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PITTSBURGH ( WORLEY )
ST LOUIS ( WACHA ) |
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| 957 | PITTSBURGH | +150 | Ov 7.5,+100 | +125 | Ov 7.5,-110 | | 958 | ST LOUIS | -160 | Un 7.5,-120 | -135 | Un 7.5,-110 |
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| All Games | 12-12 | -1.2 | 9-10 | 3.8 | 0.232 | 0.275 | 0.354 | 0.629 | 3.1 | 0.237 | 0.300 | 0.325 | 0.625 | | Road Games | 6-8 | -2.2 | 4-7 | 3.6 | 0.238 | 0.284 | 0.342 | 0.626 | 2.9 | 0.229 | 0.299 | 0.316 | 0.615 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 12-10 | +1.4 | 8-10 | 3.7 | 0.234 | 0.277 | 0.352 | 0.629 | 2.7 | 0.228 | 0.289 | 0.310 | 0.599 | | Past 7 Games | 3-4 | -1.1 | 1-4 | 3.1 | 0.250 | 0.289 | 0.328 | 0.617 | 2.3 | 0.242 | 0.325 | 0.269 | 0.594 | | Grass Games | 12-12 | -1.2 | 9-10 | 3.8 | 0.232 | 0.275 | 0.354 | 0.629 | 3.1 | 0.237 | 0.300 | 0.325 | 0.625 | | Day Games | 5-3 | +2 | 3-2 | 4.7 | 0.277 | 0.318 | 0.426 | 0.743 | 2.7 | 0.185 | 0.263 | 0.286 | 0.549 | | Division | 8-10 | -2.7 | 8-6 | 4.0 | 0.237 | 0.285 | 0.365 | 0.650 | 3.7 | 0.248 | 0.307 | 0.345 | 0.652 |
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| All Games | 3.8 | 0.232 | 0.275 | 24 | 805 | 187 | 42 | 1 | 18 | 0.354 | 89 | 47 | 204 | 14 | 147 | 10 | 16 | 24 | 29 | | Road Games | 3.6 | 0.238 | 0.284 | 14 | 491 | 117 | 28 | 1 | 7 | 0.342 | 49 | 31 | 137 | 8 | 99 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 22 | | Righty Starters | 3.7 | 0.234 | 0.277 | 22 | 738 | 173 | 40 | 1 | 15 | 0.352 | 79 | 43 | 185 | 14 | 139 | 10 | 12 | 24 | 24 |
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| All Games | 3.10 | 1.292 | 69.7 | 27 | 24 | 68 | 4 | 22 | 72 | 2-7 | 6 | 3 | 66.7% | | Road Games | 1.80 | 1.300 | 40 | 9 | 8 | 37 | 1 | 15 | 41 | 1-5 | 2 | 2 | 50% |
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| All Games | 17-6 | +9.8 | 9-13 | 4.2 | 0.267 | 0.334 | 0.391 | 0.725 | 2.5 | 0.228 | 0.282 | 0.324 | 0.607 | | Home Games | 10-2 | +7 | 4-7 | 4.6 | 0.271 | 0.342 | 0.379 | 0.720 | 2.2 | 0.244 | 0.288 | 0.315 | 0.603 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 15-4 | +10.2 | 9-9 | 4.7 | 0.272 | 0.337 | 0.413 | 0.749 | 2.6 | 0.223 | 0.275 | 0.321 | 0.596 | | Past 7 Games | 5-2 | +2.4 | 3-3 | 4.7 | 0.286 | 0.370 | 0.382 | 0.753 | 3.1 | 0.265 | 0.309 | 0.369 | 0.679 | | Grass Games | 17-6 | +9.8 | 9-13 | 4.2 | 0.267 | 0.334 | 0.391 | 0.725 | 2.5 | 0.228 | 0.282 | 0.324 | 0.607 | | Day Games | 7-3 | +3.4 | 4-6 | 4.2 | 0.263 | 0.334 | 0.379 | 0.713 | 2.6 | 0.227 | 0.281 | 0.340 | 0.621 | | Division | 12-4 | +7 | 6-10 | 3.6 | 0.249 | 0.312 | 0.370 | 0.682 | 2.2 | 0.220 | 0.272 | 0.316 | 0.588 |
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| All Games | 4.2 | 0.267 | 0.334 | 23 | 787 | 210 | 50 | 3 | 14 | 0.391 | 90 | 79 | 160 | 14 | 174 | 21 | 17 | 14 | 6 | | Home Games | 4.6 | 0.271 | 0.342 | 12 | 391 | 106 | 29 | 2 | 3 | 0.379 | 53 | 42 | 72 | 7 | 81 | 12 | 9 | 4 | 2 | | Righty Starters | 4.7 | 0.272 | 0.337 | 19 | 647 | 176 | 43 | 3 | 14 | 0.413 | 83 | 63 | 122 | 8 | 139 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 4 |
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| All Games | 1.41 | 1.052 | 70.3 | 12 | 11 | 50 | 1 | 24 | 68 | 6-2 | 11 | 1 | 91.7% | | Home Games | 0.73 | 1.027 | 37 | 4 | 3 | 31 | 0 | 7 | 27 | 3-0 | 5 | 0 | 100% |
