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| Roger Clemens | Chuck James |
| 7- 5, 2.35 | 10- 4, 3.94 |
Yes, yes, yes, favorable matchups this evening, and I am feeling it, this favorable probability that the Astros should be leading the NL Central before it's midnight on Matagorda Bay.
But there are some concerns. As littlevisigoth noted earlier today, the Cards are generally ineffective against lefties, and I looked it up: they're 15th in the league in OPS against southpaws. But at the same time, Pujols absolutely destroys Capuano.
Sure, it's pretty generally understood that Jeff Weaver . . .well, Jeff Weaver stinks, but no Brewer who's faced him much has had much success, either.
And the Braves, what about the Braves? They scored a few runs against the Mets, I hear. But even more than that, I worry about the Chris Burke factor. A quick check over at Talking Chop gives no evidence of any deep-seated hatred remaining after our brutal defeat of them in last year's NLDS, but then again Smoltz and Chipper Jones were not consulted.
Who knows what secret desires they harbor deep down?
Do those Braves veterans bring a little extra sharpness to their game this weekend in an attempt at payback?
Hell, this team is practically identical to the one they fielded last year, and it isn't just Smoltz and Jones who might have those designs.
It worries me.