Post-Game 1 Thread: Divorce Talk, Anyone?

PIRATES 11, DODGERS 5

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2010 Dodgers.

This happened twice today.

Wow. For those who like to overreact (i.e., like, a lot of us), an entire off-season of optimism just got wiped out in five innings. Vicente Padilla, proud owner of a 14.54 ERA, give up two home runs to Garrett Jones and was charged with seven earned runs over only 4 1/3 innings, while Ramon Ortiz (13.50 ERA) helped pour gas on the fire by allowing a bases-loaded double to Ryan Church in the fifth.

The hits didn't stop there: George Sherrill (40.50 ERA) gave up a three-run homer to Ryan Doumit in the eighth, and the Dodgers committed two errors and wasted opportunities at the plate, stranding ten men on base.

On the plus side, Manny Ramirez and Matt Kemp each went 2-for-5, and Casey Blake and Blake DeWitt each went 2-for-4. Russell Martin, despite getting caught in a rundown in the fifth, scored two runs. Carlos Monasterios and Russ Ortiz each threw a smooth scoreless inning of relief. Also, we had a nice crowd in our first Game Thread of the Year, Padilla hit only two batters and Martin's groin did not burst into flames.

Fun note: Eric Stephen of True Blue LA estimates the Dodgers' Cory Wade/Russ Ortiz switcherdoodle saved them $3,551.92. Flowers for Jamie!

And lastly, thanks to @jay_jaffe for this exchange, which started when the Dodgers scored two runs in the top of the first:

@jay_Jaffe
I really like the Dodgers' chances to keep this 2-runs-per-inning pace all year long

@sosgsosg
Offense or defense?

@jay_Jaffe
Yes.

UPDATE: From Eric Stephen at True Blue LA:

Andre Ethier didn't have an extra-base hit in 94 plate appearances against left-handers on the road last season, yet laced a double off southpaw Zach Duke in his first plate appearance of 2010.

photos by Keith Srakocic/AP

Injury Train Keeps on A-Rollin'

The Dodgers held a memorial service for Willie Davis at Dodger Stadium yesterday.

• Anotherpitcherarminyosling. Wade to miss at least three months (Ken Gurnick, Dodgers.com)
• Tony Jackson's great, great piece on Jaime Jarrin. Face Of The Franchise (ESPNLosAngeles.com)
• Classic Tommy. Tommy Lasorda Speech Highlights (Dear (Tommy) John Letters)
• Nomo, Kuroda. Kuroda, Nomo. Hiroki Kuroda is hoping for a full, healthy season (Dylan Hernandez, LA Times)
• Kudos, Mr. Dilbeck. Alert the media: It's Steve Dilbeck for President (Steve Dilbeck, Dodgers Blog)

photo by Reed Saxon/AP

And The Dominoes Begin To Fall

Yesterday, we were hoping that AJ Ellis would be able to fill the big shoes of Russell Martin, with Martin out for four to six weeks thanks to a groin pull. Monday, the injury bug continued to bite our Dodgers, who lost both Casey Blake (strained rib cage) and Cory Wade (shoulder; two weeks):

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- A day after losing catcher Russell Martin for four to six weeks with a pulled groin muscle, the Dodgers saw third baseman Casey Blake come out of Monday's exhibition game against the Giants with a strained rib-cage muscle.

The injury was believed by the club to be minor, but it continued a worrisome trend that included word earlier in the day that reliever Cory Wade had been shut down for two weeks with shoulder tenderness.

Manager Joe Torre said Blake felt something playing pregame catch, but it didn't hurt him swinging so he started and singled in the top of the second inning.

But while fielding Kevin Frandsen's sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the second, Blake barehanded the ball and threw sidearm to first base and felt it again. The muscle is on the right side of his rib cage. [...]

The 36-year-old Blake said he's never had a rib-cage pull. He played in 139 games last year for the Dodgers, battling through a couple of bouts of tight hamstrings but staying off the disabled list.

Behind Blake at third is Angel Berroa, who ended up going 2-for-4 in Monday's game versus San Francisco. We've also got enough infielders trolling around the team (including Blake DeWitt, whom we're hoping to see back up with team in 2010 (though not necessarily at the cost of losing Blake)).

Behind Wade is...well, honestly we've got about four hundred pitchers hoping to join the squad, so I'm less worried about his loss. However, I do feel bad for Wade, who (like Martin) was hoping to come back from a disappointing 2009 (27 G, 27.2 IP, 5.53 ERA, 71 ERA+) that followed a breakout 2008 (55 G, 71.1 IP, 2.27 ERA, 183 ERA+). Like Martin, Wade's maladies might be the product of overuse at a young age. We'll have to see if two weeks off can cure his shoulder ills.

More concerning, however, is that we've played only three spring training games and already three key guys, two of which are every-day position players, have already gone down. (MSTI did some sleuthing to find that George Flat Breezy Sherrill might also be on the mend.) Considering the lack of big-name upgrades to the team this offseason, our success in 2010 is predicated on everything going right for us this year, in order for us to have a chance at repeating as NL West division champions. And it's only March 8, but I already feel like our starting blocks are moving farther and farther back.

photo swiped from boardgamegeek.com

Relief Appearances

Kind of reminds me of this multiple-exposure Fernando Valenzuela card by Upper Deck (as recently profiled by Blue Heaven):

Wade photo by Amber Matsumoto/Dodgers

Penny and Wade to DL

From Matt Hurst at Diamond's blog:

The Dodgers put pitchers Brad Penny and Corey Wade on the 15-day disabled list Thursday, calling up relievers Eric Stults and Tanyon Sturtze to take their spots. [...]

Manager Joe Torre said that Penny "didn't feel right. He didn't say anything about pain, he just didn't have the freedom he'd like to have."

Wade, who was 2-1 with a 2.56 ERA in 40 games, has a shoulder, that Torre said "has been nagging him. He tried the other day to throw a curveball and it was bothering him."