Can Cardinals Take Advantage of Postponement?

The St. Louis Cardinals may have been handed a gift yesterday by the weather. Persistent rains forced MLB to make a wise and quick decision to postpone Game 6 of the World Series. The option to play was there, but MLB would most definitely have taken a lot of heat for playing a game in poor conditions with the prospect of better weather forecast for today.

Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa would appropriately tell you they have to get through today's game before worrying about Game 7. However, he must feel good that he would have an option to throw Chris Carpenter on three days rest should the Cards win tonight. Perhaps, LaRussa chooses to stick with Kyle Lohse, but to have Carpenter to fall back on is certainly a benefit. Carpenter's only start on three days rest came in Game 2 of this season's Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. It wasn't pretty (3 IP, 5 H, 3 BB, 4 ER).

Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington has already stated he will not start C.J. Wilson on three days rest. Why would he since he hasn't been all that great on regular rest? It is plausible that Washington could use Wilson in a tight spot if there is a Game 7. The World Championship is on the line so it will be all hands on deck.

World Series Stats Through Game 5

• The Cardinals have outscored the Rangers 22-19
• Of course 16 of the 22 runs came in the Game 3 blowout.
• The Cardinals batters have hit to a tune of .229/.351/.350
• It is never good when your OBP is higher than SLG
• The Rangers' Mike Napoli has 9 RBI on 4 hits (2 HR, 1 2B)
• The rest of the Rangers have 10 RBI and Napoli leads all players with a 1.235 OPS
• The Cardinals team ERA is 3.77 and the Rangers team ERA is 3.68
• Take away Game 3 and the Rangers team ERA is 1.03
• Albert Pujols is 0 for 12 outside of his epic performance in Game 3 (5-6, 4 R, 3 HR, 6 RBI)
• He's 4 for 5 in speaking after games
• Alexi Ogando: 4 G, 2 IP, 13.50 ERA, 6.00 WHIP
• Yet Ron Washington continues to go to him in big spots

Cumulative Post Season Stats

• Cardinals must be happy with David Freese's performance - .393/.443/.732
• Not so much with Rafael Furcal's - .188/.233/.333
• Nelson Cruz has come up big - .250/.350/.692 with 7 HR and 15 RBI
• Elvis Andrus has come up small - .233/.313/.250
• Colby Lewis: 1-1, 2.95 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 7.86 K/9
• Jaime Garcia: 0-2, 3.97 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 7.15 K/9

At the beginning of the World Series, I took the Rangers in 6. They are one step away from completing their goal of winning the franchise's first World Series title. Colby Lewis has been the Rangers most consistent starter during both this and last season's postseason runs. Jaime Garcia was exceptional in Game 2 and will hope for a repeat performance. I'll stick with the Rangers finishing out the series tonight with a strong outing by Lewis and the Rangers bullpen. Hopefully Ron Washington's love affair with Ogando does not come into play here or else we could be watching baseball Friday night. Enjoy tonight's game!

Stats courtesy of MLB.com

Follow me on twitter at @BaseballStance