It's not tiddlywinks folks, it's Major League Baseball, and oh boy, we've got a real knees-up today with the Pittsburgh Pirates playing away at the St. Louis Cardinals' gaff, Busch Stadium. Now, that joint ain't no paradise for batters—kinda like forcing your grandma to ride a skateboard. Good luck with that!
Let's talk about the boys on the mound, shall we? The Pirates have their ace, Paul Skenes, on the hill, and by golly, this guy is sharper than a sack full of wet mice. With a 2.11 ERA and spitting bullets at an impressive 11.4 K/9 ratio, Skenes is a man I wouldn't want to face even if I had a broomstick and a trashcan lid.
On the flip side, the Cardinals are countering with Andre Pallante. Now Pallante, I wouldn't say he's struggling, but with a 4.29 ERA and 1.45 WHIP, he's no Picasso painting corners. More like a three-year-old with a tub of finger paint!
For the Pirates, keep an eye on pepper pots like Yasmani Grandal and Nick Gonzales. Jared Triolo ain't no slouch either with a .272 batting average and leading the team with 15 RBIs. I mean who needs coffee when you have these guys waking up the scoreboard, am I right?
For the Cardinals, it's all about Paul Goldschmidt and Lars Nootbaar, hitting .323 and .306 respectively. Pedro Pages is another name that's been stirring up the alphabet soup with a .261 batting average and 4 long balls.
Now, looking at their past encounters, Pirates seem to be handling the Cardinals like a bear handles salmon - 3 wins out of their last 5 encounters. And before you holler, yes, records matter. Pirates are 71-78 and Cardinals are not faring much better with a 74-75 record.
Looking at the recent results, Pirates are winning more than they're losing, and the Cardinals, who had their feathers ruffled recently by the Toronto Blue Jays, need a refresher course in nesting.
With all this stuff in mind, and a not-so-subtle nod to the quiet whisperings of the spread and payout data fairy, I'm calling this one a real barn burner.
Albert’s Prediction: Pittsburgh Pirates by 2