The Dodgers return home after an unsuccessful road trip that saw them lose four out of six to the Rockies and Cubs. They’ll have right hander Pedro Baez back as he’s been reinstated from the disabled list. He’s been nursing a wrist injury and the Dodgers have optioned Josh Fields back to Oklahoma City to make room for him. The Dodgers will open the home stand with a weekend set against the Arizona Dbacks. The opening game pitching mach-up will feature Clayton Kershaw going up against turncoat Zack Greinke.
Dodgers vs. Arizona
Tonight's Dodger lineup vs. D-backs:
Toles LF
Seager SS
Turner 3B
González 1B
Forsythe 2B
Grandal C
Pederson CF
Puig RF
Kershaw P pic.twitter.com/305jUFfk5d— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 14, 2017
Zack Greinke-2-0 vs. Clayton Kershaw-1-1
Game Time – 7:10 PM – TV-SNLA – MLB.tv
That could lead to trouble for our Dodgers because Greinke has been phenomenal at Dodger Stadium in his career. Greinke is 29-6 with a 2.1 ERA at Chavez Ravine. Overall he is 3-2 with a 3.80 ERA in seven career starts against the Dodgers. He’s gotten off to a good start this year. He’s 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 11.2 innings pitched. Here’s how the current Dodgers have fared against him in the past.
Greinke vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Chase Utley | 23 | 22 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | .273 | .304 | .545 | .850 |
| Yasmani Grandal | 17 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | .125 | .176 | .375 | .551 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 12 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .273 | .333 | .545 | .879 |
| Justin Turner | 11 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | .364 | .364 | .909 | 1.273 |
| Corey Seager | 10 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | .625 | .700 | 1.500 | 2.200 |
| Joc Pederson | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .333 | .429 | 1.000 | 1.429 |
| Logan Forsythe | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Scott Van Slyke | 6 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .500 | .833 |
| Kenta Maeda | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .250 | .250 | .500 |
| Alex Wood | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Trayce Thompson | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .333 | .000 | .333 |
| Total | 103 | 96 | 25 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 13 | 7 | 24 | .260 | .311 | .583 | .894 |
Kershaw is 1-1 in 2017. He defeated the Padres on opening day, but got beat down by the Rockies in Denver in his second start. That last start was very un-Kershaw like because he allowed 4 home runs. In 24 career starts he is 12-8 with 2.75 ERA against the Snakes. Here’s how the dbacks have done against him in the past.
Kershaw vs. Dbacks
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Paul Goldschmidt | 41 | 39 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 15 | .256 | .293 | .462 | .754 |
| Chris Iannetta | 29 | 25 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 5 | .240 | .345 | .400 | .745 |
| A.J. Pollock | 26 | 24 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | .292 | .346 | .417 | .763 |
| Chris Owings | 14 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | .154 | .214 | .385 | .599 |
| Jeff Mathis | 12 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .273 | .273 | .455 | .727 |
| Daniel Descalso | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .250 | .400 | .250 | .650 |
| Jorge De La Rosa | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | .167 | .167 | .167 | .333 |
| Nick Ahmed | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .167 | .000 | .167 |
| Patrick Corbin | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Brandon Drury | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .200 | .200 | .800 | 1.000 |
| Shelby Miller | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Yasmany Tomas | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | .250 | .400 | .250 | .650 |
| Archie Bradley | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 |
| David Peralta | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .333 | .000 | .333 |
| Randall Delgado | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Total | 173 | 157 | 34 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 21 | 14 | 50 | .217 | .281 | .363 | .644 |
The Dodgers will field their normal lineup against a right hander. Logan Forsythe is dropped down to sixth as Andrew Toles bats lead-off and plays left field. Tomorrow night is Jackie Robinson night and the Dodgers will be unveiling the new statue in his honor which will be located in the reserved level.
Go Blue!
Should be a great matchup!
Go Dodgers!
Fields sent to OKC, Baez activated.
That means Hatcher keeps his job again.
I rather have Fields over Hatcher.
I bet Hatcher will lose a game for us, pretty soon.
I know Libertore is a leftie, but him and Fields, deserve there jobs more then Hatcher, because they earned there jobs.
We have no way of knowing what services Hatcher may have performed for FAZ.
Hatcher threw what looked like a splitter yesterday. It was a strike 3 pitch. I’m encouraged. Baez and Hatcher could prove to be an excellent bridge to Jansen. I said COULD. I’ve always liked both their arms, I just don’t like one speed cheese served up over the middle of the plate.
Badger
Hatcher always pitches well, when we are behind!
And Fields has pitched well, since he came up, and last year, he pitched well, about two weeks after he came to the Dodgers.
And he pitched well, in the post season.
And Libertore was the best pitcher in the pen, in the first half of the season, before he got hurt.
Hatcher has not earned his way, to be on the major league team.
