St. Louis Cardinals gearing up for series vs. rival Chicago Cubs

ST. LOUIS -- Manager Mike Matheny said all 162 games on the schedule deserve a team's best effort, and that the fans deserve a refund if a team circles certain games on their worksheet.

That being said, Matheny and his players know St. Louis fans have circled Monday through Wednesday on their schedule. After all, the Chicago Cubs, who eliminated the Cardinals from the playoffs last October, are making their first visit this year with a team that is better than the one which sent the majors' first 100-win squad in four seasons home.

"I will say this: I know it's going to be an electric atmosphere in the stadium," he said. "And I know that the atmosphere in the stands can influence what happens on the field. I'm tired of talking about it, but we do need the buildup to the game and the excitement."

One player who will get his first taste of the Cards-Cubs rivalry is infielder Jedd Gyorko, who has played precisely zero important games during his first three seasons with the San Diego Padres.

"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "I've heard some great things from the guys about it."

And there's a pretty good chance he'll hear a whole lot from about 45,000 fans in the stands about it as well.