The Cardinals had the best home record in the majors last season and they open the Busch Stadium portion of 2016 on Monday hosting the Brewers. It also opens a stretch of nine straight home games against NL Central opponents.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
The Cards will be ecstatic to get back home after opening the campaign with their first six on the road. After getting swept by the Bucs in a three-game set to open the year, there was a strange feeling in the Cards clubhouse. St. Louis didn’t lose three straight games in 2015 until the end of May. The Cards didn’t experience a three-game sweep until July 12. So, yeah, the Cardinals were probably a little bit stunned to have started a season so flat.
The entire experience of that opening-series sweep can quickly be put to rest with nine straight games on tap at Busch Stadium. The Cards get NL Central rivals Cincinnati and a showdown with division favorite Chicago each for three games. St. Louis was the only club to win 100 games last season and its 55-26 home record was tied with Los Angeles for the best in MLB.
PROBABLE PITCHERS
Taylor Jungmann (0-0, 1.80 ERA) picked up a no-decision in his opening assignment, limiting the Giants to three hits and one earned run in five innings. He finished with a strikeout and a pair of walks. He allowed a leadoff homer in the second, the last hit he surrendered on the day. Jungmann generated 10 ground ball outs and tossed just 80 pitches.
The sophomore right-hander looks for better results against his NL Central rival than he had in his lone start last season. Jungmann was touched for a pair of homers and six earned in 5.0 innings in a 7-3 loss at Busch on Sep. 24.
Michael Wacha (0-0, 8.31 ERA) was roughed up in a no-decision Tuesday against the Pirates as he allowed five runs – four earned – on 10 hits and a walk with three strikeouts over 4.1 innings. Wacha pitched better than his line suggests with eight of the 10 hits allowed singles. But he wasn’t able to put hitters away in critical situations.
Wacha was 2-0 against Milwaukee last season but the numbers were awful. He surrendered 21 hits and 10 earned runs in 15.1 innings for a 5.87 ERA. The Brewers hit .333 off him.
LIVE BETTING
Slugging first baseman Chris Carter didn’t take long to endear himself to his new teammates. Carter hit his first homer in a Brewers uniform Wednesday and had a go-ahead sac fly in the seventh for 4-3 Milwaukee victory, avoiding an 0-3 start. Long known as a low average, high strikeout, huge power player, Carter has changed his approach and vowed to “keep it simple” this season. The free-agent was brought in to man first base and provide a wallop to a lineup that sagged in that category last season. Carter hit 24 homers in a down year last season while splitting time, but he spanked 37 in 2014 when he had 507 at-bats. He will get the bulk of work at first base in Milwaukee.
QUICK PICK
As well as the Cardinals played at home last season, the Brewers were able to hang close despite a 32-game gap in the overall standings. St. Louis will miss starters John Lackey, who signed with the Cubs in the offseason, and Lance Lynn, who is out for the season after Tommy John surgery. More will be needed from Wacha to pick up some of those innings and he disappointed in his opener, getting rocked by the Pirates. But there’s just something about Busch Stadium that gives the Cards an overwhelming homefield advantage. Nothing that happened during the first week of the season has convinced the Cards they can’t pitch just as well in 2016 than they did last MLB season. St. Louis had an insanely good 2.70 staff ERA at home in 2015. Wacha’s ceiling may not be as high as it once was, but he bounces back with a nice effort versus the Crew.
MLB Odds: St. Louis 4, Milwaukee 1
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