Today, we have the matchup nobody asked for but we're all stuck with: the Chicago Cubs versus the St. Louis Cardinals. And for those betting mavens out there, it seems the Cardinals are enjoying some favoritism. But what do the punters know anyway?
We'll be enjoying this circus at the Busch Stadium, a place that's more or less anonymous, doesn't really favor hitters or pitchers significantly. So don't pin your hopes on the stadium changing the game's fate.
Starting for the Chicago Cubs is beloved Kyle Hendricks. And boy, he's having a rough time of it this season. An ERA like a call to a customer service hotline and a WHIP that won't let him sleep at night. In comparison, St. Louis's Sonny Gray looks like a Wolf-of-Wall-Street-level winner. Sporting a decent ERA and a WHIP that whispers efficiency, plus collecting strikeouts like they're going out of fashion.
On the player front, the Cubs do bring some heat to the plate. Ian Happ and Mike Busch pulling the plow, their batting averages and RBI’s look pretty commendable. But remember folks, baseball is a team game, and you are only as good as your weakest player.
But the Cardinals are no slouches either. The likes of Brendan Donovan and Alec Burleson proving their worth in the battle. Though I'm quite concerned about Paul Goldschmidt's batting average. He's hitting more like he's swatting flies than baseballs.
Reviewing their previous high stakes game of "catch", we see these teams have a history of providing quite the nail-biters. Their matchup back-and-forth could be a mini-series on Netflix. The Cardinals barely edging out the Cubs most of the time. But then again, past performance is no indication of future results. Except in sports. And stocks. And relationships.
Looking at the regular season records, the Cardinals seem to be doing marginally better than the Cubs. Cubs have a losing record and Cardinals are just barely breaking even. So, no one's winning employee of the month here.
Recent results show the teams’ contrasting fortunes. The Cubs, after getting blanked by Los Angeles, pummelled Baltimore. But St. Louis, they just can't seem to keep Kansas City down. Not exactly a glowing endorsement for their showdown with the Cubs.
So, what's the verdict in this circus? Perhaps it's the venue, the regular season records or just Sonny Gray throwing fireballs, but my gut says the Cardinals will flap their way out of this one.
Albert’s Prediction: St. Louis Cardinals by 2