Listening to the ball crashing leather in Busch Stadium, St. Louis is always a delight. It seems the batters gonna have it a tad tough in this pitcher-friendly ballpark today, but aren't we all fond of a good challenge?
Kansas City Royals' starting pitcher, Michael Wacha, usually known for his unhurried manner on the mound, is sliding in with a fairly respectable 3.81 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP this season. St. Louis Cardinals are countering with Sonny Gray, who boasts a 3.37 ERA and a pretty snazzy 11.4 K/9. Little bit of a pitching edge goes to Gray and the Cardinals today, ladies and gents.
Though the Royals lineup has some spark with Bobby Witt Jr. and Freddy Fermin pulling their weight, they still seem a tiny bit outclassed when standing against the likes of Nolan Arenado and Alec Burleson from the Cardinals.
Looking at the head-to-head encounters from the past, the results are as balanced as a perfect cheeseburger. Both teams have displayed the ability to topple the other on their day. But my money is slightly leaning towards the Cardinals, given their strong recent performances.
What catches my eye, though, is the fact that both teams have battled fiercely throughout their regular season, with the Royals having a 49-43 win-loss record, and the Cardinals not far behind at 48-42. Talk about tight competition.
Looking at the most recent games, the Cardinals have a bit more momentum behind them with three victories in their last five games compared to the Royals' two. Anyone reckon a return of the redbirds' glory years?
Dark humor inserted, good analysis delivered and here it is, folks. Debby, drum roll please...
Albert’s Prediction: St. Louis Cardinals by 2