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| 4/19/2015 | COLE(R) | MILWAUKEE | GARZA(R) | 5-2 | W | -170 | 7 un | P | 7 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | | 4/20/2015 | BURNETT(R) | CHICAGO CUBS | ARRIETA(R) | 2-5 | L | -105 | 7 ov | P | 5 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 9 | 1 | | 4/21/2015 | LIRIANO(L) | CHICAGO CUBS | WOOD(L) | 8-9 | L | -150 | 7 ov | O | 9 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 9 | 0 | | 4/22/2015 | WORLEY(R) | CHICAGO CUBS | HAMMEL(R) | 4-3 | W | -110 | 7.5 un | U | 7 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 2 | | 4/23/2015 | LOCKE(L) | CHICAGO CUBS | HENDRICKS(R) | 5-4 | W | +110 | 7 ev | O | 10 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 2 | | 4/24/2015 | COLE(R) | @ ARIZONA | COLLMENTER(R) | 4-1 | W | -125 | 8 ov | U | 7 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 0 | | 4/25/2015 | BURNETT(R) | @ ARIZONA | DE LA ROSA(R) | 2-1 | W | -130 | 9 un | U | 7 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 1 | | 4/26/2015 | LIRIANO(L) | @ ARIZONA | HELLICKSON(R) | 8-0 | W | -130 | 8 ov | P | 14 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 0 | | 4/27/2015 | WORLEY(R) | @ CHICAGO CUBS | HAMMEL(R) | 0-4 | L | 110 | 7 un | U | 4 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 1 | | 4/28/2015 | LOCKE(L) | @ CHICAGO CUBS | WOOD(L) | 2-6 | L | -110 | 8 ov | P | 5 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 12 | 1 | | 4/29/2015 | COLE(R) | @ CHICAGO CUBS | HENDRICKS(R) | 8-1 | W | -115 | 7 un | O | 14 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 2 | | 5/1/2015 | BURNETT(R) | @ ST LOUIS | LYNN(R) | 1-2 | L | 130 | 7.5 un | U | 8 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 0 | | 5/2/2015 | LIRIANO(L) | @ ST LOUIS | LACKEY(R) | 1-2 | L | 100 | 7 ov | U | 12 | 18 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 2 | | 5/3/2015 | WORLEY(R) | @ ST LOUIS | WACHA(R) | | | 5/5/2015 | LOCKE(L) | CINCINNATI | LORENZEN(R) | | | 5/6/2015 | COLE(R) | CINCINNATI | LEAKE(R) | | | 5/7/2015 | BURNETT(R) | CINCINNATI | DESCLAFANI(R) | | | 5/8/2015 | LIRIANO(L) | ST LOUIS | WACHA(R) | | | 5/9/2015 | | ST LOUIS | | | | 5/10/2015 | | ST LOUIS | | |
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| 4/19/2015 | WAINWRIGHT(R) | CINCINNATI | LEAKE(R) | 2-1 | W | -185 | 7 ov | U | 4 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 0 | | 4/21/2015 | LYNN(R) | @ WASHINGTON | GONZALEZ(L) | 1-2 | L | 105 | 7 un | U | 13 | 13 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 1 | | 4/22/2015 | LACKEY(R) | @ WASHINGTON | FISTER(R) | 7-5 | W | -110 | 7 ov | O | 11 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 1 | | 4/23/2015 | WACHA(R) | @ WASHINGTON | SCHERZER(R) | 4-1 | W | 120 | 6.5 un | U | 9 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 1 | | 4/24/2015 | MARTINEZ(R) | @ MILWAUKEE | GARZA(R) | 3-0 | W | -140 | 7.5 ov | U | 8 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | | 4/25/2015 | WAINWRIGHT(R) | @ MILWAUKEE | PERALTA(R) | 5-3 | W | -155 | 7.5 ev | O | 9 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 2 | | 4/26/2015 | LYNN(R) | @ MILWAUKEE | FIERS(R) | 3-6 | L | -125 | 7 un | O | 13 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 1 | | 4/27/2015 | LACKEY(R) | PHILADELPHIA | HAMELS(L) | 1-4 | L | -140 | 6.5 un | U | 5 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 0 | | 4/28/2015 | WACHA(R) | PHILADELPHIA | GONZALEZ(R) | 11-5 | W | -215 | 7 ov | O | 15 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 2 | | 4/29/2015 | MARTINEZ(R) | PHILADELPHIA | HARANG(R) | 5-2 | W | -195 | 7 ov | P | 9 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 0 | | 4/30/2015 | COONEY(L) | PHILADELPHIA | BUCHANAN(R) | 9-3 | W | -230 | 7.5 un | O | 12 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 0 | | 5/1/2015 | LYNN(R) | PITTSBURGH | BURNETT(R) | 2-1 | W | -140 | 7.5 un | U | 8 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 2 | | 5/2/2015 | LACKEY(R) | PITTSBURGH | LIRIANO(L) | 2-1 | W | -110 | 7 ov | U | 6 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 18 | 0 | | 5/3/2015 | WACHA(R) | PITTSBURGH | WORLEY(R) | | | 5/4/2015 | MARTINEZ(R) | CHICAGO CUBS | WOOD(L) | | | 5/5/2015 | | CHICAGO CUBS | HENDRICKS(R) | | | 5/6/2015 | LYNN(R) | CHICAGO CUBS | LESTER(L) | | | 5/7/2015 | LACKEY(R) | CHICAGO CUBS | ARRIETA(R) | | | 5/8/2015 | WACHA(R) | @ PITTSBURGH | LIRIANO(L) | | | 5/9/2015 | | @ PITTSBURGH | | | | 5/10/2015 | | @ PITTSBURGH | | |
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| |  | PITTSBURGH: PITTSBURGH (AP) - The scenario was familiar. The destination not so much.
A veteran player with not much time left leaving millions of dollars on the table for one last run to glory. Only A.J. Burnett didn't walk away from his $12.75 million player option with the Philadelphia Phillies for Los Angeles, Washington or St. Louis.
Nope, the 38-year-old well-traveled (and well tattooed) pitcher practically sprinted to Pittsburgh. His arrival in 2012 marked a sea change in the once-floundering organization's direction. His return three years later signals - he hopes - the end of the team's slow but steady slog from downtrodden afterthought to world champion. And he's not kidding.
''I want to win a ring and I want to win a ring in Pittsburgh,'' Burnett said.
The Pirates are as close to being in the conversation as they've been in nearly a quarter century. And they've opened up their wallets, at least a little, to get there. Pittsburgh made Francisco Liriano the highest-paid free agent in team history when they signed lefthander to a three-year, $39-million deal in the offseason to continue the career resurgence that began when they took a two-year flier on him in 2013. And while Burnett took a cut, he isn't exactly going broke. He'll make $8 million to work as the third man in the rotation behind Liriano and Gerrit Cole.
Pittsburgh even spent $5 million for the rights to sign Korean infielder Jung-Ho Kang, who hit 40 home runs on the other side of the world last year and gives the Pirates an intriguing if unproven option should shortstop Jordy Mercer falter or second baseman Neil Walker's back flare up.
General manager Neal Huntington remains adamant his team's budget will never compare to those of clubs in larger markets but allows there is ''more margin for error'' than in years' past.
''We've built a deeper club because of the money allocated to us,'' he said. ''But we need to continue to grow and mature. We want to put ourselves in a position to win the World Series.''
There are worse places to start than in Pittsburgh, which backed up its breakthrough year in 2013 with a second straight postseason berth in 2014. The playoff run ended abruptly against Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants in the NL wild card game. Yet the point had been made. The Pirates aren't going anywhere.
