Dodgers Resume Regular Season Play Against Padres, We Resume Homerism

Dodgers Lineup @ San Diego-3-30-14

Carl Crawford LF Yasiel Puig RF Hanley Ramirez SS Adrian Gonzalez 1B Andre Ethier CF Juan Uribe 3B A.J. Ellis C Dee Gordon 2B Hyun-jin Ryu P

Hyun-jin Ryu vs. Andrew Cashner Game Time-5 PM T.V.- ESPN

That’s right, you know we don’t ever deny our homerism. Well we’re back guys. The Dodger’s exhibition season is now finally over after last night’s 6-2 loss to the Angels at Anaheim. The club boarded the bus, or got into their cars and drove down to Petco Park for tonight’s tilt. Thank goodness we’re back to meaningful games my lovely Lairians. The Dodgers are back, and we’re back to our usual nonstop Dodger coverage and unique blend of Blue homerism. We’re glad to see your sweet Blue faces again too! Or I should say your sweet Blue internet addresses. The Dodgers come into tonight with a one game lead over everyone in the division before play even starts. With a win they would be 3-0 on the season already. Now that would be pretty cool wouldn’t it?

Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers resume regular season play tonight with the start of a three game series against San Diego at Petco Park. The Dodgers are coming into the series with their ace, and reigning Cy Young award winner Clayton Kershaw on the disabled list. His back muscle inflammation too much for him to overcome. The Dodgers wanting to be cautious with him, had to DL him in hopes he can be ready to come back in a couple of weeks.

Speaking of making comebacks, center fielder Matt Kemp says he’s ready to be activated off of the DL when the club returns home on April 4. We hope that Kemp has overcome the various injuries and rustiness that has plagued him for the last two seasons, and we can see the return of the Bison of old. Hurry up Bison, we need you.

But getting back to the Dodger rotation. The club had to jumble their rotation a bit with the injury to Kershaw. So instead of Kershaw pitching tonight, Ryu will get the call, with Zack Greinke on Tuesday night, and Dan Haren going on Wednesday. The Padres will counter with Ian Kennedy on Tuesday versus Greinke, and Tyson Ross on Wednesday against Haren.

Ryu went to a podiatrist and had his toenail trimmed, and appears to be just fine and ready to go for Sunday night. Remember Ryu hurt his toenail running the bases during the second game of the Sydney series against the Snakes. Ryu threw five shutout frames that game, and earned his first win of the 2014 season. He’ll look to go 2-0 against the Padres. Last season Ryu was solid, posting a 14-8 record, 3.00 ERA, and whiffing 154 in 192 innings pitched. In 2013, Ryu had a 7.2 whiff per nine rate, and 2.3 walk per nine rate in 30 games started. Ryu has faced San Diego just once overall. Last season on August 30, Ryu threw 6.1 innings, allowing one earned run on eight hits, with six whiffs, He picked up a win that night. Ryu is 1-0 against San Diego with a 1.42 ERA. Here’s how the rest of the Padres have hit him.

RBI

OBP

SLG

.333

.333

.000

.333

.333

.000

.000

1.000

Total

.278

San Diego will counter with flame throwing right hander Andrew Cashner. The Dodgers are very familiar with the big 27-year old Conroe Texas native. Last season Cashner finished with a 10-9 record, and a 3.09 ERA with 127 whiffs, and a 6.6 whiff per nine rate. That’s not many strikeouts for a guy that throws 100 MPH.

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Regardless he still pitched well at times last year, and especially against the Dodgers. In 2013, the boys in blue saw Cashner six times, and in those six games, three of them were starts. Overall Cashner was 0-1 with a 1.35 ERA against the Dodgers in 26.2 innings pitched. He allowed just four earned runs to the Dodgers, with eight walks, and whiffed 20. The Dodgers need to watch out because he knows how to pitch in Petco Park, and has thrown very well against the Dodgers there. At Petco, Cashner is 5-4 with a 1.95 ERA versus the Dodgers. In 78.2 innings pitched he’s whiffed 52 and walked just 13 in 13 games.

However a few Dodgers have hit him well. Adrian Gonzalez is hitting .385 (5 for 13) against Cashner. And Andre Ethier is batting .375 (3 for 8) with a double. Although Hanley is just 1 for 11 (.091). The Dodgers altogether have hit .275 (19 for 69) off of Cashner, with a .704 OPS, and no home runs.

RBI

OBP

SLG

OPS

Adrian Gonzalez

.385

.429

.462

.890

Hanley Ramirez

.091

.182

Andre Ethier

.375

.500

1.000

Yasiel Puig

.111

.200

.111

.311

Carl Crawford

.333

.444

.778

Juan Uribe

.500

.556

.750

1.306

A.J. Ellis

.333

.600

.333

.933

Dee Gordon

.000

Zack Greinke

.500

1.000

1.500

Dan Haren

.000

Chone Figgins

.000

Total

.275

.342

.362

.704

The Dodgers also finalized their 25-man active roster for tonight. We got our take on the final roster decisions earlier today, and you can check that out here, along with a full list of the active roster.

As for us, you can expect the same game plan as every season. We’ll provide you with complete coverage of every single Dodger game, with nearly an inning by inning breakdown of the action. We cover every game, come win or lose, rain or shine. We’ll give you a behind the scenes look at what it’s like to cover the Dodgers from a fan’s perspective. We’ll be here for you every day, as we give you our take on the Dodgers through our eyes, as we see it. We’ll laugh together, cry together, and make this new journey together. We’ll never waver, and we always bleed blue. Well you know the rest. I don’t think I have to explain anything else to you guys. You’re all grizzled veterans by now. You know the drill. This isn’t your first rodeo, or ours either.

Anyways, remember the game is televised on ESPN tonight, so those that don’t have SportsnetLA should be able to watch it. Although SportsnetLA will have complete pregame and postgame coverage. Sunday night Baseball will carry the telecast with Dan Schulman, and John Kruk calling the game. This is the 25th season of Sunday night Baseball on ESPN. The pregame festivities will also feature a special tribute to the late great San Diego announcer Jerry Coleman. You can hang a star on that one.

That’s about it for now. Check back in with us immediately following the game, as Stacie will have a complete postgame recap. Let’s get this show on the road! Go Blue! Go Dodgers! Go good guys! ( now I sound like Hawk!) Let the good times roll!

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