Hill is starting Sunday.. that means someone must go down.
Thought Fields was pitching well, but Hatcher’s out of options and has looked good as well.
Maybe Ryu to the 10 day for Hill.
Love the churn.
Bluto
Hatcher always pitches well, when we don’t have the lead!
Last year, Libertore and Blanton, had to come in and pitch set up, because Hatcher and Baez were not doing there jobs.
Hatcher has not did his job, since he came to this team, and the only time he has pitched well, was for a month, and that was two years ago.
MJ, you’re Don Quixote and Hatcher is your windmills. It doesn’t have a pretty ending…
Jonah
You are so right about that!
So far so good. Greinke lucky it’s only 2 zip. Kershaw lucky he didn’t get crowned.
Kershaw pitching to a 22″ plate tonight. That will be helpful.
This guy Kershaw may be good.
Could be some day.
He didn’t really need the help.
Good to see Greinke get humbled. He still gets paid though.
OK, all you testicle talking FAZophobes, you still want Greinke at $34M/yr?
Can you imagine the pain Dbag fans must feel watching the “Family Jewel” get pummeled like that? The BLUE BALLers really put the hurt on AZ fans tonight!
With another $170M left on Greinke’s contract, AZ fans better expect a lot of future testicular trauma!!
Makes me appreciate FAZ even more.
Sometimes Box, you really are an ass. Not signing Greinke was not a brilliant move by FAZ, it was more pure dumb luck. It is widely known, but obviously not by you, that FAZ offered Zack over 160 million for 5 years. He was within 30 minutes of deciding between the Gnats and Dodgers when AZ made their offer. The Dodgers were the front runner to retain him up to that point. So Az made the dumb move, yes, but their was no brilliance attached to FAZ. Greinke’s decline last year was the direct result of 2 major factors, 1. He was injured and that reduced his effectiveness. 2. He was pitching half his games in what is obviously a hitters park. No one knows how he would have fared had he stayed in the Dodger blue. Since FAZ took over he has not signed a single A list make a difference player. Retaining Jansen and Turner is the closest he has come to doing that . FAZ has never won anything. His Rays got to the series once, but lost. He has stocked the Dodgers and kept his young talent, but he has also signed a bunch of mediocre injury prone reclamation projects. Low risk so called high reward guys, and he has also not made a trade for a single A list player either. Most of his trades have been busts. And do not tell me Hill was a great move. They over paid for Anderson, Hill, Kazmir, and McCarthy. They have gotten little value out of any of them. Although McCarthy has looked ok his first two outings it does not over turn the fact that the guy got injured almost immediately. They resign Hill and he goes down before his second outing. So if you want you keep believing, that’s your choice, but until this team actually wins something, FAZ has done nada. He will probably be remembered as the guy in charge when Kershaw opted out and signed somewhere else. What do you think Kersh would sign for if he opts out after next season? Bet he gets more than what Greinke did. By the way, 50 million of Greinke’s contract is deferred until after he retires.
Amen brother Bear. Could not have said it better.
Kershaw is the reason we are favored to win the West. What follows him is an average staff of 5 inning wonders.
Not sure what is wrong with Greinke but he continues to miss his spots badly. Oh well. Bummer for the snakes.
What was billed last night didn’t unfold.
Dickson hitting an early .483, Verdugo .357, Bellinger .355, Calhoun .300. OKC is 5-4. They won yesterday with 5 singles, 12 Ks and an 0 for 7 WRISP. Jurrjens went 6.
Cueto is 3-0. Montas is pitching in Oakland. 5.1 IP, 1.69 ERA. Good for him.
Yeah, I was checking their stats yesterday. Did you notice that Farmer has dropped out of their top 30 prospects? Smith and Ruiz still on the list, but Ruiz has had a rough start at A ball. Segedin had raised his average a little, was hitting .286 last time I looked. Kershaw is the only pitcher on this team I would PAY to see in person. All those other guys, no way. Dodgers back here in May on a weekend. I think I might take in the Sunday game of that set. I can drive up to Denver in the AM, get to the ballpark by 12, and be in my seat by 12:15. There is a parking lot right across the street. Box seats for that game behind home plate going for 77 bucks.
Michael, Michael, Michael, you are hanging with all the wrong people. They have obviously clouded your vision and judgement. Let’s deal in FACTS!
1. FAZ DID NOT resign Greinicide. Yes, it was reported they offered as much as $150 for 5 yrs. I remember them saying they didn’t even feel comfortable offering that, but it was “Zack” and as we have seen FAZ does value loyalty.
2. You and I do NOT know how negotiations actually went down. We DO know that AZ paid over 25% more than the Dodgers highest reported offer. Midgets were also reported to be in on Greinicide, FAZ could have been only “wisely” driving up the price.
3. “Dumb Luck”. NO, more like, “Good Luck is the Result of Good Planning”.