''It would've been easy to say 2013 was a fluke and we just got lucky,'' centerfielder Andrew McCutchen said. ''But we showed up in `14 and were able to do the same thing. We know we're for real. And other teams know they just can't come in (thinking), `All right, we're going to beat the Pirates.' We're not that team anymore.''
They're also not where they want to be, at least not yet. A National League Central title would avoid the fickleness of a one-game scenario. Pittsburgh believes it's built to withstand the rigors of October.
Here are the keys to getting there:
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THE OTHER FRANCISCO
The Pirates' budget might be growing, but they still couldn't afford to keep catcher Russell Martin, who parlayed his tremendous 2014 into a $82 million deal with Toronto. Pittsburgh prepared for Martin's departure by trading for longtime Yankees' backup catcher Francisco Cervelli. When healthy Cervelli is an adequate defensive replacement with a decent if not powerful bat. If he can handle the pitching staff and control the basepaths, any offense he provides would be a plus.
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SPEED TO BURN
Perennial MVP candidate McCutchen anchors one of baseball's most athletic outfields. Starling Marte surged toward the end of a bumpy 2014 and Gregory Polanco is a raw but talented work in progress. Pittsburgh felt confident enough in Polanco's progress to trade Travis Snider to Baltimore.
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PEDRO'S PROGRESS
Pedro Alvarez moves across the infield to first base in hopes of salvaging his career after developing a serious case of the yips at third. If his can reclaim the groove that helped him mash 36 homers in 2013, the Pirates can live with whatever growing pains may come with the switch.
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KANG SHOW
Kang (pronounced ''Gahng'') doesn't lack for confidence. He told reporters in Korea he believes he can supplant Mercer at shortstop. It may take longer than he thought after a sluggish spring training.
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THE VANIMAL
Vance Worley, like Liriano, Burnett and the since departed Edinson Volquez, thrived under pitching coach Ray Searage's mentoring last spring. He was arguably Pittsburgh's best starter down the stretch and a strong spring gives him a leg up in the battle Jeff Locke for the fifth starter spot. | | ST LOUIS: ST. LOUIS (AP) - The Cardinals hope Michael Wacha is ready to stand alongside ace Adam Wainwright at the top of their rotation.
Wacha was the NL Championship Series MVP as a rookie but just 5-6 with a 3.20 ERA in 19 starts last year. He was sidelined for most of the season's second half by a stress reaction in his shoulder, and was rusty in October before giving up Travis Ishikawa's series-winning homer in Game 5 of the NLCS.
Now he feels healthy.
''It's very encouraging, the long term of what this kid could be and the short term of how he feels, somebody every fifth day that can bring the kind of stuff he does,'' St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. ''He feels good about himself and we feel good about what we're seeing.''
The 23-year-old Wacha has long insisted the injury is behind him.
''Ever since I came back last year, I haven't thought about it when I was on the mound,'' Wacha said. ''As far as I know, it was a rare injury. I'm not sure where it came from.''
If it stays away, the Cardinals figure to again have one of the deeper starting staffs despite trading 15-game winner Shelby Miller for outfielder Jason Heyward. Wainwright was a 20-game winner for the second time, and Lance Lynn has averaged 16 wins during three years in the rotation.
John Lackey is a proven late-season talent. Jaime Garcia's resurgent spring following surgery to relieve nerve compression may cause promising Carlos Martinez to be related to the bullpen again.
Lackey expects to be more comfortable in his first full NL season, saying ''It's different for a lot of reasons.''
Things to watch for with the Cardinals, who open April 5 at Chicago:
LEFT-HANDED HEAVY
There are five lefty bats in the lineup, a potential downside. But there also figures to be more power on the bench. Mark Reynolds, who has hit 20 or more homers each of the last seven seasons, was signed as a free agent. He could factor in as a semi-regular, especially at first base, where Matt Adams has struggled against lefties.
HEYWARD TIME
Only 25, Heyward is a potential future core member of the franchise. His is eligible for free agency after the World Series, and the wooing began not long after the trade with Atlanta - which also brought set-up man Jordan Walden.
''He fits in very well with how our guys work, how seriously they take the game,'' Matheny said. ''He's mixed in very well to this point.''
