Games of the Day

The 2016 MLB season gets underway at 1 PM EDT as the Cardinals visit the Pirates. The Cardinals won the NL Central in 2015, with the Pirates just two games behind. Both lost the third place Cubs (three back of the Cardinals) in the NL playoffs.

Adam Wainwright gets the call for the Cardinals against Francisco Liriano. Wainwright got off to a great start in 2015, walking just three batters in 25 innings before an Achilles injury ended most of the rest of his season. He is stingy with the long ball as well. Since he became a full-time starter in 2007, he allowed the second lowest home run rate in the majors. Lirinao greatly benefited from his move to Pittsburgh. Through 2012 he posted a 4.40 ERA and was a game below .500. Over the last three seasons, his ERA is down to 3.26, with similar walks and strikeout rates. His fly ball percentage is down, and so is his home runs allowed.

The Blue Jays visit the Rays in a battle of two very good young pitchers. Marcus Stroman faces Chris Archer. Stroman missed most of the 2015 season with a torn ACL. He recovered faster than expected and made four strong regular season starts, posting a 1.67 ERA in 27 innings. Archer posted three consistent seasons in a row, with an ERA between 3.22 and 3.33. He came into his own in 2015, as his strikeouts soared while he cut down on his walk rate. He’s also proven to be a fun player off the field, and is moving toward being a face of the game.

Finally, the Mets and Royals get to replay the 2015 World Series as Matt Harvey leads New York into Kansas City against Edinson Volquez. Harvey pitched an impressive season in his return from Tommy John surgery, ending the season with a 2.71 ERA in 189 1/3 innings. The main difference between the pre and post surgery Harvey was his home run rate, more than double his 2013 numbers. He is coming off a scare caused by blood clots in his bladder earlier this week, so he might get early relief in this game. Volquez is another pitcher who found redemption in Pittsburgh, and he turned what he learned there in 2014 into a 2015 World Series ring. With a high FIP, he does get some help from the excellent defense behind him.

Enjoy!

from baseballmusings.com http://ift.tt/1RVoUi3