MLB Weekend Preview

By
MARK SIMON
via
September 29, 2006, 4:41 PM ET
6 min read

Sept. 29, 2006— -- We head to the final weekend of the regular season with much to be decided. The level of intrigue should peak with the remarkable race in the NL Central, where the matchups would figure to significantly favor the Cardinals.

But nothing has gone according to plan in St. Louis, and the Cards' collapse continued with a humbling loss to the Brewers.

The Astros remain very much alive, and two of their top three pitchers are ready to pounce on the Braves. Should Sunday be meaningful, expect to see a matchup between two of the best big-game pitchers in the business: Andy Pettitte and John Smoltz.

The NL West race likely will be a nail-biter as well, with the Dodgers and Padres both facing tough opposition. Giants fans won't let San Francisco go down without a fight in what are otherwise meaningless games in their season. San Diego could be facing the NL's Cy Young winner in Brandon Webb.

The runner-up will cross its fingers and hope that it can hold off the Phillies in what should be a fantastic finish.

Key NL Pitching Matchups

Friday

Dodgers at Giants: Hong-Chih Kuo vs. Noah LowryHong-Chih Kuo is 1-1 with a 2.59 ERA in four starts since moving into the Dodgers' rotation, with 29 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings pitched. Meanwhile, the Giants have lost Noah Lowry's last four starts. He's 0-3 with a 14.36 ERA in that span.

Phillies at Marlins: Jamie Moyer vs. Brian MoehlerJamie Moyer is 2-0 against the Marlins this season, accounting for half his wins since joining the Phillies. He's 2-2 for them on the road this season and 4-9 overall. Brian Moehler's struggles have plagued him all season. He's 5-10 as a starter with a 6.91 ERA and a .332 opponents' batting average, with two of those losses coming against the Phillies.

Cardinals at Brewers: Jeff Weaver vs. Chris CapuanoBoth starters enter this one struggling quite a bit. Jeff Weaver tries to stop the Cardinals' free fall, but be forewarned that he's 1-7 with a 7.83 ERA at home this season, including 0-3 with St. Louis. Chris Capuano is 4-2 against the Cardinals, but is 0-3 with a 5.31 ERA in his last six starts.

Astros at Braves: Roger Clemens vs. Chuck JamesRoger Clemens has a 2.35 ERA this season. As the Elias Sports Bureau notes, since June 22 (the date of his first start), that represents the best ERA in baseball. Chuck James is headed in the other direction as his season comes to a close. He has a 10.61 ERA in his last two starts.

Padres at Diamondbacks: Clay Hensley vs. Livan HernandezClay Hensley has pitched very well down the stretch for San Diego. He's 3-0 with a 1.78 ERA in his last four starts. Livan Hernandez is 8-2 against the Padres, though he hasn't beaten them since 2003.

Saturday

Dodgers at Giants: Greg Maddux vs. Matt CainGreg Maddux is 4-1 with a 3.03 ERA at AT&T Park (four straight wins there) and needs one win to reach 15 wins for the 18th time in his career. His opponent, Matt Cain, has lost his last two starts, allowing 12 runs in 12 1/3 innings, ruining a spectacular finish to his season.

Phillies at Marlins: Randy Wolf vs. Scott OlsenRandy Wolf hasn't lost since May 4, 2005. He's 9-0 with a 4.27 ERA in 18 starts since. The bad news: He's 3-12 career against the Marlins with a 6.08 ERA. For whatever reason, Scott Olsen hasn't been as good at home as he has been on the road. He's just 5-6 at Dolphin Stadium, compared to 7-3 on the road.Cardinals at Brewers: Jeff Suppan vs. Ben SheetsJeff Suppan has been terrific for the Cardinals in his last eight starts. He's 3-0 with a 1.99 ERA in that stretch, but indicative of how the Cardinals are falling apart, they're just 4-4 in those eight games. Ben Sheets might be due for a big performance against the Cards. He's lost his last five decisions against them and is 1-8 with a 3.69 ERA vs. St. Louis since 2004.

Astros at Braves: TBA vs. Lance CormierThe Astros have yet to determine their moundsman for this game, though they have good numbers against opposing hurler Lance Cormier. In a rather small sampling, they are 16-for-42 against him, good for a .381 batting average.Padres at Diamondbacks: David Wells vs. Edgar GonzalezDavid Wells is 2-2 with a 5.10 ERA against the Diamondbacks for his career. He's also 0-2 in four road starts this season. Edgar Gonzalez, who went 0-9 as a starter two seasons ago, is a very respectable 2-3 with a 3.00 ERA in five starts this season.

Sunday

Phillies at Marlins: Brett Myers vs. TBAThe Phillies are just 2-3 in Brett Myers' last five starts, but it's hardly his fault. He's 2-1 with a 2.68 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 37 innings in that span.

Cardinals at Brewers: Chris Carpenter vs. Carlos VillanuevaThink this game is a sure thing for the Cardinals? Think again. Chris Carpenter is just 2-3 with a 5.30 ERA for his career against the Brewers, who are hitting .315 against him in those six starts.

Astros at Braves: Andy Pettitte vs. John SmoltzThe series saves its best pitching matchup for last. Andy Pettitte is 3-0 in his last seven starts and 5-1 in his career against the Braves. He could go up against John Smoltz, who figures to pitch if the game has meaning to the standings. Smoltz is 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA in his last three starts. This might bring back memories of Game 5 of the 1996 World Series in which Pettitte and the Yankees beat Smoltz and the Braves, 1-0. Smoltz has often referred to that game as the best one he's ever pitched.

Padres at Diamondbacks: Woody Williams vs. Brandon WebbWoody Williams, as is his custom, has closed strong, going 4-0 with a 1.90 ERA in his last four starts. Brandon Webb may use this start to boost his Cy Young candidacy. He has a 1.36 ERA in his last four starts, though the Diamondbacks have won only two of them.