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The return of Luis Gonzalez to Phoenix, in a Dodger uniform, is the main story for this one. As mandated by SnakePit readers, I shall greet him with a standing ovation the first time up, then treat him as a Dodger thereafter; for this will be our first trip to a game at Chase Field this season (the previous outing, for FanFest, got no closer to home-plate than the Team Shop). Since it's also my twenty-somethingth birthday - er, if that "something" is, ah, 21 - I'm getting out of work a little early, and we're going to Kincaid's for dinner. Should be a lot of fun.
Let's hope the Diamondbacks can kick their offense into gear a bit more: certainly, Chase Field has not yet been the hitters' paradise it was in 2006. It is very early days, but at the moment Phoenix is 23rd, as measured by ESPN's park factor, at only 87. Obviously, that almost certainly won't last - but we've only scored four runs per game in Phoenix, and that won't do either. We need the likes of Jackson, Hairston, Byrnes and Drew - all sub-Ueckerian [per npineda!] on the homestand - to help shoulder some of the burden. We can't expect to live forever on O-Dawg, hitting .455 in Phoenix.
Neither of these matchups look particularly favorable, but the Dodgers have been reliant on the offensive juggernaut called Luis Gonzalez - and that can't last either. Sure he'll be fired up for the contest, but I'm sure the same will go for Scott Hairston - and Carlos Quentin, if he's activated off the DL tonight, as has been suggested. It's going to be an interesting game: I won't be commenting, but will be taking notes. Though in light of certain events elsewhere in America today, my enthusiasm for the game might be somewhat muted. :-(