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WASHINGTON ( GONZALEZ )
ST LOUIS ( WAINWRIGHT ) |
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| NL Division Series - Best of 5 - Game 1 | |  | |
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| 909 | WASHINGTON | -110 | Ov 7,-125 | -105 | Ov 7,-125 | | 910 | ST LOUIS | +100 | Un 7,+105 | -105 | Un 7,+105 |
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| All Games | 98-64 | +22.9 | 80-73 | 4.5 | 0.261 | 0.319 | 3.7 | 0.237 | 0.300 | | Road Games | 48-33 | +14.4 | 40-37 | 4.5 | 0.256 | 0.314 | 3.6 | 0.233 | 0.303 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 69-45 | +16.2 | 54-52 | 4.5 | 0.262 | 0.321 | 3.6 | 0.238 | 0.299 | | Past 7 Games | 4-3 | +0.6 | 4-3 | 4.0 | 0.250 | 0.305 | 4.9 | 0.263 | 0.336 | | Grass Games | 95-64 | +19 | 79-72 | 4.5 | 0.261 | 0.319 | 3.7 | 0.238 | 0.301 | | Day Games | 32-23 | +5 | 26-26 | 4.7 | 0.265 | 0.327 | 3.9 | 0.237 | 0.306 |
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| All Games | 4.5 | 0.261 | 0.319 | 162 | 5615 | 1468 | 520 | 194 | 0.03 | 688 | 479 | 1325 | 105 | 1127 | 131 | 94 | 134 | 111 | | Road Games | 4.5 | 0.256 | 0.314 | 81 | 2831 | 725 | 270 | 93 | 0.03 | 346 | 237 | 728 | 45 | 550 | 65 | 44 | 56 | 49 | | Righty Starters | 4.5 | 0.262 | 0.321 | 114 | 3968 | 1041 | 352 | 133 | 0.03 | 478 | 342 | 918 | 71 | 808 | 100 | 65 | 94 | 79 |
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| All Games | 3.23 | 1.232 | 515.3 | 200 | 185 | 439 | 47 | 196 | 470 | 26-19 | 51 | 17 | 75% | | Road Games | 3.16 | 1.240 | 242 | 93 | 85 | 203 | 26 | 97 | 209 | 11-9 | 26 | 8 | 76.5% |
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| All Games | 89-74 | -3.7 | 78-79 | 4.7 | 0.271 | 0.334 | 4.0 | 0.255 | 0.309 | | Home Games | 50-31 | +5.4 | 40-37 | 5.0 | 0.285 | 0.344 | 3.7 | 0.248 | 0.301 | | vs Left-handed Starters | 31-17 | +9.4 | 27-19 | 5.6 | 0.287 | 0.353 | 4.3 | 0.267 | 0.318 | | Past 7 Games | 5-2 | +3.4 | 4-3 | 5.4 | 0.278 | 0.339 | 2.9 | 0.228 | 0.276 | | Grass Games | 89-74 | -3.7 | 78-79 | 4.7 | 0.271 | 0.334 | 4.0 | 0.255 | 0.309 | | Day Games | 34-25 | +2.3 | 34-22 | 5.2 | 0.275 | 0.338 | 4.2 | 0.253 | 0.307 | | Playoff games | 1-0 | +1.6 | 1-0 | 6.0 | 0.187 | 0.187 | 3.0 | 0.308 | 0.357 |
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| All Games | 4.7 | 0.271 | 0.334 | 163 | 5654 | 1532 | 488 | 160 | 0.03 | 737 | 533 | 1197 | 91 | 1200 | 167 | 107 | 149 | 56 | | Home Games | 5.0 | 0.285 | 0.344 | 81 | 2793 | 795 | 262 | 76 | 0.03 | 392 | 255 | 570 | 50 | 591 | 79 | 51 | 77 | 28 | | Lefty Starters | 5.6 | 0.287 | 0.353 | 48 | 1666 | 478 | 171 | 68 | 0.04 | 263 | 170 | 350 | 21 | 356 | 48 | 29 | 42 | 13 |
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| All Games | 3.89 | 1.273 | 476.7 | 213 | 206 | 440 | 55 | 167 | 436 | 17-27 | 43 | 22 | 66.2% | | Home Games | 3.37 | 1.179 | 251 | 98 | 94 | 219 | 29 | 77 | 225 | 9-10 | 23 | 11 | 67.6% |
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| 9/23/2012 | WANG(R) | MILWAUKEE | GALLARDO(R) | 2-6 | L | +120 | 8 ev | P | 7 | 8 | 2 | 15 | 12 | 0 | | 9/24/2012 | ZIMMERMANN(R) | MILWAUKEE | ESTRADA(R) | 12-2 | W | -140 | 7.5 un | O | 14 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 2 | | 9/25/2012 | DETWILER(L) | @ PHILADELPHIA | HAMELS(L) | 3-6 | L | 130 | 7.5 ev | O | 8 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 0 | | 9/26/2012 | LANNAN(L) | @ PHILADELPHIA | KENDRICK(R) | 8-4 | W | 110 | 8.5 un | O | 9 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 1 | | 9/27/2012 | GONZALEZ(L) | @ PHILADELPHIA | CLOYD(R) | 7-3 | W | -135 | 7.5 ev | O | 9 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | | 9/28/2012 | JACKSON(R) | @ ST LOUIS | WAINWRIGHT(R) | 2-12 | L | 125 | 7.5 un | O | 6 | 8 | 1 | 11 | 5 | 0 | | 9/29/2012 | ZIMMERMANN(R) | @ ST LOUIS | LOHSE(R) | 6-4 | W | 105 | 7.5 un | O | 13 | 10 | 0 | 11 | 7 | 0 | | 9/30/2012 | DETWILER(L) | @ ST LOUIS | LYNN(R) | 4-10 | L | 135 | 8 un | O | 7 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 0 | | 10/1/2012 | LANNAN(L) | PHILADELPHIA | KENDRICK(R) | 0-2 | L | -150 | 8.5 un | U | 5 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 1 | | 10/2/2012 | GORZELANNY(L) | PHILADELPHIA | ROSENBERG(R) | 4-2 | W | -145 | 8 un | U | 9 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 0 | | 10/3/2012 | JACKSON(R) | PHILADELPHIA | LEE(L) | 5-1 | W | +100 | 7 ev | U | 11 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 0 | | 10/7/2012 | GONZALEZ(L) | @ ST LOUIS | WAINWRIGHT(R) | | | 10/8/2012 | ZIMMERMANN(R) | @ ST LOUIS | GARCIA(L) | | | 10/10/2012 | JACKSON(R) | ST LOUIS | CARPENTER(R) | |
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| 9/23/2012 | LOHSE(R) | @ CHICAGO CUBS | GERMANO(R) | 6-3 | W | -175 | 7.5 ev | O | 12 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 0 | | 9/24/2012 | LYNN(R) | @ HOUSTON | ABAD(L) | 6-1 | W | -210 | 8 ov | U | 9 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 3 | | 9/25/2012 | GARCIA(L) | @ HOUSTON | HARRELL(R) | 4-0 | W | -145 | 8 un | U | 9 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 0 | | 9/26/2012 | CARPENTER(R) | @ HOUSTON | NORRIS(R) | 0-2 | L | -180 | 8 ov | U | 3 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | | 9/28/2012 | WAINWRIGHT(R) | WASHINGTON | JACKSON(R) | 12-2 | W | -135 | 7.5 un | O | 11 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 1 | | 9/29/2012 | LOHSE(R) | WASHINGTON | ZIMMERMANN(R) | 4-6 | L | -115 | 7.5 un | O | 11 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 10 | 0 | | 9/30/2012 | LYNN(R) | WASHINGTON | DETWILER(L) | 10-4 | W | -145 | 8 un | O | 12 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 1 | | 10/1/2012 | GARCIA(L) | CINCINNATI | ARROYO(R) | 4-2 | W | -140 | 7.5 un | U | 9 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 0 | | 10/2/2012 | CARPENTER(R) | CINCINNATI | LATOS(R) | 1-3 | L | -125 | 7 ov | U | 6 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 0 | | 10/3/2012 | MILLER(R) | CINCINNATI | BAILEY(R) | 1-0 | W | +130 | 7.5 un | U | 9 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 0 | | 10/5/2012 | LOHSE(R) | @ ATLANTA | MEDLEN(R) | 6-3 | W | 155 | 6.5 ov | O | 6 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 1 | | 10/7/2012 | WAINWRIGHT(R) | WASHINGTON | GONZALEZ(L) | | | 10/8/2012 | GARCIA(L) | WASHINGTON | ZIMMERMANN(R) | | | 10/10/2012 | CARPENTER(R) | @ WASHINGTON | JACKSON(R) | |
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| |  | WASHINGTON: HITTING: The Nats were among the eight worst teams in the majors in runs (3.88 per game), BA (.242), OBP (.309) and OPS (.691). Much of that had to do with the first two spots in the batting order hitting .285 OBP and .283 OBP respectively. OF ROGER BERNADINA (.301 OBP) and SS IAN DESMOND (.298 OBP) were the regular 1-2 hitters in the order. $126 million OF JAYSON WERTH was also to blame, batting .232 with a meager 58 RBI in 561 at-bats. 3B RYAN ZIMMERMAN also missed two months with an abdominal problem and had a down year with 12 HR and 49 RBI in 101 games. But OF MIKE MORSE had a breakout season, leading the Nats in batting (.303), HR (31) and RBI (95). 1B ADAM LaROCHE suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in June, but should be fully healed. Washington is counting on a pair of talented 24-year-olds to contribute a little more in 2B DANNY ESPINOSA (.236 BA, 21 HR) and C WILSON RAMOS (15 HR in 389 AB).
