ATLANTA– Cardinals manager Mike Shildt nominated 38 – year-old Adam Wainwright to start Game 3 of the National League Division Series Sunday afternoon in St. Petersburg Louis, which will mark Wainwright’s first postseason start in five years.
Wainwright last started a playoff game in 2014, when he started two games in the National League Championship Series, including the finale in Game 5 when the Cardinals bowed to the San Francisco Giants 6-3 although Wainwright led 3-2 after seven innings . Shildt, in saying that Dakota Hudson, in the bullpen Thursday night, would start Game 4, said, “Both (Wainwright and Hudson) have been really good.
“ But Waino has good experience . He’s been really good at home. And Dakota will go Game 4. ”
Wainwright, who missed most of the 2015 season with an Achilles’ injury, pitched only out of the bullpen in the division series the Cardinals lost to the Chicago Cubs that year.
PONCE DE LEON MAKES ROSTER
Righthander Daniel Ponce de Leon, rarely used since being brought back from the minors, was the only surprise on the Cardinals’ 25 – man roster for Thursday ‘start of the series.
Ponce de Leon, who had eight starts during the season, pitched just three times in September although his most recent outing was a three-inning scoreless stint at Arizona last week.
The Cardinals will have 12 pitchers, rather than the 13 they carried for most of the season. Veteran John Gant, an 11 – game winner in relief who has struggled with command in the second half of the season, is off the roster, as is righthander Dominic Leone, who also started the season with the club but has been up and down between St.
Randy Arozarena, who has been used in various roles, including pinch running, late in the season, will be among the extra outfielders. Young lefthander Genesis Cabrera gives the Cardinals three lefthanders in the bullpen against a heavily-laden lefthanded-hitting Braves starting lineup.
Omissions also include outfielder Tyler O’Neill, who was hitting fourth for them midway through the season when Marcell Ozuna was out with with a hand injury.
The Cardinals’ roster:
Pitchers (12):Miles Mikolas, Jack Flaherty, Wainwright, Dakota Hudson, Cabrera, Tyler Webb, Andrew Miller, John Brebbia, Ponce de Leon, Ryan Helsley, Giovanny Gallegos, Carlos Martinez.
Catchers (2):Yadier Molina, Matt Wieters.
Infielders (6):Paul Goldschmidt, Kolten Wong, Paul DeJong, Matt Carpenter, Tommy Edman, Yairo Munoz.
Outfielders (5):Marcell Ozuna, Harrison Bader, Dexter Fowler, Jose Martinez, Arozarena.
“First of all,” said Shildt, “the biggest person off the roster is John Gant. That was the hardest decision, quite candidly, by far. You’re talking about a guy that won 11 games, more than 10 percent of our win total.
“So (we) just made a decision based on more recency. And Cabrera being on there is a situation based on their roster. I think that’s pretty clear. ”
Ponce de Leon, said Shildt, was added because he can pitch several innings and he was even more effective against lefthanded hitters (. 164), as righthanded hitters (. .)
“John (Gant) was disappointed, rightfully so,” said Shildt. “And I appreciate the guys who are disappointed. I don’t mind the fact that they can challenge the decision, not that John did. John was a complete pro. ”
Gant threw batting practice during Wednesday’s workout and well could be on the club for a next series, if there is one, for the Cardnals.
BADER GETS THE NOD
Harrison Bader, who has hit four of his 12 homers against lefthanded pitching, although averaging only. 177 against southpaws, got the nod in center field, with Dexter Fowler remaining in right, Tommy Edman playing third, Kolten Wong second and hot-hitting Matt Carpenter not playing against Atlanta lefthander Dallas Keuchel.
“We look at the lineup holistically, ”said Shildt. “A lot of people look at it offensively, which is reasonable. We’ve got to score runs. We’re comfortable and confident we’ll be able to do that with the lineup that we have.
“Keuchel is a little better against lefties. That has something to do with it. But ultimately. . . we feel like Harrison’s been representative against lefties, hit a homer against a lefty the other day and plays really good defense. And Kolten is back. ”
FLAHERTY STILL PITCHES FOR SKAGGS
Close friend Tyler Skaggs of the Los Angeles Angels died in June but Cardinals righthander Jack Flaherty, who will pitch Game 2 on Tuesday, still honors the lefthander’s memory.
“Absolutely,” said Flaherty. “I mean, (his name) is on my cleats. I write his initials and his number in the dirt right behind the mound when I start. Every time I get the ball I kind of come from behind the mound and I see it. . . not necessarily before every pitch but before every hitter. No matter what goes on, I see his name, his initials right there. He’s always with me. I can feel him. You just feel that energy. So, yeah, I’d say so. ”
SNITKER SEES HIMSELF IN SHILDT
Atlanta manager Snitker, a longtime minor league manager in the Braves ‘system like Shildt was in the Cardinals’ system, said, “It makes you feel good that the industry will allow guys like us to have this opportunity. I think it says a lot about the organizations when guys like us get this opportunity.
“It probably wouldn’t have worked if either of us would have gone to another organization and (then) tried this job out. ”
BIG TURNOVER FOR BRAVES
Twelve of the Braves’ 25 players on the roster weren’t on the opening day roster.
“It’s just an indication what you go through over the course of a long season – injuries, performance , the whole thing, ”said Snitker.“ I think we’ve done a really good job organizationally of filling some holes when the need arose.
“And unfortunately we had a need early when we left spring training.We pretty much didn’t have our rotation at all. And then towards the end we lost, at one point we lost three of the eight starting position players for an extended period of time.
“So we’ve been really good organizationally at filling those ho les and having guys that came in and that made an immediate impact. It doesn’t really surprise me a lot. “
Keep up with the latest Cardinals coverage from our award-winning team of reporters and columnists.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings