Playing the Cardinals is starting to feel like a baseball version of the South Park "Imaginationland" episodes.  You think it's ridiculous that a world exists with only middle relievers, yet it somehow seems to function and even, occasionally, triumph.

Today's matchup is Braden Looper against Jeff Suppan.  Here's the BR Game Preview.   Looper dominated us last month, but back in September, it was a different story.

Game time: 1:05 CT.

Go Brewers!

It's Dave Bush against Braden Looper.  The action starts at 7:15 CT.

The Brewers lineup, featuring Kapler against a righty and Dillon subbing for Braun, and if I do say so myself, some of you are seriously overreacting.  We all knew Kapler would start seeing time against righties as long as he kept hitting like this, and Dillon is one sub, giving Braun his first day off of the year. 

It isn't how I would do it, but compared to the "approved" lineup (Gross and Braun instead), we're losing about 3/10 of a run.  And that's assuming that Kapler and Gross both play according to their preseason projections...which at the very least, Ned probably doesn't believe.

Ok, I've stepped down from my pedestal now. 

To see what I had to say in response to 5 questions at Viva El Birdos, click here.  Scroll on down here at BCB if you want to see lboros's answers to mine.  (It's worth it.)  And if you want to drench yourself in situational stats, here's the baseball-reference game preview.

I haven't seen the official Cardinals starting lineup yet, but if they go with the same starting eight that they used against a righty on Saturday night, Project-A-tron says:

• Brewers 4.9
• Cardinals 4.4
• Brewers WinExp: 51%

Also, if TLR stays true to form, we'll have a matchup of pitchers batting eighth.  Not that it matters a whole lot for the Cards--catcher/Kennedy/pitcher/Izturis is just one mass of Triple-A goodness at the plate.  Remarkably, while Izturis and Aaron Miles have gotten 12 of the 13 starts in the 9 hole, the SLG out of the 8 position is higher than that from the 9th.

Go Brewers!