Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Tonight’s pitching matchup, Zack Greinke vs Ian Kennedy, will obviously bring back memories. However, 2013 was a long time ago. Ian Kennedy has had an … interesting 2015 season so far. He’s actually close to or better than his career normal statistics in a few areas: K%, BB%, K%-BB%, GB%, xFIP- are all pretty good. But then there are his 6.48 ERA and 5.32 FIP in 50 innings.
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Dodgers
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Padres
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7:10 p.m.
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San Diego, Ca.
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CF
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Pederson
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1B
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Myers
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RF
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Puig
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CF
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Venable
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1B
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Gonzalez
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LF
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Upton
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2B
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Kendrick
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RF
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Kemp
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3B
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Turner
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3B
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Alonso
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LF
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Ethier
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C
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Norris
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C
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Grandal
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2B
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Spangenberg
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SS
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Rollins
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SS
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Amarista
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P
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Greinke (R)
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P
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Kennedy (R)
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Saying that Kennedy has had a home run problem this season would be an understatement. In those 50 innings pitched, Kennedy has allowed 12 longballs. Four of those were hit by Dodgers during his two starts against the team earlier this year. Adrian Gonzalez, Howie Kendrick, Andre Ethier, and Joc Pederson have all hit dingers off of Kennedy this year. The home run rate will regress, but after the events of 2013 it’s hard to feel sorry for him.
The headline tonight comes from the Padres’ choice of third baseman: Yonder Alonso, who has played just 12-1/3 innings at third in the majors and never played there in the minors. There are many things to blame for the Padres’ poor performance thus far (such as Matt Kemp having the same wRC+ as Kevin Pillar), but it was pretty easy to see these infield woes coming. Even with Wil Myers taking over at first, the left side of the infield is still a complete clusterfuck that everybody could see coming from a mile away.
In the minors, Scott Van Slyke began his rehab assignment in Rancho Cucamonga. Joel Peralta is also scheduled to throw an inning. Paco Rodriguez and Brandon League are also close to being ready to return. Pedro Baez is about a week away from a rehab assignment too, per Alanna Rizzo. The bullpen could be very crowded very soon. I wouldn’t really have an issue if Paco is optioned, and Josh Ravin is obviously the first to go from the major league roster, but after that there are some hard choices.
Somewhat tangentially related to the minors – the Twins called up Byron Buxton today. This call-up likely makes Corey Seager the best prospect left in the minor leagues (depending on how you feel about Francisco Lindor). It’s getting harder and harder to imagine Seager being left in the minors until September.
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