STARTING PITCHING: STEPHEN STRASBURG is back fully healed from Tommy John surgery, but will reportedly be limited to 160 innings in 2012. That's still enough time to strike out 150 batters and win a dozen games though. In sending four quality prospects to Oakland, the Nats paid a huge price for GIO GONZALEZ. They hope he can overcome his control issues and become an elite No. 2. Well-traveled EDWIN JACKSON was also brought in to help bolster the rotation. He joins his sixth different club since 2008, but Jackson is just 28 years old and was serviceable after being traded to St. Louis last year (5-2, 3.58 ERA). JORDAN ZIMMERMANN was in the same boat as Strasburg last year, coming off elbow surgery and limited to 161.1 innings. But in that time, he had a team-best 3.18 ERA and 4.0 K-to-BB ratio (124 K, 31 BB). JOHN LANNAN remains the top lefty in the Nats rotation with a team-high 10 wins in 2011. He dominated left-handed hitters last year (.211 BA, 55 K in 185 AB), but still needs to improve his weak 1.4 K-to-BB ratio (106 K, 76 BB).
RELIEF PITCHING: DREW STOREN had a phenomenal first year as a full-time closer, saving 43-of-48 games with a 2.75 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 74 K in 75.1 innings. His role will remain the same in 2012 once he returns from the 15-day DL (elbow) to start the season. Newcomer BRAD LIDGE was limited to 25 innings because of shoulder problems last year, but he appears to be the closer until Storen returns. The Nats have arguably the best set-up man in the game in TYLER CLIPPARD, who led the majors with 38 holds and posted a 1.83 ERA and 0.84 WHIP for the season. He held opponents to a .162 average and fanned 104 batters in 88.1 innings of work. Lefty SEAN BURNETT saw a huge decline in his numbers, as his ERA rose from 2.14 to 3.81 and his WHIP jumped from 1.14 to 1.32. This was mostly due to a diminishing strikeout rate (8.9 to 5.2 last year). | | ST LOUIS: HITTING: Alienate and trade your talented young centerfielder for bullpen scraps and a middling, impending free-agent starter. Justify your ludicrous pitching changes by blaming crowd noise and your innocent bullpen coach'and you too could win a World Series! This was Tony La Russa baseball. But he's gone now, as is the all-world Albert Pujols. SS RAFAEL FURCAL liked his short stint in the Show Me State enough to sign up for more. OF CARLOS BELTRAN will hit second after an impressive 2011 campaign during which he produced solid numbers in pitchers' parks amidst weak lineups. 2Bs TYLER GREENE and DANIEL DESCALSO are the latest plucky 'gamer' to play infield at Busch. Resuscitated slugger 1B LANCE BERKMAN shifts to a much more suitable defensive position. OF MATT HOLLIDAY's OPS remains as strong as ever. 3B DAVID FREESE will never have to buy a drink in Missouri again after his postseason heroics. C YADIER MOLINA is a defensive whiz behind the plate and an underrated hitter. OFs ALLEN CRAIG and JON JAY are more suited to platoon roles, but Jay will be starting in center on Opening Day.
STARTING PITCHING: His stuff isn't nearly what it used to be, and he's more than earned his reputation within the game as a towering crybaby. But on the mound, CHRIS CARPENTER remains ruthlessly effective when he's healthy. But he'll miss the first couple of months of the 2012 campaign due to shoulder problems. ADAM WAINWRIGHT should be ready to go on Opening Day, and has shown every reason to think he'll be his old brilliant self. JAIME GARCIA cannot sustain a sub-2.00 ERA for a full season. He's a mid-rotation starter, but one of the better ones in all of baseball. Did KYLE LOHSE really register a 1.17 WHIP over an entire season? Really? He just doesn't miss enough bats to keep that going. JAKE WESTBROOK stayed healthy for a full season again, which is a relief given his past dalliances with the DL. He's an innings eater who's capable of another dozen wins. LANCE LYNN gives the Cardinals enviable depth in the rotation. He'll probably slide back to the bullpen once Carpenter returns. Uber-prospect SHELBY MILLER could be a second-half call-up.