IMPROVED POP
St. Louis hit just 105 homers last season, second-fewest in the majors. They Cardianls are anticipating more out of right field from Heyward, who had a career-low 11 last year while forced into the leadoff spot with Atlanta. Jhonny Peralta followed his drug suspension with a 21 homers, a franchise record among shortstops, and the smooth-swinging Adams is capable of hitting a lot more than 15.
HEALTHY CHOICES
A full return by Garcia would be an unexpected bonus after two injury-filled seasons. Wainwright and Lynn are recovering from health setbacks early in spring training. Center fielder Jon Jay made a delayed exhibition debut following wrist surgery. ''I said the whole goal was to be ready April 5,'' Jay said.
MORE SPEED
Along with increasing the power profile, there will be an emphasis on manufacturing runs. The Cardinals stole 57 bases last year, third-fewest in the major leagues, but are primed for at least a little more thievery with both Wong and Heyward capable of swiping 20-plus.
''I want to see bigger leads. I want to see more aggressive chances with balls in the dirt,'' Matheny said. ''I want to see us take a first-and-second double steal because we have the kind of players to do that.'' |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER NL PREVIEW (PITTSBURGH-ST LOUIS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Pirates-Cardinals Preview* ===========================
By KEVIN CHROUST STATS Writer
Pittsburgh (12-11) at St. Louis (16-6), 2:15 p.m. EDT
Michael Wacha was effective last season for the St. Louis Cardinals, but it took him 19 starts to get to five wins. Things are balancing out.
The right-hander will go after his fifth win in as many starts Sunday against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates as the streaking Cardinals try for a three-game sweep and sixth straight win.
Wacha (4-0, 2.42 ERA) would be the first St. Louis pitcher to win his first five starts in a season since Lance Lynn won his first six in 2012 and the first under age 24 to do so since Fred Frankhouse in 1927.
The latest, though, had more to do with run support than mastery on the mound. The 23-year-old, who had eight wins in 28 starts coming into the season, allowed four runs and six hits in 5 2-3 innings of Tuesday's 11-5 home win over Philadelphia. He'd allowed three runs in 20 1-3 innings winning his first three starts.
"My command just wasn't where I wanted it to be," said Wacha, who is 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA in three games against Pittsburgh. "But those guys putting together great at-bats made my job easier."
The Cardinals (17-6) have thus far provided Wacha with a 6.58 run-support average, which is among the top 20 in the majors.
It hasn't been there in the first two games of the series, but after Saturday's 2-1 win in 11 innings, St. Louis has a pair of wins on four runs in 21 innings. The bullpen pitched five scoreless innings, extending its streak to 21, and trimmed its NL-best ERA to 1.41.
While run production hasn't followed for the last two games, the Cardinals have a .379 on-base percentage on the streak.
The Cardinals have won five straight over the Pirates (12-12), as well as 14 of 16 in St. Louis, with Pittsburgh scoring two runs or fewer in nine.
"When that's the case, you have to honestly self-evaluate why you came up short," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle told MLB's official website. "But is this place getting into our head? It's not in my head. We approach each game individually, but as they mount up, they can paint a picture. We fight to get in these positions (to win the game), get to the tipping point - and aren't able to tip it in our favor."
The Pirates left 18 runners on base Saturday for the first time since May 27, 2006, and went 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position. They're 2 for 18 in the series after entering with a .305 average.
Andrew McCutchen was 1 for 5, but that actually bumped his average to .198. The 2013 NL MVP has gone 18 games without a home run and is 2 for 17 in his last four games against St. Louis.
Wacha's opponent, Vance Worley, has been on the opposite end of the run-support spectrum with 2.63 per outing.
Worley (2-2, 4.50) will face his fifth straight division rival and seventh dating to last season after beginning the season with two starts against Milwaukee and two against Chicago. At home, the right-hander has been effective with two wins and a 1.54 ERA. Away, he's 0-2 with a 7.30 ERA after surrendering four runs and nine hits in six innings of Monday's 4-0 loss to the Cubs.
He has no decisions in three career starts against the Cardinals with a 4.96 ERA. Matt Carpenter (5 for 6), Jhonny Peralta (4 for 7) and Jason Heyward (6 for 12) have all given Worley trouble.
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| | Last Updated: 4/20/2024 9:16:04 AM EST. |
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