get to Lieber. The two starters the Cubs brought up from the minors, Juan Cruz and Carlos Zambrano, are not nearly as polished as the Astros' young guns. Cruz pitched well in his major league debut, but Zambrano (who is more highly regarded than Cruz) got shelled in his debut. A shelling like that can do nothing but hurt Zambrano's mental approach to the game. With Wood and Tavarez out of the rotation, the Cubs aren't nearly as scary as they were earlier in the season. The Cubs offense is streaky as well. Sosa is a threat to hit the long-ball each time to the plate and he is very difficult to pitch to under any circumstances. McGriff hasn't performed as expected since coming over from Tampa. The Cubs are a team that isn't loaded, but knows how to manufacture runs and play small ball. Their individual parts on offense aren't impressive, but combine them and they can be productive. With that being said, I wouldn't mind it all if the Cubs sweep the Cards in this series, but I just don't see it happening. Who will you be rooting for? <img src="http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/flamethrower.gif" width="200" height="48" transparency="0" border="0" alt="Image"><img src="http://www.mlb.com/mlb/images/team_logos/logo_pit_79x76.jpg?GXHC_gx_session_id_=85c475703d53a20a&GXHC_servergroup=1081 <BR>" width="79" height="76" transparency="0" border="0" alt="Image">
Astros sweep Pirates, Cubs win 2 of 3. I'd prefer not to see either team sweep. A sweep could end up getting the sweeping team on a roll.
Nice point. The Cards and Cubs are teams capable of putting together lengthy winning streaks as evident this season. Oh, I also think the Astros will use their brooms this weekend.
I want the Cubs to win the series, 3-0 while the Astros swep the Pirates. Why you ask? Because if hey could push the Cardinals further back then that will help. The Cardinals are the better of the team and scares me the most between the two of those teams.
I don't care who wins, the Astros have the best team, they should be ok for the rest of the year. DaDakota
DaDa, You are kidding right? I hope you are in a Redwood Forest to do the type of wood-knocking you need to after that insane statement. Remember it's the Astros you're talking about here.
I don't care who wins the series, as long as it isn't a sweep on either side. What I do want is to have some 13-11, 12-9 type games, where the starters get bounced early and the bullpens of both teams get a whole lot of work.
Cards win 10-8. Starters gone after 4(Cubs) and 5(Cards) Innings respectively. Lots of relivers used. I'm happy with this game.
I'd rather the Cubs win 2 out of 3. The Cardinals are an extremely talented team, almost as potent as Houston in hitting. Their starters outside of Kile and Morris, aren't dynomite... but are solid. The Cubs are a mediocre team that's had a lot of luck. Before Wood missed his last start, their Top 5 starters had made basically every start as scheduled. Very, very few teams had this luxury. They also have benefited from several career years. Now their pitchers aren't so hot, their bullpen is exhausted, and it's time to slide back to average.
I totally agree with Stevierebel. The CARDS scare me a helluva lot more than the Completely Useless By September's!
