So Much Good News. Too Much Good News?

ryu-australia_2014-03-23

This right here, this is good news:

The Dodgers will start Hyun-jin Ryu in their domestic regular season opener on Sunday night against the Padres at Petco Park. The southpaw cracked his right big toenail while running the bases on Sunday in Sydney (Saturday night in Los Angeles), but has been cleared by the team medical staff to return to the mound.

So is this:

The Dodgers’ home opener against the Giants on April 4 could double as a homecoming of sorts, and not only because that may be Clayton Kershaw‘s first regular-season appearance on the mainland: There is a good chance it also will mean the return of Matt Kemp.

The Dodgers’ outfielder, recovering from surgery on a major weight-bearing bone in his left ankle, Friday pronounced himself all the way back and ready to roll.

And this, from Don Mattingly on Clayton Kershaw:

“He didn’t feel anything throwing. Obviously, he was not trying to throw 95.

“My next question was did he feel anything when he played catch the other day, and he said yes.

“That means we’ve taken a little step forward.”

And so, somehow, is this:

Given their spate of early season off-days, the Dodgers will not need a fifth starter until April 19. And when that day comes, a familiar face appears ready to step back into the rotation: Josh Beckett.

In fact, Beckett is doing so well that if Clayton Kershaw isn’t ready to pitch by next weekend, the veteran right-hander could be called upon.

And what the hell, this was great to see from Joc Pederson last night, too:

As we look forward to the final exhibition game tonight and the start of the regular season tomorrow, we’re being hit with nothing but good news on the eve of what should be a fantastic season. So like any good Dodger fan would ask, what could possibly happen to make us rue feeling so positive? I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough. For now, nothing but good news.

About Mike Petriello

Mike writes about lots of baseball in lots of places, and right now that place is MLB.com.