The question isn't will they, it's how many times will the Brewers do something "disrespectful" in the home of baseball's ultimate judges of morality?
Follow the jump for tonight's pitching matchup, lineup and conversation on tonight's game!
Joel Pineiro (13-9, 3.11) is having the best season of his career, posting a 3.11 ERA in 170.2 innings and leading the National League in shutouts (2), home runs allowed per nine innings (0.3) and walks per nine (0.9). He's won seven consecutive decisions (last loss on June 28), and posted a 2.66 ERA while holding opposing batters to a .590 OPS over that time. Pineiro is just one of a dozen or more pitchers to come to St. Louis and pitch a full run better than his career ERA.
Speaking of pitchers who overachieved in St. Louis, Piniero will face Braden Looper (11-6, 4.88), who has actually pitched a little better lately, posting a 3.00 ERA while going 1-0 over his last two starts. With that said, he's still giving up the long ball: He leads the NL with 32, and has given up at least one in nine of his last ten outings. He's currently tied with Cal Eldred for sixth most home runs allowed in a season as a Brewer, and needs just four more to catch Wayne Franklin's franchise record. Here's a trivia question to stump your friends with: Khalil Greene (2) is the only current Cardinal who's taken Looper deep more than once.
J.J. Hardy is back from AAA and back in the lineup tonight for the Crew, displacing Alcides Escobar and hitting behind Jason Kendall: (h/t Tyler Barnes)
Felipe Lopez 2B
Jody Gerut RF
Ryan Braun LF
Prince Fielder 1B
Casey McGehee 3B
Mike Cameron CF
Jason Kendall C
J.J. Hardy SS
Braden Looper P
And in the bullpen:
Chris Smith pitched 2 innings for Nashville last night.
David Weathers pitched one inning (14 pitches) Sunday, and also pitched on Friday and Saturday.
Claudio Vargas pitched .2 innings (12 pitches) Sunday.
Trevor Hoffman pitched one inning (11 pitches) Sunday.
Mitch Stetter pitched .1 innings (8 pitches) Sunday.
Todd Coffey last pitched on Saturday.
Carlos Villanueva last pitched on Saturday.Chris Narveson last pitched on Thursday.
Mark DiFelice last pitched on Thursday.
Enjoy the game!