FanPost

Postseason Pitching Rotation Pick'em!

Friday's matchup between teh Barves and the Cards pits Kris Medlen against Kyle Lohse, after which it is safe to assume ... at least one of those teams will advance to play the Nationals.

If that team is teh Barves, I unscientifically posit their pitching rotation lines up like this:

Game 1 & 5: Tim Hudson
Game 2: Mike Minor
Game 3: Kris Medlen
Game 4: Paul Maholm

Ben Sheets retired Wednesday following his start, and rumor has it Tommy Hanson has pitched his way off their postseason roster (past 30 days: 1-3, 0.1 WAR, 4.64 ERA.)

Minor has been 4-0 during that stretch, and sports a 0.71 WHIP to Maholm's 1.23, so I peg him as Game 2. 5 days after Friday would line up as Game 3, which would be the soonest Medlen could pitch with regular rest. Then they're into Maholm for Game 4, and back to Huddy for Game 5.

Who would we trot out? Hmmm. Throwing pasta at the wall, Gio obviously gets Games 1 and 5. Who after that? I'm circling Lotto Bubbles for:

Game 2: Ross Detwiler
Game 3: Jordan Zimmerman
Game 4: John Lannan

We think Lannan is in play to start, given teh Barves' performance against lefties and Lannan's record against them.

ONTO THE CARDS. Lohse, like Medlen, wouldn't come back until Game 3 of the NLDS. What might the rest of the Cards' rotation look like?

Game 1 and 5: Adam Wainwright
Game 2: Lance Lynn
Game 4: Chris Carpenter

Lynn over Carp? Yes - Carp seems to still be finding his form, having only made three starts since returning from shoulder surgery. I figure Davey counters with a lineup of

Game 1 & 5: Gio (duh)
Game 2: Jordan Zimmerman
Game 3: Ross Detwiler
Game 4: Edwin Jackson

I'd put Det at Game 3 only because that puts him at home (where he may be more comfortable), and if we're down, we have Big Game Ed going for Game 4. But I could see running Detwiler out to make the Cards not get comfy on the right side.

CAVEATS ... because there are always caveats ...
* Game 2 starters could go totally in the air if the WC game calls for many pitching changes. If the Cards need Lance Lynn because Lohse implodes, for example, of course they're calling him. (It won't be Medlen - that friggin' guy appears to be made out of titanium.)

* I have no idea what I'm talking about - I'm simply avoiding watching the Presidential Debate.

Feel free to ping me once my picks start tanking. It's like the NCAA Tournament, but in October! LET'S GO NATS!!

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