Thursday, March 25, 2010

Padilla Gets Opening Day Nod; Kershaw Slated For Home Opener

You heard it here second (after Dodgers.com, of course): the Dodgers just announced that our own Battletoad will pitch Opening Day in Pittsburgh on Monday April 5:

PHOENIX -- Vicente Padilla, released just seven months ago by Texas, will be named the Dodgers Opening Day starter Thursday by manager Joe Torre, baseball sources told MLB.com. The club could not confirm Padilla's selection.

Padilla will start April 5 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh and be followed in the rotation by Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda and an as-yet-unnamed fifth starter. Factoring in off-days, Kershaw is lined up to start the home opener at Dodger Stadium on April 13 against Arizona.

The chance to see the Minotaur for the home opener on Tuesday April 13? I'll (happily) take it!

7 comments:

Jason said...

I also saw the Pirates lineup for that series will be Zach Duke, Ross Ohlendorf (an intern at the Department of the Interior during the off-season) and Paul Maholm. That's two lefties (Duke and Maholm) so you have to figure Torre will load up on the right handed lineup for games 1 and 3. The Pirates bullpen is basically all right-handed so that lack of an impact left-handed bench bat may rear its ugly head sooner rather than later.

Josh S. said...

MINOTOAD!

Now I'm really hoping I win that chance to buy Opening Day tix.

Kyle Baker said...

Dodger bloggers and Tweeters re V-Pad:

IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!!! WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!

Good lord, folks, it's not that bad. V-Pad gets the Opening Day win in a game that tames place at 10:35AM Pacific, and KKershaw gets the ball Opening Day at CHavez Ravine.

Keep Calm. Carry On.

Steve Sax said...

I agree, DB. VPad will be fine, he's facing the Pirates for pete's sake. It's not quite the coronation for Kershaw that we all would have liked, but a nod for the home opener ain't bad either.

And for Chadley, perhaps this gives him some breathing room so he doesn't have the heavy weight of all those expectations resting on his...thighs. Hopefully his ego isn't bruised too much, but I'm okay with it.

Kyle Baker said...

Exactly, Sax.

Speaking of Opening Day, I'm hungry and thirsty.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I think Torre likes his stuff a lot more than the other guys. Also, he's a veteran. Nuff said.

Greg Hao said...

Exactly at everybody in here, it seems like it's much more important who gets the nod on the HOME opener rather than on the road. Now, if the Dodgers had opened at home and Padilla was still picked to be the pitcher, then I'd be a bit upset and would be looking to unload my tix (maybe to Josh, haha, j/k.)