Memo to the oddsmakers. St. Louis isn't very good. The Cardinals are four games below .500. Colorado is 16 games above .500 and doesn't deserve to be mid-sized 'dogs facing Mike Leake.

Leake is 1-6 with a 5.04 ERA in his last 10 starts. The problem for Leake is physical, which he admits. Leake said he contracted shingles late last season causing him to lose strength and weight. He said he hasn't fully recovered from that. Leake began the year hot, but sure looks worn down now.

"All I know is my body feels different every start," Leake was quoted as saying. "I try to do the best I can with what I'm given each day. It's a matter of getting these kinks worked out and being able to get the strength back."

Leake hasn't been able to do that in his past 10 starts. He's facing a hot Rockies offense that is averaging 10.5 runs in its last seven games. Leake has a bad history, too, versus Colorado with a 7.52 ERA in four career starts.

Colorado starter Antonio Senzatela won his last start beating the Padres this past Tuesday and shut out the Cardinals for eight innings in a 10-0 victory on May 26. The Cardinals had problems with Senzatela's sinker.

This is a bad spot also for the Cardinals. They played in the Sunday night game last night and could be without leadoff hitter, Matt Carpenter. He left last night's game in the second inning with a quad injury.