ST. LOUIS – Many teams have an ace, a legit Game 1 starter in a Championship Series.
The Astros have three of those guys.
The NLCS will start tonight at Busch Stadium, and while the Cardinals will toss the potential Cy Young winner in Chris Carpenter, it is the Astros who can present the strongest 1-2-3 rotation punch.
In fact, the group of Andy Pettitte (who starts tonight for Houston), Roy Oswalt and Roger Clemens may be the best rotation trio in baseball.
“They are outstanding,” Cardinal manager Tony La Russa said. “They are every bit worth the reputation they have earned.”
They are also the reason the Astros may be better suited to face the Cardinals in the NLCS this year than they were last year, when Pettitte was hurt. The teams went the full seven games a season ago, but it was St. Louis that persevered and moved onto the World Series.
This year’s Cardinals won an MLB-best 100 games (11 more than Houston) before sweeping the Padres in the NLDS. Houston, meanwhile, needed four games – though Sunday’s 18-inning classic basically made it five – to knock off Atlanta.
The Cards still present a fearsome offense, built around Albert Pujols and Jim Edmonds, and unlike in last year’s postseason, have Carpenter and lefty Mark Mulder fronting their rotation.
“I would have to say that they are the team to beat in the National League,” Pettitte said.
The Astros, though, might have the pitching to beat them.
Clemens led MLB starters with a 1.87 ERA, while Pettitte second at 2.39. Oswalt picked up 20 victories with a 2.94 ERA, fourth-best and ninth-best in the majors, respectively.
Pettitte has been brilliant lately, going 11-2 with a 1.69 ERA after the All-Star break.
“To put together the second half, what he has done has been incredible,” Clemens said of his pal.
While the Astros’ trio is impressive, the Cardinals’ pitching isn’t exactly a bunch of guys from the Kansas City Royals.
“Don’t get me wrong, but I’ll bet Houston is looking at our Big 4 like we do at their Big 4,” La Russa said. “I don’t think that Houston is jumping up and down thinking about hitting off Carpenter, Mulder, [Matt] Morris and whether it’s [Jeff] Suppan or [Jason] Marquis.”
In what could set a tone for the series, there probably won’t be too many runs scored tonight. Not only have Pettitte and Carpenter had superb seasons overall, but they’ve excelled against their opponents tonight. This year against the Cards, Pettitte went 0-1 with a 1.35 ERA in three games, while Carpenter went 4-0 with a 1.85 ERA in five games versus Houston.
“It’s a new game [tonight],” Carpenter said. “That’s the way I looked at it all year.”
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La Russa on Mulder, who was hit on the left arm by a line drive in Game 2 of the NLDS: “There’s some chance we’ll have to wait and see how he feels [today], but every day has been better. Morris will be [Game] 3. If Mulder can’t go, then someone else would have to go in [Game] 2. I hope it’s easy.”
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ASTROS VS. CARDINALS
At a glance
Game Date Site Time
Game 1 Tonight Astros at Cardinals 8:19 p.m.
Game 2 Thursday Astros at Cardinals 8:19 p.m.
Game 3 Saturday Cardinals at Astros 4:25 p.m.
Game 4 Sunday Cardinals at Astros 4:35 p.m.
*Game 5 Monday Cardinals at Astros 8:20 p.m.
* Game 6 Oct. 19 Astros at Cardinals 4:20 p.m.
* Game 7 Oct. 20 Astros at Cardinals 8:20 p.m.
* If necessary TV: Ch. 5 / Fox Sports Net. Radio: ESPN (1050 AM)
