Welcome Back! Welcome Back! Welcome Back! Dodgers Return Home

No, not welcome back Kotter, but welcome back Dodgers! Yes welcome back Boys! Our beloved Boys in Blue have finally returned home. It couldn’t have come at a better time for the boys. It’s a wonderful feeling being back at Chavez Ravine. Dodger Stadium always makes me happy.

Even the news of Clayton Kershaw’s back inflammation can’t dampen the fact that Dodger Baseball is back at Dodger Stadium for a whole new season. Man have I missed this place. Tonight I sit here up in the Dodger Stadium press box, and feel right at home.

During the pre game presser Mattingly commented on Kershaw’s status which hasn’t changed. He won’t throw at all today, and the Dodgers won’t know anything until he throws again, and it’s anyone’s guess what happens from here. Hyun-jin Ryu will probably pitch on Sunday night against San Diego, but that depends on his bullpen session tomorrow. Remember he had a toenail injury he suffered running the bases in Australia. If not Ryu, then Dan Haren would probably be starting on Sunday. The one thing we know for sure is that Zack Greinke will start on Tuesday afternoon.

Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

And now Alexander Guerrero is hurt again. I guess last night he pulled his intercostal or something, or so I heard. I had a hard time hearing during the pregame. I need to get a better seat during the presser. Mattingly also talked a bit about his meeting with Yasiel Puig, which was to clear the air between the skipper and the young outfielder. Mattingly had made some comments after the Dodger’s 7-5 win over Arizona during the Sydney series, and they weren’t very nice. But that was mostly just Mattingly being Mattingly. Donnie Baseball can be very candid. It really was nothing. I think he just wanted to expand on the meeting. Everything appears to be fine.

Anyways, the Dodgers are preparing to take on the Angels in the first game of the freeway series. Stacie had a nice preview of the series, which you can check out here.

I haven’t gotten a chance to see the new enhancements/improvements to Dodger Stadium. I can see the bullpen overlooks from my seat up here in the press box. There’s a few rows of seats above the bullpen with a white overhang that looks like a canopy with a budweiser sign atop the left field canopy, and a Bud light sign atop the right field side.

The one spot we need to see and I recommend everyone go check it out is Tommy Lasorda’s new Italian restaurant behind the right field pavilions.

That will be for another day though. For now, the Dodgers will be battling the Angels in this annual tussle for bragging rights of Southern California. These games are of course meaningless, but remember it’s always a wonderful feeling seeing the Dodgers beat the Angels. We don’t want to see Angel fans happy ever. Watching the Angels lose is always enjoyable.

The Angels unfortunately released right hander Joe Blanton (Bumton) the other day. I say unfortunately because I wanted Blanton to remain an Angel. It’s simple, the worst pitcher in Baseball wearing an Angel uniform means more losses for the Halos. And rest assured, Blanton is indeed the worst pitcher in all of Major League Baseball. Thank god he is no longer with the Dodgers.

Blanton has been so bad with the Halos that they were forced to eat the remaining 8.5 million dollars on his contract. GM Jerry Dipoto even recently admitted that signing Blanton was a mistake, and his fault. Blanton only had an ERA of over 6.00 with the Angels, and a 2-14 record.  Yeah you think Jerry? Hard to imagine any team saying they are going to compete truthfully and then employing Bumton to start every fifth day in their rotation.

My next hope is that Blanton signs with the Giants or Dbacks. One of those teams has got to be desperate for pitching. Hey Arizona lost Patrick Corbin for the year, and Blanton is super available! I think he would look great in Black and orange. Isn’t that the ultimate fantasy? Seeing one of the worst pitchers in Baseball pitching for the team you hate the most?

Speaking of pitching, tonight’s pitching match-up sees right hander Zack Greinke for the Dodgers, taking on Hector Santiago for the Halos.

The Dodger lineup looks about the same as it would any day. Carl Crawford returns from the paternity list to start in left field and bat second. Speaking of second, Justin Turner is playing second base, and batting seventh in the lineup.

Santiago was 4-9 last year with a 3.56 ERA, and 137 whiffs in 23 starts. The Dodgers have hardly face him, and have only nine at-bats versus the youngster. The 26-year old has only pitched in one game at Dodger Stadium.

I’ll have more news and notes, and a recap after the game from the postgame conference with Don Mattingly.

Until then Dodger fans, take it in and enjoy, the Dodgers are back home! Welcome back boys!

Dodgers Lineup Vs. Angels-3-27-14

Yasiel Puig RF

Carl Crawford LF

Hanley Ramirez SS Adrian Gonzalez 1B Juan Uribe 3B Andre Ethier CF

Justin Turner 2B

A.J. Ellis C

Zack Greinke P

Hector Santiago Vs. Zack Greinke  Game Time-7:10 PM T.V.-SportsnetLA- MLBN

Go Blue!