A look at a reeling St. Louis Cardinals team that travels to San Diego to try and regain their footing against the Padres
Intro
The Cardinals (55-55) travel to the West Coast to take on the Padres (60-49), after recently splitting 4 games with them in St. Louis. This will be a very different team, though, just a week later. Roster turn-over and the realization that the season is over appears to have deflated this team.
The lede picture explained … last week, I took two grandchildren to a day game at Coors Field. The game had a similar dispirited, getaway game feel as Wednesday nights dud against Miami did. But the kids enjoyed it. My 5-year-old grandson stayed the whole nine, studying what was going on. I bought him a bat, which is now his treasure. When we got home, in was thunder and lightening time, so he drew a ball field in the garage, with chalk, and we played our first baseball game inside. A baseball fan is born.
The Pitching Matchups (projected)
Matchups are even tougher to project right before a trade deadline!
Friday – Liberatore vs. Pivetta @ 8:40p (all times Central)
Saturday – McGreevy vs. Vasquez @ 9:10p
Wednesday – Pallante vs. Kolek (projected) @ 3:10p
Quick peek at the Padres pitching
We just saw these 3 last week. These guys handled the Cardinal offense all 3 games. The Cards won the Pivetta game only because they threw a shutout. The Sunday game is TBD officially, but it appears it would be Kolek’s turn, and he didn’t hurt his standing any last time he pitched against the Cardinals.
Rest assured that the Cardinals will get plenty of looks at the Padres 3 left-handed relievers.
A peak at the Padres offense
Machado and Tatis are their best. Croneworh, Alvarez, Bogaerts and Merrill provide credible bats to round out a decent line-up. They look one hitter short of being a real good offense, it appears.
The venue
Petco is my favorite venue for baseball. My 9-year-old grandson will be making his first trek out of town with me for this. Overall, the park factor is 98, so slightly in the pitchers’ favor. It gooses HR a bit at 105. 21st out of 28 fields (they aren’t publishing stats for the Rays or A’s home parks).
Overall
On one hand, these two teams were 1.5 game apart just last Saturday. On the other hand, these are two teams going in the opposite direction. It’s like a math problem. If the A train leaves the station headed for Rebuild Land at a dithering speed, and the B train leaves the station headed for the playoffs at a rapid pace, which will arrive first? Train A or Train B?
Cardinal updates
Maton reported that he is bringing two suitcases to San Diego with him, so apparently, he knows how to be flexible. I wonder if he turned his key in for his St. Louis condo.
At minimum, there should be a new pitcher inbound to take Helsley’s spot. Who closes now? Who cares?
As this free-fall prolongs and the trade deadline passes, I begin to wonder how long before the Marmol firing watch begins.