4. FAZ was absolutely TORCHED around here for not outbidding AZ for Greinke. By the same people who torched FAZ for not trading “prospects”, Seager, Urias and Pederson for Hamels and others. I guess you don’t remember all the “Greinke knows his body and will age like a fine wine” talk. Or, “Dodgers are rich, Money doesn’t mean ANYTHING, $206M is CHEAP for Greinke”. Or, “Everyone should boycott the Dodgers, Dr. Fraudy says so!”
5. Michael (you) cutting Greinke and his $206M contract slack because he was “injured”. That is rich, Why no slack for McCarthy who was injured in the line of duty and needed TJ surgery?
6. Michael (you) saying Greinke’s bad numbers are because he pitches in a hitters park. I guess you didn’t watch last nights game and how he did in a pitchers park. Did you miss last years Greinicide game at Dodger Stadium (The homerun derby game)???
7. “FAZ has never won anything”. How about two division titles in two years? How about averaging 95 victories per year in two years while being burdened with bloated, useless contracts left by Ned. Oh and what a farm system they have built!!!!
8. “Overpaid” Hill has as many victories as “Ridiculously Overpaid” Greinke, even though he has been on the DL. Hill has an ERA of 1.8, Greinke, his usual, 4.32.
9. At least 60% of the current 25 man roster was acquired by FAZ. More if you count the guys FAZ kept instead of trading like FAZophobes wanted.
C’mon, I know you don’t suffer from that “mental disorder” many here suffer from. Open your eyes, look what is being built right before your eyes. I promise you are going to like it!
First off what I said was that those factors contributed to his bad year, they were not the direct cause. the Dodgers have not averaged 95 wins the last 2 years, they won 92 and 91 respectively. Why should I cut FAZ slack for signing a perennially injured pitcher, McCarthy and over paying for him? He did the same with Kazmir and now Hill. Nobody was going to pay Hill that much money over 3 years, and the hype that he was the best starter available. I have no problem with FAZ not signing Greinke, but the fact is they did make an offer, and Zack asked for a 6th year. They would not do that and at the last minute, the Dirtbags jumped in with stupid money. I get that. FAZ got screwed when Anderson accepted his qualifying offer, but a blind man knew there was no way he was going to turn down 15.6, and what did we get for that? NOTHING> . I saw the game when they pasted Greinke with 5 homers, definitely a bad day at the office. But Orel came to his rescue about that game last night and said he had just come off the DL. Makes no difference to me. Is he, or was he at the time worth 206 million? No….I have no argument with that. But you seem to think Friedman is some sort of baseball genius. The large part of the roster was acquired by FAZ< that's true, but the meat of the farm system was put there by Logan White, before FAZ arrived, and the best prospects were already in place. FAZ's boys have not been around long enough to really contribute. I see you did not address what I said about a major trade for an impact player. And you show me where Urias and Seager were even on the table when they were talking to the Phils about Hamels. Phillie might have asked for them, but there was no way they were going anywhere and not one person I know advocated trading either of those guys. It's like the Braun for Puig deal, I would not trade Yasiel for that over blown contract yet it is still being discussed. And here is a little tidbit too, none of his Cuban signings have panned out. And probably a telling stat, Dodger attendance has dropped both years that FAZ has been in charge. I do not think it is a mental disorder, nor am I sure I will like what is left when the dust settles. And Colletti won 2 division titles in a row working with the over blown contracts that McCorrupt saddled him with and what the new owners tried to do when they first got here. They approved all that stuff you know and they were the ones who footed the bill. They wanted a big splash and a name player. It will be nice when the talented kids get here. But even they are no guarantee of a World Series title. Until they do it in the majors, they are still nothing but very talented kids. You need that mix of both. Actually I wish they had blown the whole thing up and brought guys like Urias, Stewart and Oaks up and not signed the Infirmary Bunch. Little OJT. But that did not happen. Next year 32 million will be off the books, ( Ethier-Crawford) And 2018 it will be trimmed down some more. You like what FAZ has done, and that's ok. But you are in the minority. And while division titles get you to the dance, they are not winning it all, and that FAZ has never done, not in Tampa, and not here. Comparing him to Epstein would be ludicrous since Epstein has at least built WS winners.
Another little tidbit. Friedman is the director of Baseball operations along with being a team president. Colletti was never anything more than the GM, and he needed approval from the owners, Friedman pretty much has carte blanche. Big difference.
Your last sentence is the only one worth reading.
If all you want to do is make an ass out of yourself, it
fits better at that other site.
It’s too bad, because you bring good insight from a different point of view
and I appreciate that.
He makes some valid points, but like I said, FAZ was lucky, not smart…
To paraphrase Ben Hogan:
The better their process, the luckier they get.
Beat that drum……..still was dumb luck no matter how you spin it.
agreed, yes.
The 200 mil were committed, they got bailed out by people who have now lost their jobs.