Game of the week (5-11): Dodgers vs Cardinals

[missionhockey21]

vs

Wednesday Night Baseball on ESPN, at 8 PM EST. Jeff Suppan and the 1st place Cardinals face off versus Brad Penny and the 1st place Dodgers. This very well could be a preview of a potential playoff matchup.

LA DODGERS                              ST LOUIS                              
                         AVG  HR  RBI                            AVG  HR  RBI   
Cesar Izturis SS        .319   1   13   David Eckstein SS       .299   0    9   
Hee Seop Choi 1B        .280   6   15   Larry Walker RF         .283   4   11   
J.D. Drew RF            .269   5   13   Albert Pujols 1B        .341   9   29   
Jeff Kent 2B            .325   8   27   Jim Edmonds CF          .286   6   20   
Milton Bradley CF       .331   7   18   Roger Cedeno LF         .139   0    5   
Olmedo Saenz 3B         .289   2   13   John Mabry 3B           .259   1    3   
Ricky Ledee LF          .320   1   12   Mark Grudzielanek 2B    .321   2   10   
Jason Phillips C        .297   1   21   Einar Diaz C            .273   0    3   
Brad Penny RHP          .200   0    0   Jeff Suppan RHP         .167   0    1   
(2-0, 2.00)                             (2-3, 3.47)

*Penny faces Suppan in third of four-game series* ------------------------------------------------- LA Dodgers (20-12) at St Louis (20-12), 8:10 pm EDT ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Brad Penny has shown no ill effects from an injury that forced him to start the season on the disabled list. Penny (2-0, 2.00 ERA) starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday in the third game of a four-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals. After being acquired from Florida last season, Penny has been hampered with a nerve injury in his right arm. But after beginning the year on the DL, Penny has been sharp, allowing four runs in 18 innings. The 26-year-old righthander is 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA in six career starts against the Cardinals. Jeff Suppan (2-3, 3.47) starts for St. Louis. Suppan, who recorded the series-clinching victory in Game Four of last year's National League Division Series against Los Angeles, is 0-3 with a 5.82 ERA in three regular-season starts against the Dodgers. After Albert Pujols blasted two home runs to lead the Cardinals to a 4-2 victory on Monday, the Dodgers rallied for six runs in the sixth inning en route to a 9-8 triumph on Tuesday. Hee-Seop Choi hit a three-run homer and Milton Bradley had three hits as Los Angeles erased a four-run deficit against the bullpen. David Eckstein of the Cardinals extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single in the first inning on Tuesday.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/score...TLOUIS---0.htm

[Steak]

Great choice, mission.

I will be on hand for this game Wednesday night as I will participate in this thread with the Twins playing in the afternoon. If I have nothing to do at work, I will chime in here.

This should be a great game. Dodgers are going to be pumped up for this series. LA thought they were the better team and I agree with them. I thought LA had the pitching and the hitting to beat Stl last year, but the Cardinals hitters just worn down the Dodgers starters. I think it would have been a different story though if Penny was healthy last year in the NLDS. Cardinals are the Cardinals.

I hope Stl can beat them.

Cardinals 4 Dodgers 1 on Wednesday night.

[777rak]

yea i hope the Cardinals win too

[redsrbetter]

Well, I unfortunately will not be making much of this week's game. I have a mandatory Commander's Call that just got reported. So depending on how long it goes, I will be away. So have fun everyone. Go Dodgers!

[missionhockey21]

Anybody going to be watching tonight?

My prediction:
5-3 Dodgers.

[missionhockey21]

Lineups and USA Today preview are up.

Rolen is out for the Cardinals in case anyone didn't hear about last night.
Per Rotoworld:

Scott Rolen is expected to miss at least a few games with the shoulder injury he suffered last night. More tests are scheduled. ''I don't feel any better,'' Rolen said after showing up at the ballpark today. ''If anything I probably feel a little worse.'' Still, the Cardinals don't think the ''sprain'' will lead to an extended absence. John Mabry is starting at third base today.

[missionhockey21]

Anyone here?

[Steak]

I am here.

I am in the front desk right now where the computer is. I will do the PBP and everything from watching MLB.TV

Should be a good one.

[missionhockey21]

You got PBP? Sweet, I am little burned out from the Reds game earlier. I will be here with my oh so insightful commentary.

Good to see you here Steak.

[missionhockey21]

That collision between Choi and Rolen last night was nasty, it was like a hockey collision.

[Steak]

I see Charley Steiner is doing the game for FSN West 2. Thank God. I am not a huge fan of Vin Scully. He was great back in the day, but he is way too much of a homer for the Dodgers. I think Charley is more than fair from listening to the Yankees games. It's just that he and that pompous John Sterling never clicked together on the radio. I am happy Charley can be himself now that he is out of Sterling's shadow. Charley has made it so clear that he hated working for Sterling and the Yankees. I am glad he is happy.

[missionhockey21]

Wow, Choi's last 12 games he is batting .378 with 5 homers. We really get to see the result of that Marlins trade at work tonight with Choi on 1st and Penny on the mound.

[Steak]

mission: I know you hate the Cardinals, but I am rooting for them. Tony LaRussa is a class act and I love everyone on the Cardinals. It's amazing how Tony gets so much out of so little with a small payroll.

[missionhockey21]

Izturis is really becoming a solid hitter. I have been really impressed with his growth over the past few seasons.