amag
04-01-2002, 05:18 PM
Some facts from MLB.com (www.mlb.com):
http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/stl/news/stl_news.jsp?ymd=20020331&content_id=2973&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp
The Cardinals probable lineup for their home opener:
1. Fernando Vina, 2B
2. Placido Polanco, 3B
3. J.D. Drew, RF
4. Albert Pujols, LF
5. Jim Edmonds, CF
6. Edgar Renteria, SS
7. Tino Martinez, 1B
8. Mike DiFelice, C
9. Matt Morris, P
Renteria batted mostly in the seventh spot last season but did have 69 at-bats from the No. 6 spot and hit .319. Martinez has batted mostly sixth this spring. He batted in every spot of the Yankees' lineup last season except for first, third and ninth. DiFelice will make the first Opening Day start of his career.
When the Cardinals opened the 2001 season in Colorado last season, left-hander Mike Hampton started and pitched 8 1/3 scoreless innings in his Rockies debut as St. Louis lost, 8-0.
It was arguably Hampton's best start of the season as he finished it with a 14-13 record and a 5.41 ERA, including a 6-7 mark and 5.11 ERA on the road.
Despite last year's numbers, manager Tony La Russa and the Cardinals know they'll be facing one of the league's best pitchers in Hampton when they play host to the Rockies in Monday's season opener.
"We're going to have our hands full," said La Russa. "He has a lot of weapons when he pitches a game -- stuff, fielding his position, [and] he can swing the bat."
Matt Morris will be making the first Opening Day start of his career and will be pitching in the park where he was toughest last season -- Busch Stadium. In 18 starts at home, Morris was 15-2 with a 1.62 ERA. His 15 home victories set a Busch Stadium record, surpassing the previous record of 14 set by John Tudor in 1985. Morris went 6-0 in his last seven starts at home and hasn't lost at Busch Stadium since July 24 against the Astros.
The Cardinals pre-game ceremonies are scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. CT with the introduction of the Rockies. That will be followed by the traditional motorcade of Cardinals players in Ford Mustangs. Joe Buck will serve as master of ceremonies. La Russa says Opening Day at Busch is a special day.
"Part of why a lot of players, whether they're home or visiting, talk about St. Louis is because we pay a lot of attention to our ceremonies and our Hall of Famers," said La Russa. "Then you add Ozzie [Smith] to the other Hall of Famers and it makes it extra special."
This is the 60th time the Cardinals have opened the season at home and they are 32-27 in such games. The Cardinals played the Rockies in their home opener last season, after starting the season with a six-game road trip, and beat the Rockies, 3-2, with temperatures in the low 90s.
http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/stl/news/stl_news.jsp?ymd=20020331&content_id=2973&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp
The Cardinals probable lineup for their home opener:
1. Fernando Vina, 2B
2. Placido Polanco, 3B
3. J.D. Drew, RF
4. Albert Pujols, LF
5. Jim Edmonds, CF
6. Edgar Renteria, SS
7. Tino Martinez, 1B
8. Mike DiFelice, C
9. Matt Morris, P
Renteria batted mostly in the seventh spot last season but did have 69 at-bats from the No. 6 spot and hit .319. Martinez has batted mostly sixth this spring. He batted in every spot of the Yankees' lineup last season except for first, third and ninth. DiFelice will make the first Opening Day start of his career.
When the Cardinals opened the 2001 season in Colorado last season, left-hander Mike Hampton started and pitched 8 1/3 scoreless innings in his Rockies debut as St. Louis lost, 8-0.
It was arguably Hampton's best start of the season as he finished it with a 14-13 record and a 5.41 ERA, including a 6-7 mark and 5.11 ERA on the road.
Despite last year's numbers, manager Tony La Russa and the Cardinals know they'll be facing one of the league's best pitchers in Hampton when they play host to the Rockies in Monday's season opener.
"We're going to have our hands full," said La Russa. "He has a lot of weapons when he pitches a game -- stuff, fielding his position, [and] he can swing the bat."
Matt Morris will be making the first Opening Day start of his career and will be pitching in the park where he was toughest last season -- Busch Stadium. In 18 starts at home, Morris was 15-2 with a 1.62 ERA. His 15 home victories set a Busch Stadium record, surpassing the previous record of 14 set by John Tudor in 1985. Morris went 6-0 in his last seven starts at home and hasn't lost at Busch Stadium since July 24 against the Astros.
The Cardinals pre-game ceremonies are scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. CT with the introduction of the Rockies. That will be followed by the traditional motorcade of Cardinals players in Ford Mustangs. Joe Buck will serve as master of ceremonies. La Russa says Opening Day at Busch is a special day.
"Part of why a lot of players, whether they're home or visiting, talk about St. Louis is because we pay a lot of attention to our ceremonies and our Hall of Famers," said La Russa. "Then you add Ozzie [Smith] to the other Hall of Famers and it makes it extra special."
This is the 60th time the Cardinals have opened the season at home and they are 32-27 in such games. The Cardinals played the Rockies in their home opener last season, after starting the season with a six-game road trip, and beat the Rockies, 3-2, with temperatures in the low 90s.