Saint Louis Cardinals (3-6) AT Arizona Diamondbacks (4-4)
Opening Runline:  ARI -1.5 +170, STL +1.5 -200
Current Runline:  ARI -1.5 +200, STL +1.5 -240
Opening Moneyline:  Ari -120 / Stl +100
Current Moneyline:  Stl -117 / Ari +107
Opening Total:  9.5
Current Total:  9.5

SP:  Stl- K. McClellan / Ari- B. Enright

The Cardinals are off to their worst start since the 1997 season when they opened 3-8, and a large part of it can be attributed to the fact that their best player in Albert Pujols is not producing at the same level he has been in recent years.  His batting average is .143 with one home run, and four RBIs.  His .143 is the lowest he has started for the first 9 games in his career, as you might expect.  He went 0 for 5 in the win against the Giants on Sunday and hit into his 6th double play of the season (he did it only 23 times all of last season).

Cardinals pitcher Kyle Lohse is not really concerned about the early struggles.  “You can’t get too worried about the way things are going this early,”  said Lohse after picking up the win on Sunday. “Obviously you don’t want it to turn into a trend. Most of us have been around long enough to know it’s not going to last forever. We just have to weather the storm and get through it.”

Unfortunately for Pujols, he is traveling to a stadium in which he has a bad track record.  In his 6 games against Arizona last season he hit just .213, though he did record 3 home runs.

While the Cardinals are not getting production from Pujols, they did receive in a boon in Matt Holiday’s return to the lineup.  He scored the go ahead run and hit an RBI single.

Cardinals’ starter Kyle McClellan gave up only 2 runs in his season opener and struck out 7 in 6 innings.  He has replaced Adam Wainright, who suffered a season ending injury, in the rotation.  However, much like Pujols, McClellan has struggled in Arizona, where he posted an 11.00 ERA last season while going 0-2.  McClellan’s PECOTA projection for 2011 is for just a 3-1 record with a 3.75 ERA.  Now, as a starter, if he can manage to extend that 3.75 projected ERA into starting roles, he could be in line for a lot of wins this season.

Diamondbacks’ starter Barry Enright struggled in his opener, though, too.  He gave up 4 runs and 7 hits in 6 innings as the Diamondbacks went on to lose 6-5 to Chicago.  It will be his first start against Saint Louis since his major league debut in June, when he allowed only one run, four hits, and four walks in 5 innings while the ‘Backs secured a 4-2 win.  Enright’s PECOTA predicts a 6-9 record with a 5.54 ERA.

Some betting trends:

Saint Louis is 2-4 in their last 6 games and the total has gnoe UNDER in 6 of their last 7.  The total has gone OVER in 10 of their last 15 on the road and the Cardinals are 7-15 SU in their last 22 road games.  The Cardinals are 12-6 SU in their last 18 games against the Diamondbacks and the Cardinals are 6-12 SU in their last 18 on ther road against the Diamondbacks.

The total has gone OVER In 4 of Arizona’s last 5 games.  Arizona is 4-1 SU in their last 5 at home and the total has gone UNDER in 4 of their last 6 against the Saint Louis Cardinals.  Arizona is 12-6 SU in their last 18 at home against the Cardinals.

HOT HITTERS:

Saint Louis:

Colby Rasmus:  .355 BA, 1 HR

Arizona:

Miguel Montero: .500 BA (13 for 26), 2 HR, 4 RBI

Willie Bloomquist: .394 BA (13 for 33), 1 HR, 5 RBI

The Cardinals are off to a bad start but since betting has opened the line has shifted into their favor.  Pujols must hit for the Cardinals to have a good chance at winning and his struggles in Arizona are worrysome for the Cardinals.