Series Preview, #2: Los Angeles Dodgers vs Arizona DiamondBacks

MOMENTUM

The LA team has taken two of three from the Padres, so in a way, seems like old times....

Who is hot? Adrien Gonzalez who in the opening series is batting .769 and slugging 2.077...

Who is not? Yasiel Puig who is batting .083 and slugging .167

NEW FACES (from old places)

Brett Anderson ( Colorado), Chris Hatcher (Miami), Brandon McCarthy (The twitterverse), Juan Nicasio (Colorado),

Yasmani Grandal (San Diego), Howie Kendrick (Angels), Jimmy Rollins (Philadelphia)

Anyone think that with the possible exception of Kendrick that these guys aren't delighted to be there?

UNFAMILIAR FACES

Joc Pederson (up from the minors, reportedly the next Dodger wunderkind), Pedro Baez (20 games last year),

Yimi Garcia (8 games last year), Darwin Barney (22 games, prior to move from the Cubs), Alex Guererro (11 games last year)

Barney is the bench depth, as is Guerrero. Garcia and Baez are young arms who had a cup of coffee last year and have graduated to help bolster what is seen as a suspect bullpen (by some in the baseball punditry).

Scheduled matchups:

Pitching

Friday - The Matrix game... