Cards, Astros keep drama on field

ST. LOUIS – They are members of the same division. They’re perennial playoff teams. And they’re meeting for the second year in a row with a trip to the World Series at stake.

All right! Let’s have some fightin’ words between these certainly bitter rivals.

“They run a classy organization over there,” said Lance Berkman of the Houston Astros. “We have a lot of respect for them.”

Hmm, maybe we’ll fare better at stirring things up in the opposing clubhouse.

“They’re a good bunch of guys,” said David Eckstein of the St. Louis Cardinals. “It’s hard to dislike them.”

Thud.

Clearly, this isn’t Middle America’s version of Yankees-Red Sox.

In fact, it’s not even close to being the best rivalry in the N.L. Central – that distinction belongs to the Cardinals-Cubs.

Still, the Cardinals and Astros have risen to the top of the senior circuit.

They’re back for the first N.L. championship series rematch in 13 years, which begins with Game 1 tonight at soon-to-be-demolished Busch Stadium. A new stadium, set to open in 2006, is rising next door.

“It’s a classic from a baseball standpoint,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. “Maybe you don’t get as much passion from the fans during Cardinals-Astros as you do for Cardinals-Cubs. But we’re building a pretty good passion base for our fans and for each other because we play so much.”

Indeed, there are many similarities between the teams.

Both have deep starting rotations. Both have dominating closers. Both have versatile offenses that can go long or manufacture runs when the situation calls for it. And both are making a habit of playing in October.

St. Louis has six playoff appearances over the past decade, reaching the NLCS four times and the World Series a year ago with a seven-game victory over the Astros – a memorable series that was overshadowed by Boston’s comeback win against the Yankees in the ALCS.

Houston is making its sixth playoff appearance in nine years and looking to reach the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

Now, even after meeting 16 times during the regular season and preparing for Astros-Cardinals II, both sides say it’s impossible to drum up the sort of hatred that signifies a truly passionate rivalry.

“It’s not really going to be a rivalry until we start beating the Cardinals a couple of times,” Astros manager Phil Garner said. “When they go home mad, then it will be a rivalry. Right now, it’s kind of one-sided.”