Because I Can

So the first game of the season, the Dodgers lost 11-10, as Derek Lowe looked terrible. The rally in the end was not enough to win the game, but it was nice to know the Dodger offense was capable of such things, namely 10 runs without a homer.

As it stands though, Opening Day means very little. Consider the following season outcomes since the 1958 move to LA:

Season Result.............................Opening Day Record
Losing Season............................................6-6
Winning Season, No playoffs.................12-9
Playoffs, no pennant.................................2-3
Lose World Series....................................4-0
Win World Series......................................1-4

In the Dodgers win the pennant, following trends would indicate that they would win the World Series. At least it's nice to think that.

The second game, though, was better, as they won 5-4. It would have been 5-1 were it not for the 3 runs given up by Jae Seo in the top of the 8th with 2 outs. One could make the case, though, that after retiring 8 consecutive batters and then allowing a double, that Seo lost a bit of his rhythym. He had thrown 40 pitches up to that point, and further, the most important thing with him is his confidence. The following has also been said of Rick Honeycutt:

Rick Honeycutt is the absolute worse pitching coach in history. Two games into his tenure in Los Angeles and the results have been disastrous. On Monday with the Dodgers trailing something like 34-1 in the 5th inning and a runner on, Honeycutt went to the mound to settle down Derek Lowe . Whatever tip he gave Lowe obviously didn't work as the very next pitch to Andruw Jones was slammed for a home run.
In the 8th inning of a 5-1 ballgame, Seo gave up a hit here and a double there to allow a run. With the score now 5-2 and a runner on second base, enter Rick Honeycutt. A few words, a nodding of the head, and a soft pat on the butt later, and the coaching session ended.

Grady Little made the same point.

RICK HONEYCUTT made his first appearance as the team's new pitching coach, going to the mound in the fifth, and after chatting with Lowe, Andruw Jones hit the next pitch for a three-run homer.

"I told Honeycutt whatever you just told Lowe, don't ever tell him that again," Little said.

But after two innings, the Dodgers should have had someone other than Baez ready to go for the end. Yesterday they used Kuo, Osoria, Brazoban and Baez. So Lance Carter still has not seen action, and easily could have finished up, pitched his 1/3 inning, been pinch hit for, and sat down. Or for that matter, Tim Hamulack, the lefty specialist, may not have been a bad option to pitch to the left-hander LaRoche.

As for tonight's game, Odalis Perez is pitching against Horacio Ramirez. The Big Little has decided that Sandy Alomar Jr will catch Perez. It is also likely that Olmedo Saenz will start at first. Here was Monday's lineup and what each player bats

Furcal - S
Cruz - S
Drew - L
Kent - R
Saenz - R
Mueller - S
Alomar - R
Repko - R
pitcher

And in that lineup, Saenz had 3 strikeouts, but he may fare better against the lefty. Repko may have better luck tonight, and he has started the season 5-8 with a walk. Given those probables, I personally would go with

Furcal - S
Cruz - S
Drew - L
Kent - R
Repko - R
Mueller - S
Saenz - R
Alomar - R
pitcher

and if Atlanta brings in a right handed reliever, the Dodgers go from 1 lefty to 4 (not counting the pitcher's spot, but who cares).

Osoria, Kuo, Brazoban, Carter, and Hamulack are well-rested and ready to come out of the bullpen.

Go Dodgers. You're on TBS tonight.

Labels: Dodgers