(Sports Network) - The defending National League champion Colorado Rockies, coming off their best season in franchise history, will start the 2008 campaign this afternoon with the opener of a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals from Busch Stadium.

The young Rockies reached the playoffs for the just second time in club history last year and first since the 1995 season. They went 90-73 and were one of the hottest teams towards the end of the regular-season before capturing a playoff berth with a victory over San Diego in a one-game playoff. Clint Hurdle's club ripped through the playoffs by crushing Philadelphia and Arizona for its first NL pennant, then were swept in the World Series by the Boston Red Sox.

Colorado kept its nucleus intact this offseason by re-signing stud outfielder Matt Holliday, outfielder Brad Hawpe and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. Holliday led the National League with a .340 batting average and 137 runs batted in. He also clubbed 36 homers, but was edged out by Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins for the MVP award. Tulowitzki was runner-up for the Rookie of the Year honor after he hit .291 with 24 home runs and 99 RBI. The youngster also led major league shortstops with a .987 fielding percentage.

Starting pitcher Jeff Francis will look for more success in 2008 with Colorado and gets the nod on Opening Day. Francis, who went 9-4 after the All-Star break and 2-1 in the postseason, posted a 17-9 record with a 4.22 ERA in 34 starts.

The left-hander has enjoyed success against the Cardinals, going 4-1 with a 2.28 earned run average in six career games. Francis took on St. Louis twice in 2007 and came away with a 1-0 record and a 2.45 earned run average.

St. Louis will have some new faces in different places this season. Gone are third baseman Scott Rolen, center fielder Jim Edmonds and shortstop David Eckstein, and in are shortstop Cesar Izturis and third baseman Troy Glaus, who was acquired from Toronto in the Rolen trade. Converted pitcher Rick Ankiel will replace Edmonds in center field after he batted .285 with 11 homers and 39 RBI in 47 games last season.

Usual stud and annual MVP candidate Albert Pujols is not letting an elbow problem bother him. The Cardinals first baseman played through the injury this spring by hitting five home runs and recording 18 RBI. Pujols batted .327 with 32 long balls and 103 runs batted in last year for the Cardinals, who are coming off their first losing season (78-84) since 1999. St. Louis will try to get back to its 2006 form, when it captured a World Series title in five games over the Detroit Tigers.

Adam Wainwright will try to get his club off to a good start when he toes the rubber for the Cards today. Wainwright pitched in 32 games in 2007 and notched a 14-12 mark with a 3.70 ERA.

The right-hander has faced Colorado five times in his career (one start) and is 2-0 with a 0.87 ERA. Wainwright beat the Rockies in his only appearance against them in 2007, allowing one earned run on nine hits through six innings of work.

St. Louis went 4-3 against Colorado last season and has won 12 of the last 17 matchups in the series.