The St. Louis Cardinals returned home on Tuesday, following their longest road trip of the year, to play the Washington Nationals at Busch Stadium, but due to bad weather, were postponed until today. The clubs will play a day-night double-header with the make-up game set to go at 2:05 pm ET and Game-2 at 8:15 pm ET. Oddsmakers have installed the Cardinals as -210 MLB Lines favorites to win the series while Nats backers are getting +165 odds.
Cards backers will be looking for better home performance than they got in the previous home stand, losing six of eight games. For Wednesday's early game, the Nationals will start left-hander John Lannan who is 1-1 on the season with a 3.38 ERA. Countering for St. Louis is right-hander Jake Westbrook who comes in at 1-1 with a 7.63 ERA.
Betting lines for the afternoon game show the Cardinals as -145 favorites on the off shore moneyline with a 8 1/2-total. Nats backers are getting +135 odds in this one. Lannan and Westbrook must be the starting pitchers for action to count.
If you like the Cardinals chances of becoming the 2011 MLB Champions, you can back up your World Series Predictions with a futures wager at most off-shore sports shops. The Cards are currently getting +3000 odds on the MLB board.
In the nightcap, the Cardinals will be starting left-hander Jaime Garcia (2-0, 1.35 ERA) while the Nats counter with right-hander Jordan Zimmerman (1-2, 2.45 ERA). Oddsmakers list the Cards as -170 favorites in this one with a 7 1/2 run total, while Nats backers are getting +155 odds.
In his last start at Arizona, Westbrook only pitched 5 1/3 innings giving up five runs (2-earned) but took advantage of a potent Cardinals offense to get the win in a 15-5 laugher. In three starts this season, Westbrook has not been effective giving up 23 hits and 16 runs in 15.1 innings pitched.
Lannon was credited with a loss Wednesday against the Phillies but pitched well in the 3-2 loss. Lannon is 1-1 on the season witha 3.38 ERA through three starts. Through 16 innings pitched, Lannon has given up 18 hits but only given up seven runs, six earned, and has not given up the long ball in that time.
For my daily MLB Picks , I look for a split today with the Nats taking the opener with Lannon pitching and I pick the Cardinals in the night game with Garcia getting the call.
