MLB World Series Analysis: Can Chris Carpenter help the St. Louis Cardinals against Texas Rangers?
With St. Louis Cardinals through to the World Series, talks have already begun on whether ace Chris Carpenter will start Game 1 against Texas Rangers’ ace C.J. Wilson on Wednesday, October 19 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri.
Carpenter was due to start Game 7 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, but the offence ensured the Redbirds a qualification as early as Game 6, powering the Cardinals to a 12-6 win over the Brewers at Miller Park on Sunday,
October 16.
If Cardinals’ manager Tony La Russa sticks to the regular rotation, Carpenter will be due for a start in Game 1. However, the manager hinted that he might hold back his ace for Game 2 of the series and let his offence deal with Wilson in Game 1.
Carpenter and Wilson have had differing lucks throughout the season. Wilson dominated the mound during the regular season, but is yet to make an impact on his team’s postseason results. Carpenter, on the contrary, pitched decently in the regular season,
but has been the driving force for Cardinals’ in the postseason.
Wilson has lost two of his three starts in the postseason and has allowed runs at an average of 8.04. He failed to impress against the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL Division Series and was uninspiring against the Detroit Tigers in the AL Championship Series.
If manager Ron Washington decided to stick with his ace for the opener, he will be hoping something different from what he has already seen.
Moreover, Washington believes that Wilson’s abilities should not be adjudged by the three starts he had made in the postseason and that his performance in the regular season should be used as a benchmark to gauge his worth. The manager added that he might
start Colby Lewis in Game 1, but nothing is certain up till now.
Carpenter, on the other hand, has remained persistent in his starts. He produced a complete game shutout performance against Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS elimination game, overcoming Roy Halladay in the process. Carpenter has won two out of his three
starts in the playoffs thus far at a 3.71 ERA.
Entering the postseason on the last day of the regular season through the Wild Card standings, the Cardinals have been the team to beat in the playoffs. Carpenter was central to the team’s win against Houston Astros on the final day, tossing a two-hitter
complete-game shutout to ensure that the Redbirds fly through safely.
In the absence of Adam Wainwright, Carpenter has emerged as the only dependable pitcher in Cardinals’ bull-pen. He did not start impressively, but picked up on pace and accuracy as the season progressed.
Explaining his resolute stance on making his mark as an ace, Carpenter said, "I could easily have given up, and I didn't. I continued to battle. I continued to go out and try to get better each time, and it turned around. Fortunately it turned around at
the right time, and I was able to pitch well the second half and pitch well there down to the end and so far here in the postseason. So I think that's a big key."
La Russa has surfaced as a calm manager and will not be desperate for winning games early in the series. To ensure that he has Carpenter available for Game 6 or 7 of the World Series, La Russa will start Carpenter in Game 1. The Rangers, on the other hand,
will aim at going all-out to counter Carpenter and start with Wilson in Game 1, saving Lewis for Game 2.
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