Game 10 Game Preview: Clayton Looks to Make it 3 in a Row

Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks

Clayton Kershaw vs. Patrick Corbin

Game Start: 6:40 p.m., April 12
TV: This really sucks.  Today's game have moved channels due to conflicts.  See the pic below for info.
Radio: 570 AM (English), 1020 AM (Spanish)

Dodgers Lineup:

(twitter link)

Diamondbacks Lineup:

(twitter link)

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Game 9 Game Preview: Greinke Takes the Mound for Second Time this Season

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres

Zack Greinke vs. Jason Marquis

Game Start: 7:10 p.m., April 11
TV: Prime Ticket
Radio: 570 AM (English), 1020 AM (Spanish)

• Via AJ Cassavellat MLB.com, "Greinke set for first taste of Petco Park in finale."

"Right now, he's about where most of the guys in spring were at the very end," said Mattingly, who noted Greinke won't exceed 105-110 pitches. "We don't feel like he's built all the way up, arm-strength wise, so we'll be a little bit cautious along those lines. But there's been no real signs of the elbow [injury]."

Dodgers Lineup:

(twitter link)

Padres Lineup:

(twitter link)

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Game 8 Game Preview: Billingsley's 2013 Debut

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres

Chad Billingsley vs. Eric Stults

Game Start: 7:10 p.m., April 10
TV: This really sucks.  Today's and Friday's game have moved channels due to conflicts.  See the pic below for info.
Radio: 570 AM (English), 1020 AM (Spanish)

(twitter link)

• Former Dodger Eric Stults pitches against a Dodger coming off of the disabled list (Chad Billingsley).
• Mark Saxon at ESPN asks, "Can Billingsley Get Back on the Beam?"

Chad Billingsley might be the best candidate to solidify the middle of the rotation as the No. 3 starter. But going into Billingsley's first start of the season tonight in San Diego, the Dodgers still have more questions than answers about him.

Dodgers Lineup:

(twitter link)

Padres Lineup:

(twitter link)

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Game 7 Game Preview: The Dodgers First Road Trip

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres

Josh Beckett vs. Clayton Richard

Game Start: 3:40 p.m., April 9
TV: KCAL, MLB Network
Radio: 570 AM (English), 1020 AM (Spanish)

This game is the Padres home opener to the 2013 Baseball season.  Hopefully the Dodgers can play spoilers.

• As Jbox at Gaslamp Ball writes, the Padres first 6 games of the season may be a bad sign of things to come.  
• BTW, both tomorrow and Friday's game have conflicts with Prime Ticket, so they are tape delayed.  Fortunately, some alternatives exist if you want to watch them live.  Go here for more info.

Dodgers Lineup:

(twitter link)

Padres Lineup:

(twitter link)

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Game 6 Game Preview: Ryu to Make his Second Start

Pittsburgh Pirates at Los Angeles Dodgers 

Jeff Locke vs. Hyun-Jin Ryu

Game Start: 1:10 p.m., April 7
TV: Prime Ticket
Radio: 570 AM (English), 1020 AM (Spanish)

• Dodgers bullpen has been lights out.  Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Dodgers bullpen hasn't allowed a hit yet."
• "Dodgers look to sweep Bucs behind Ryu," via Quinn Roberts at MLB.com.

"To me, the greatest thing about Ryu is nothing overwhelms him," Mattingly said. "He's pitched in the World Baseball Classic and in the Olympics before. He never seems like he's stressed. He's always calm and collected and confident. One thing I have to keep reminding myself and other guys, this guy was the greatest player in South Korea."

• Note that both Andre Etheir, AJ Ellis and Luis Cruz are taking the day off from the starting lineup.

Dodgers Lineup:

(twitter link)

Pirates Lineup:

(twitter link)

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Game 4 Game Preview: Zack Greinke's Debut

Pittsburgh Pirates at Los Angeles Dodgers 

Jonathan Sanchez vs. Zack Greinke

Game Start: 7:10 p.m., April 5
TV: Prime Ticket
Radio: 570 AM (English), 1020 AM (Spanish)

After tonight’s game, everyone is invited down to the field for Friday Night Fireworks. The national anthem will be performed by the winner of Season 9 of “American Idol” Lee DeWyze.

• AJ Cassavell at MLB.com writes of Greinke's Dodger debut and his elbow.

"I still don't know how it's going to react," Greinke said of pitching every fifth day. "[The elbow] should be fine, but I guess it could pop up again."

• Via Austin Laymance at MLB.com, "Dodgers Hope Zack Greinke is Game Changer in NL West."

