It’s a damn shame that today’s game in Peoria against the Mariners isn’t televised — it can be heard on 570 AM — because in addition to a lineup that features four regulars and Yasiel Puig, the Dodgers are rolling with an actual big league pitching staff. Chris Capuano gets the start, with Chad Billingsley, Ronald Belisario, Brandon League, Kenley Jansen, & J.P. Howell lined up behind him. (No, nothing should be read into Billingsley pitching in relief; with so many starters, that’s inevitable, and as long as the work gets in, it doesn’t really matter when.)
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Dodgers
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Mariners
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SS
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Ramirez
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CF
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Gutierrez
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RF
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Ethier
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3B
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Seager
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DH
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Gonzalez
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LF
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Ibanez
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3B
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Cruz
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1B
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Smoak
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CF
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Herrera
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RF
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Wells
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C
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Federowicz
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DH
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Paulino
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2B
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Sellers
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C
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Zunino
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LF
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Puig
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SS
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Andino
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1B
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Barden
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2B
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Triunfel
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It’s fun that League & Jansen are both pitching today, because that’s the topic of my latest piece at ESPN, which went up this morning. Almost nobody liked giving League three guaranteed years and $22.5m (with $10m in incentives possible), and fewer liked the idea of insisting that he’ll be the closer rather than Jansen. But when you look deeper into League’s performance in high-leverage situations and Jansen’s ability to strike out anyone at any time, it’s a defensible decision. If, of course, Don Mattingly uses them properly, which, who knows.
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There’s been a lot of consternation in the last 24 hours about the status of Carl Crawford, who has been shut down for a week with what’s being called “minor nerve irritation”. Unless it turns into something more serious, it’s not really that bothersome to me just yet. From what we know, this isn’t a completely uncommon setback during recovery from Tommy John surgery, and it’s important to remember that he only went under the knife in August. It’d be nice if he could be ready for Opening Day — a goal which is now definitely in question — but honestly I’d rather have him healthy on April 15 or May 15 if that what it takes rather than trying to have him push it just to be ready for April 1. Besides, between Skip Schumaker, Jerry Hairston, & Alex Castellanos you can cobble together some semblance of a left fielder for a few weeks. It’s a win for Castellanos, anyway, since Crawford opening the season on the disabled list (if that’s what happens) opens up an otherwise difficult to obtain roster spot.
One man who is absolutely not in that mix no matter how much fans want to think he is is Puig. That doesn’t mean we can’t marvel at his skills though, like the strong throwing arm he showed off when he nailed Angel Luis Rodriguez at third yesterday:
Yeah, I could get used to that.
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Hey, anyone terrified Ned Colletti will try to sign Vladimir Guerrero?
