Personally after watching that Opening Day game, I wasn’t disappointed.

1 run, how? The Reds and Cardinals put their aces on the mound for 7 innings and got quality starts. Cincinnati’s Cueto ended up with the loss and St. Louis’ Wainwright got the win, kill it.

Looking at the two pitchers shows that St. Louis and Cincinnati could indeed have low scoring affairs, but then again, it’s Johnny Cueto and Adam Wainwright that makes it happen.

SCORING PLAYS

7th INNING

Yadier Molina Solo Home Run to Leftfield

CARDINALS 1-0

Composite Score for St. Louis at Cincinnati, Cardinals 1, Reds 0

Recap of Game 1 Pitchers

Wainwright found the groove of being that ace again. Wainwright did not have ace material against the Reds last year, which is odd.

Game 1 Numbers

7 IP/3H/4 BB/9 SO

BAA .125/ERA 0.00/WHIP 1.00

Per 9 numbers: 3.86 H/5.14 BB/9 SO

GRADE: 96.30% (A)

RATES: 10.71% H/14.29% BB/32.14% K

Game 1 Prediction

7.1 IP/6 H/3 R/2 BB/4 SO/2 HR

BAA .214/ERA 3.68/WHIP 1.09

Per 9 numbers: 7.36 H/2.45 BB/4.90 SO/2.45 HR

GRADE: 82.33% (B)

CARDINALS REPORT CARD

ADAM WAINWRIGHT: 96.30% (A)(GAME 1)

BULLPEN: 98.15% (A)(GAME 1)

Lat Strains? Obliques? Any problems? Didn’t look like it on the mound on Monday. Cueto’s showing means that the Reds are indeed in good position. The only thing that could repeat from 2013 are those injuries during the delivery.

Game 1 Numbers

7 IP/ 3 H/ER/BB/8 SO/HR

BAA .125/ERA 1.29/WHIP 0.57

Per 9 Numbers: 3.86 H/1.29 BB/10.29 SO/1.29 HR

GRADE: 93.11% (A)

RATES: 12.00% H/4.00% R,BB,HR/32.00% SO

Game 1 Prediction

7.1 IP/5 H/3 R/2 BB/5 SO/HR

BAA .185/ERA 3.68/WHIP 0.95

Per 9 numbers: 6.14 H/2.45 BB/6.14 H/1.23 HR

GRADE: 82.85% (B)

REDS REPORT CARD

JOHNNY CUETO: 93.12% (A)(GAME 1)

BULLPEN: 91.67% (A)(GAME 1)

On to Opening Night Pitchers

Here comes the biggest question of this pitcher talent. Can Michael Wacha avoid the Sophomore slump? Wacha’s pitching amounts of 2013 was a very small sample size, came in very late in the season so new teams will struggle with him. For Cincinnati’s case, they do not have to worry about seeing his face for the first time. Wacha started a September 3rd game against the Cincinnati Reds and relieved for a failing Adam Wainwright in a August 28th game. For what I’ll be watching this season in St. Louis is Michael Wacha.

Michael Wacha’s numbers.

WACHA’S LAST 7

37 IP/25 H/6 R/12 BB/38 SO/HR

BAA .184/ERA 1.46/WHIP 1.00

GRADE: 90.89% (A)

RATES: 17.36% H/4.17% R/8.33% BB/26.39% SO/0.69% HR

WACHA’S FIRST 27 RATE: 8.1 IP/5 H/2 BB/7 SO

WACHA VS. CINCINNATI

10 IP/6 H/3 BB/10 SO

BAA .167/WHIP 0.90

GRADE: 96.67% (A)

RATES: 15.79% H/2.8% BB/26.32% SO

WACHA’S FIRST 27 RATE: 8.2 IP/4 H/BB/7 SO

WACHA AT GREAT AMERICAN BALLPARK

6 IP/3 H/2 BB/3 SO

BAA .143/WHIP 0.83

GRADE: 96.91% (A)

RATES: 13.64% H/9.09% BB/13.64% SO

WACHA’S FIRST 27 RATE: 8.2 IP/4 H/2 BB/4 SO

The biggest question for Tony Cingrani, like Wacha, can he avoid the Sophomore slump? Cingrani has big shoes to fill with Bronson Arroyo gone through free agency and will have a huge spot for the month of April while Mat Latos is recovering from the Disabled List. Latos should be back in the month of April. Cingrani had a great 2013 season filling for the injured Johnny Cueto and now the job is his to keep in 2014.

Tony Cingrani’s Numbers

CINGRANI’S LAST 7

34 IP/20 H/11 R/9 ER/14 BB/41 SO/4 HR

BAA .164/ERA 2.38/WHIP 1.00

GRADE: 87.47% (B)

RATES: 15.27% H/8.40% R/10.69% BB/31.30% SO/3.05% HR

CINGRANI’S FIRST 27 RATE: 8 IP/4 H/2 R/3 BB/8 SO/HR

CINGRANI VS. ST. LOUIS

11 IP/10 H/5 R/ER/9 BB/ 15 SO/HR

BAA .233/ERA 4.09/WHIP 1.73

GRADE: 78.45% (C)

RATES: 20% H/10% R/18% BB/30% SO/2% HR

CINGRANI’S FIRST 27 RATE: 7 IP/5 H/3 R/5 BB/8 SO/HR

CINGRANI AT GREAT AMERICAN BALLPARK

47.2 IP/36 H/18 R/16 ER/22 BB/58 SO/9 HR

BAA .201/ERA 3.02/WHIP 1.22

GRADE: 84.30% (B)

RATES: 18.56% H/9.28% R/11.34% BB/29.90% SO/4.64% HR

CINGRANI’S FIRST 27 RATE: 7.2 IP/5 H/3 R/3 BB/8 SO/HR

PREDICTION:

MICHAEL WACHA: 8 IP/5 H/R/2 BB/6 SO/HR

TONY CINGRANI: 7.2 IP/5 H/2 R/3 BB/8 SO/HR

PICK:

Mentioned on Monday that if ties occur in the starting pitcher lines, the healthy bullpen will win the game. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Cueto inherits the only run in the series and both bullpens look good. I think both bullpens will avoid the run scoring possibilities. Cardinals will take the series, series becomes a lame duck on Thursday.

Game 2 Preview