"I don't think there are guys on that staff that throw like him," (Giants reliever Jeremy) Affeldt said. "He's pretty methodical with the way he goes about his business and what he does on the mound. I think he brings just a style of pitching that there are not a lot of guys that can add and subtract with their heater like he does. I think they just wanted to add another ace, and they had the money to do it and that's what they did."

Dodgers Lineup:

(twitter link)

Pirates Lineup:

(twitter link)

Photo of Sanchez by Harry How/Getty Images

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Game 3 Preview - The Rubber Match

San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers 

Tim Lincecum vs. Josh Beckett

Game Start: 7:10 p.m., April 3
TV: KCAL, ESPN 2
Radio: 570 AM (English), 1020 AM (Spanish)

BTW, the game is sold out, so if you want the game give-away hooded Dodgers' sweater they are passing out to fans then I suggest getting there early.  Only 40,000 will be available and Dodger Stadium holds more than that, so figure on them running out.  Below is what the sweater will look like, and they will be available in both Medium and XL sizes.

*Notice:  Juan Uribe is making his first start of the season, tonight.  Oy Vey!
*Skip Schumaker also gets a start at 2nd Base.   It's likely that these moves are just a way to allow the bench players some playing time at the start of the year.  You really don't want these guy sitting on the bench, night after night, at the start of the season without a little bit of playing time under their belts. 

Dodgers Lineup:

(twitter link)

  
Giants Lineup:

(twitter link)

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Game 2 Preview - Eagerly Awaiting Ryu

Can we actually expect the Dodgers to outdo yesterdays masterpiece?  Well, with the MLB debut of Korean wonderkid Hyun-Jin Ryu slated to start for the Dodgers tonight, I think that may be a distinct possibility.  Furthermore, both starting pitchers pitched well this Spring, so we might be in for another pitching duel.  On the other hand, I'm hoping that the Dodgers' bats wake up.

To wet your whistle, there are a couple of articles focused on Ryu's debut that are worth a read.

• Via Baek Byung-yeul at the Korea Times, "Ryu Makes MLB Debut Today."

Ryu, 26, has done his part to spur expectations with a solid preseason performance. Over seven games, he went 2-2 with a 3.29 ERA, striking out 27 batters and scattering 10 runs over 27.1 innings. He couldn’t have ended on a better note, striking out Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols. 

•  From after his last Spring start against the Angels, via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Hyun-jin Ryu perfect in spring training finale."

"There was a lot of talk in the very beginning (of spring training) about how I would perform. I was actually anxious and nervous at first, but after the games went on I got more comfortable," Ryu said. "I'm just happy to end camp on a good note."

• Mike Oz at Big League Stew is geeking out on Ryu's debut. Oh... Since we're geeking out, check out the photoshopped pic I made at the very bottom, or at this link.

If you're a child of the '90s, there's a good chance you can't read the name "Hyun-Jin Ryu" and not think of Ryu, the fireballing, upper-cutting "Street Fighter" favorite.

(pic credit: Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2013)

San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers 

Madison Bumgarner vs. Hyun-Jin Ryu

Game Start: 7:10 p.m., April 2
TV: Prime Ticket, MLB Network
Radio: 570 AM (English), 1020 AM (Spanish)

BTW, All-Star Clippers point guard Chris Paul will throw today’s ceremonial first pitch prior to the game.

You will also notice that Carl Crawford will be on the bench for this game.   The Dodgers have decided to let him take a seat since Giants' pitcher Madison Bumgarner is a left hander.

Dodgers Lineup:

(twitter link: @Dodgers)

 Giants Lineup:

(twitter link: @truebluela)

(I made this several months, and I'm very proud of it. LOL)

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A Preview of Opening Day

The new season will soon begin.  All that had happened last year, from the change in ownership to the massive trade that did not lead to the playoffs, no longer matter.  It's a brand new season.  Everyone starts out the same.  Remember, it's a marathon, so be sure to stick it out for the long haul.  We'll go though our ups and downs, but for today we can celebrate the Spring with a clean slate.

San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers 

Matt Cain vs. Clayton Kershaw 

Game Start: 1:10 p.m., April 1
TV: Prime Ticket, ESPN
Radio: 570 AM (English), 1020 AM (Spanish)

Dodgers Lineup:

(pic via Dodgers on Instagram)

1. Crawford LF, 
2. M. Ellis 2B, 
3. Kemp CF, 
4. Gonzalez 1B, 
5. Ethier RF, 
6. Cruz 3B, 
7. A.J. Ellis C, 
8. Sellers SS, 
9. Kershaw P.

Giants Lineup:

1. Pagan CF,
2. Scutaro 2B,
3. Sandoval 3B,
4. Posey C,
5. Pence RF,
6. Belt 1B,
7. Torres LF,
8. Crawford SS,
9. Cain P

(twitter pic: @Dodgers)

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