Sometimes I say things and I make sense. Other times, I way off mark. For example, two weeks ago I was saying, despite his early stint on the DL, Chris Carpenter could make a strong case for Cy Young winner. People laughed at me and said Tim Lincecum in a runaway. Well, Carpenter just picked up his 14 th win to tie Adam Wainwright and he lowered his major league best ERA to 2.16 following Saturday’s 7-0 win at San Diego.
Carpenter pitched seven scoreless innings who basically went to cruise control in the first inning after Matt Holliday’s three run homer in the first inning. That was Holliday’s sixth in 27 games with the Cardinals. Colby Rasmus and Rick Ankiel would also hit solo homers later in the game.
Carpenter allowed three hits and three walks while striking out six. Right now, Carpenter is unbeatable. He won his last six starts and has only given up four or more earned runs in a game twice this season. By the way, an example of the one time I was way off the mark with one of my predictions…when I said the National League would be a two horse race. I should have realized one of those horses were Chicago. How silly of me.
Just when we thought John Smoltz was the answer to our fifth and final starter (who makes his first start Sunday), Kyle Lohse returns to the DL with a groin strain. They Cardinals won’t need a fifth starter until August 29 th , so perhaps we won’t have to watch Mitchell Boggs again? The team says Lohse’s injury should only keep him down 10-15 days at the most.
