GDT: Maine (0-0) vs Looper (0-0); 7:10pm/Looper Predictions

Ace · Post by **Ace** » April 4 07, 5:03 pm

Wilson and Miles get the start.

1. Eckstein
2. Duncan
3. Pujols
4. Rolen
5. Edmonds
6. Wilson
7. Molina
8. Miles
9. Looper

haltz · Post by **haltz** » April 4 07, 5:05 pm

Ace wrote:Wilson and Miles get the start.

I don't get it.

Tambourine Man · Post by **Tambourine Man** » April 4 07, 5:05 pm

Kennedy benched?

TimeForGuinness · Post by **TimeForGuinness** » April 4 07, 5:06 pm

Tambourine Man wrote:Kennedy benched?

That's odd. I didn't think we'd see Miles this early.

Wait, let me clarify...I was hoping we wouldn't see Miles this early.

vinsanity · Post by **vinsanity** » April 4 07, 5:08 pm

Miles - 0/12314674234 with 234268434 strikeouts
Looper - 4.2 IP ERA - Infinte 8069078 Hits and 0k's.

Looper finishes off the sweep.

TGantz · Post by **TGantz** » April 4 07, 5:08 pm

He said he wasn't entirely comfortable at the plate yet, because he didn't get much time in ST because of his "tightness."

Wilson's in there because they need to score runs for Looper I guess. Spiezio's having back spasms, Taguchi and Schumaker are struggling at the corners I guess. I don't mind the line-up that much.

businessmansspecial · Post by **businessmansspecial** » April 4 07, 5:12 pm

Wilson.

Ace · Post by **Ace** » April 4 07, 5:21 pm

Kennedy is still the starting second baseman right??

I don't understand why hes not in the lineup. I figured we wouldn't see Miles for at least a couple more games or against the next lefthander.

TGantz · Post by **TGantz** » April 4 07, 5:23 pm

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports ... enDocument

Izzy to debut tonight
By Rick Hummel
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
04/04/2007

Cards closer Jason Isringhausen is expected to make his 2007 debut tonight against the Mets.

There is no word on whether Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter, who has some elbow issues, will be able to pitch next Tuesday in Pittsburgh but manager Tony La Russa guaranteed before tonight’s game here with the Mets that closer Jason Isringhausen, who wasn’t used in the first two games, would pitch in this game.

"Izzy will pitch the ninth come hell or high water," said La Russa before the game. "Maybe the eighth."

Isringhausen hasn’t pitched in a regular-season game since last September, when he underwent left hip surgery.

As for Carpenter, La Russa said the righthander reported "improvement" Wednesday. "Now, I don’t know if that’s enough improvement for him to pitch Tuesday," said La Russa.

The Cardinals probably wouldn’t decide whether or not to disable Carpenter until sometime this weekend, or until after Carpenter has been re-examined by Dr. George Paletta, presumably on Thursday.

Carpenter, who reported stiffness and swelling in his elbow after his first start on Sunday, already has been scratched from his next scheduled start Friday in Houston.

La Russa, asked what he would do if Carpenter couldn’t pitch Tuesday, said, "We’re dealing with incomplete stuff. I’m not spending very much time thinking about it. We’re trying to get a win in this series."

Braden Looper, after 572 consecutive relief appearances in the major leagues without making a start, will pitch for the Cardinals as they try to salvage one of three games from the Mets, who won 97 games last season, 14 more than the Cardinals in the regular season.

Preston Wilson will be back in right field, where he started on Sunday, and Aaron Miles will replace Adam Kennedy at second base. La Russa said there was nothing to that move other than he wanted Miles to start a game.

Utilityman Scott Spiezio, who has had neck and back problems lately, will be limited to pinch hitting again tonight but La Russa said he hoped Spiezio would be able to play in the field by Friday in Houston.

Catcher Gary Bennett, besides Spiezio, is the only Cardinals player not to have started a game but that day is coming, too, said La Russa. "The first half of the year, you want to make sure you get your whole roster involved," La Russa said.

Tonight’s game will be the first without any pre-game pomp and circumstance. The World Series banner was raised, among other ceremony, on Sunday, and the players received their World Series rings on Tuesday. But La Russa said, "I don’t think that had anything with us getting beat. The other team just outplayed us."

However, La Russa did say, "We’ll see how it is today. No ceremonies."

Maclowery · Post by **Maclowery** » April 4 07, 5:30 pm

Miles out on a weak grounder to second. On the trip back to the dugout, he falls, crashing the gatorade and bat bucket into the team. 6 starters are injured and Miles, unhurt, is forced to finish the game as one of three fielders playing, with a crutch-using Preston Wilson as The Outfielder and Molina on first. Looper forced to throw underhanded due to aforementioned tightness, and lack of a catcher.

Cards lose 8-2.