My prediction:

Tigers in 4

What will probably happen because they will want to win at home...

Tigers in 6

Either way...

Don't underestimate the St.Louis Cardinal's.. Just because the Tiger's have been well rested doesn't mean that this could be to their advantage, especially when the Cardinals are going on tremendous momentum right now..

With a series that is going to be ALL about pitching... the Tigers have it in the bag.

St. Louis's pitchers just finished a 7 game series. That's rough. They're going to be more tired than normal... and with Detroit's great pitchers all rested they can jump out to an early 3-0 series lead

I was 100% certain the Tigers would take the series, until I saw Shack picked them... now I'm certain the Tigers will lose.

Thanks a lot, Shack...

Let's see: Cardinals are starting, statistically, the worst game 1 pitcher in Series history, then Kenny Rogers will pitch game 2. Tigers will be hugely favored in both and should take both. After that, the games will be more competitive with Carpenter and Suppan pitching. I think they can win both but lose the next two. 4-2 Tigers.

I don't know why they don't start Weaver Game 1, they definitley need to win that one, and he's been kicking them off the rest of the postseason. If they did, they could put Reyes up against Kenny Rogers as a probably loss, then set up Carpenter and Suppan... If they won the first game they could make it 3-1, or 2-2 if they didn't. Nobody can beat Rogers except maybe Suppan, so it'd be better to bite the bullet and put your guns elsewhere.

Tigers have a big advantage, but lets get one thing straight! Their starting staff is very good, but can be gotten to. They don't have an unhittable Santana-like pitcher.

Who knows what'll happen in a 7 game series. Jeff Weaver actually pitched well this post-season, and he SUCKS! Suppan is pitching like an ace and he's a 5th starter. Kenny Rogers is pitching like a hall of famer!

My head says Tigers in 5, but my heart says Cardinals in 4, cause I want the Tigers to lose and a couple of my friends are Cardinals fans.

[font=century gothic]There are a couple of reasons why Weaver isn't starting Game 1. The first is Jeff Weaver. Remember when he pitched for the Yankees? He was awful against the American League. And then look at his record this year in the National League (8-14) where the lineups are nowehre near as good. Yes he's been good in the postseason, but I don't think putting all of the pressure on him in Game 1 would be the best idea. However, I don't think he should be going in Game 2 either. He's better off against the weakest lineup possible. That's why I'd switch him with Carpenter in Game 3. That's not going to happen though.[/font]

St. Louis is riding the Shack effect indeed.

i want cards to win

This is just embarassing now, St. Louis is wiping them out on every level.

Tomorrow's game is going to be big, Kenny Rogers needs to put Detroit back in shape... If he loses, you've got Carpenter and Suppan contemplating sweep, and a load of trouble.

Reyes is putting on a fucking clinic.

So much for your theory.. The CARDINAL'S whooped the TIGERS ass in pitching and pretty much everything tonight with that 7-2 Win..

Yay! That one for the Cardis.

Go X-stein!!!

Haha, Weaver isn't pitching very impressively per se, but he is pitching clutch. 2nd inning 2 on, gets out. 3rd inning 2 on, gets out. 4th inning, bases loaded with 0 outs, gets out of it. St. Louis is still in this game.

st louis is still in great shape even if they do end up losing. they'll be going home for the next 3 no worse than tied 1-1

wow, that was quite a finish. St Louis did it's best Cleveland impression there.

With Kenny Rogers the Cards were pretty much set to lose from the start, but I'm impressed at how close and competitive they made it, Tigers held on by a thread.

Next game should be extremely telling. Carpenter hasn't been *that* great in the postseason, and Nate Robertson is very strong... Pretty equal matchup.

Off to St. Louis where Cardinals fans will be sad!

How do you figure that??? Were pumped to see our team being billed as the underdog beat the Tigers and we will to.. I love how ESPN always downplays us and says it's luck that we win our games..

So what do you guys think of the whole Kenny Roger's pine tar/dirt incident?

I think the Cardinals missed a golden opportunity to request he be inspected. It would have likely got him kicked out of game #2 and suspended for game #6. On the other hand, I have to tip my hat to La Russa for saying that wasn't the way he wanted to win.

I think the bigger question is why Kenny felt he even needed it? He pitched better without it, then he did with it. Either way, it has to throw a little shadow on Kenny's teriffic post season performance. It's too bad too, because as I understand it pine tar doesn't really help a pitcher a whole bunch... it just helps you grip the ball a little more. It's not like vasoline or a nail file.

He was lucky he pitched well after it was gone... it would have really damaged his image if after he washed it off he pitched terribly.

Well, despite what he says, you gotta think he was "cheating." The same "clump of dirt" was in the same spot in his previous 2 post-season starts. What kind of pre game ritual results in a clump of dirt in the same spot each game? Other than rubbing pine tar on your hand, that is.

Whether it helps much or not, meh. Also, what was Rogers doing making it THAT OBVIOUS?!