FanPost

Astros at Cardinals: Opening Day

The Cardinals start off on the right foot with a solid win over the ahem.... last place, Astros. But it was both another win and the freaking Home Opener. And winning on that day makes people feel like they will win the World Series with one idle exception this year... we actually can win the World Series realistically. (Sure "anyone" can but.... )

Player of the Game

Albert Pujols had a great game. He drove in 4, hit a three run shot that made the game into a comfortable lead (not like it was a threat anyway though). He was 2-3 with a walk to go along with it.

But I gotta give it to my man Adam Wainwright. He pitched brilliantly in eight innings where he got stronger and stronger. (6 hits in first 6 innings, none last two). He could have arguably, no, he COULD have pitched a complete game. Honestly, I'm not arguing we should have just that he would have if it was the second start of the year.

Adam Wainwright - 8 IP, 0 ER, 6 HA, 7 Ks, BB

Goat of the Game

Not a Tony Larussa hater, but he did potentially ruin two scoring drives by having Skip Schumacher bunt the runner over (when he was 2-2 no less). And no David Freese had a good game going 2-4 with a double and a single. (he did have a double play)

But this is harshly given to Matt Holliday who killed every drive except for the last at-bat where he was walked. With one on, one out and a 1-0 lead, Holliday grounded out to shortstop in the first. In the fifth, he grounded into a double play when Pujols was walked in front of him. Fun fact: after a team walks Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday is 0-4.

Matt Holliday - 0-3, BB

Play of the Game

Naming Pujols homer the play of the game is extremely boring and has happened already once so I went a different route. Ryan Ludwick, who went 4-4 on the day and deserves some kind of accolade for that performance, hit an RBI triple scoring Skip Schumacher. He hit it to dead center and Michael Bourn tried to be a hero and catch it despite being down 4-0 in the eight. He failed and Ludwick got three bases because of it.

The Stupid Awards

Quote of the Night -

We had no Ricky Horton or Joe Morgan quotes available so this one was difficult to find. Normally, the quotes are so stupid, I easily notice it, but I don't think there was one that stood out to me.

So I took a quote from Rick Reilly at Homecoming when he asked GM of Minnesota (name escapes me) if he was being cheap to Mauer. That's laughable to me. That contract for a catcher is ridiculous that it might even be overpriced. i don't think counting on a catcher to not get hurt that long when he is inevitable to have some kind of injury is a good idea.

Stupid Play of the Game

Ryan Ludwick, with Holliday on deck, decided to gamble and go to third. Not sure why, but he got caught in rundown and the rally ended soonafter

Umpire Grading

B

Didn't notice umpires much and that's a good thing. I gave them a B because they weren't noticeablly outstanding but at the same time good enough for me. I mean people are always going to have differing opinions on the matter so an umpire never is right.

The Cardinals continue their road to an 81-0 season