RELIEF PITCHING: It doesn't look pretty when JASON MOTTE winds up and delivers a pitch, but in the end, results are results. The converted catcher has finally nailed down the closer role that many predicted would be his a few years ago. The only way he loses it this time is if he hurts himself with that painful delivery. FERNANDO SALAS can more than hold his own if that happens. He'll slot into the eighth-inning role, but he provides more of the pitching depth that is a hallmark of this Cardinals team. KYLE McCLELLAN, like Lynn, is serviceable both in relief or in the rotation. But he's better in the former role. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER NL PREVIEW (WASHINGTON-ST LOUIS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Updates. With AP Photos.)
*Nationals-Cardinals Preview* =============================
By R.B. FALLSTROM AP Sports Writer
Washington (98-64) at St. Louis (88-74), 3:07 p.m. EDT
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Adam Wainwright was a spectator last fall, cheering on the St. Louis Cardinals from the bench as they rose from wild card to World Series champions.
It's a lot more fun being part of the action.
"Looking back on it, it really hits me when autograph seekers hand me a ball and it's a 2011 World Series ball, and then they take it back and say `No, No, sign this one instead,"' Wainwright said Saturday. "That's when it hits that I really didn't get to do a whole lot. This game I get to play is very special to me, and missing that time last year, I really learned how much I love the game."
Fans in Washington, D.C., anticipating the first baseball postseason appearance for the nation's capital since 1933, has to feel that way, too.
Wainwright, a 14-game winner in his first year back from elbow reconstruction surgery, successfully fought against restricting his innings and starts Sunday in the NL division series opener. The Nationals, who led the league with 97 wins, will go with 21-game winner Gio Gonzalez after sitting down Stephen Strasburg in early September with 159 1-3 innings pitched.
"There's so many things that factor into this that you take it with a smile," Gonzalez said. "It's the first time ever experiencing this, to represent such a great organization, such a great rotation, great lineup. It's unbelievable."
The Nationals have one of the youngest rosters in the majors and won 98 games as they overcame injuries to Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman, Michael Morse and Ian Desmond. Davey Johnson is a seasoned hand, though, joining Billy Martin as the lone managers to win division titles with four franchises.
During spring training, Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said there would be serious consideration to ending Wainwright's season after perhaps 180 innings. About a month into the season, the former 20-game winner convinced the team such restrictions would be unnecessary, and he finished second on the Cardinals with 198 2-3 innings.
During the first half of the season, Wainwright was unhappy with his fastball, slider and changeup and pleased with just his curveball.
"I totally get now why Tommy John recovery is so hard," Wainwright said. "Your arm just takes a while to get back, it really does, and it's hard for me to say that because I thought I was going to be the exception to the rule."
Strasburg, who had elbow surgery in September 2010, was unsuccessful in persuading the Nationals to allow him to finish out the season, the first for the franchise to reach the playoffs since the 1981 Montreal Expos.
Very little time has passed since the Nationals and Cardinals met in St. Louis on the final weekend of the regular season, with Washington on the verge of clinching the league's best record and St. Louis closing in on the final playoff spot.
St. Louis reached the division series by winning the wild-card playoff 6-3 in Atlanta on Friday, a game marred by an infield fly rule call that'll live on forever in the minds of disgruntled Braves fans, but with botched umpiring that affected both sides.
"I've never seen anything like it," Carlos Beltran said. "It's part of baseball. We're happy."
Last year, the Cardinals won every round as an underdog while embracing a rally squirrel as mascot - not to mention marketing opportunity - after a critter raced across home plate and perhaps threw Phillies pitcher Roy Oswalt off his game.
Though manager Tony La Russa and Albert Pujols are gone, the Cardinals retain a seasoned core and added Beltran and injured Rafael Furcal.
Experience helps.
"I remember my first postseason start was in 2009 and I was as nervous as I could be," utilityman Skip Schumaker said. "Last year I felt like I was ready to help the team win. It's a whole different feeling because you've been through it."
Rookie manager Mike Matheny has appeared pressure-proof.
"We've been pretty consistent in our approach, and the approach is we've each got to do our part, and nothing more," Matheny said. "We do our part and we do it on a consistent basis and we'll be in a good spot in the end."
Johnson wants to keep things calm, too.
"You really don't do anything different. I don't want to act any different," Johnson said. "It's going to be business as usual, we've got no trick plays we're running out there. Going to try to miss some bats and try to hit some pitches and outscore them."
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| | Last Updated: 4/24/2024 2:59:50 AM EST. |
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