A Sporadic Day of Baseball Observations... Part Two.

Observations from Game 2, Cardinals (C. Carpenter) v. Padres (J. Peavy):

- I think the Padres win this series, but the Cards best chance to take a game is today. Carpenter – Peavy’s a great match up. Jake hasn’t had his best season, but he’s been better than people think. Still, Carpenter is the Cards only good starter and they need to take game one.

- People think the Padres cannot hit, but they actually led the NL in runs on the road. Too bad they have home field advantage in this series…

- Where would the Cardinals be without Albert Pujols? Seriously. Jake Peavy is a good pitcher, but Phat Al just tattooed that pitch about a mile and a half…

- The Cards will need Jim Edmonds to sip from the fountain of youth if they are to make any noise in this series. He’s aged really quickly since their 2004 playoff series, but he’s pivotal for them to succeed.

- Chris Carpenter looked tired in his final start of the season, but he’s looking sharp. Six K’s and only 3 hits, but he’s already thrown 70 pitches, a quick 5th would be ideal.

- Why do they pitch to Pujols? At least it was on the ground and not flying over the fence. That was a big hit for Edmonds, he’s 2/3, with a run scored and an RBI…

- Ten pitches was exactly what I meant when I said that Carpenter needed a fast inning.

- Uhmmm… I’m sorry I was busy picking my nose, but did Mike Piazza just throw somebody out? Somebody pinch me, this cannot be right.

- Belliard just stole and I was ready to write something snarky about Piazza, but he actually made another great throw. Seriously, either the Padres are sneaking Jason Varitek in there in a Piazza wig, or I really am dreaming.

- No more Peavy, I feel bad because he hasn’t exactly pitched poorly, but five runs when the reigning Cy Young winner is opposing you wont cut the mustard. Besides he just gave up an RBI single to Yadier Molina, a guy who’s VORP for the season was an anemic, Good strike totals, but not good strikeouts. There’s something indicative of his performance in there, I’m just not quite smart enough to tell you what.

- Damn Dave Roberts is playing good ball. Even at 52, or however old he is nowadays, he’s frickin’ fast. Giles had better drive him in here if the Padres want to stay in this game. Like Edmonds, Giles has aged a lot in the past two years, he still gets on base, but that’s not always enough. They need him to drive runners in, specifically Dave Roberts right now… well, I guess that’s what I meant. Sort of.

- Good throw by Edmonds, oh, now I’m saying the same thing as Chris “loves the savvy nicknames” Berman.

- Involuntarily I’ve checked out of this game… but Russle Branyan’s triple just brought me back. Damn, what an effort by Edmonds. Of course he made a double a triple, but seriously you have to love a guy who was limping the last time we saw him, sprinting full out and diving through the air for a ball in a 5-1 game.

- The Cards bullpen is up, that cannot be a good sign. Bye, bye birdie…

- I love Bard and he gets plunked… well, more like love tapped, but still. The Padres have good options in their lineup for pitch hitting, but unfortunately they just brought up Belhorn. This is a strikeout. Watch, I promise.

- Told you.

- Frickin’ huge stop by Ron Belliard. I questioned the trade that brought him here, but that single play might have made it worthwhile. Standing on deck was the red hot Brian Roberts. Huge play.

- Wow, there’re a lot of shadows in San Diego… Ok, now I’m tired and writing non sense. I’m going to pay some bills and come back at you during the Yankees – Tigers game. Aurevoir, or something… Of course, Giles just doubled and if this game get interesting in a minute I might reconsider.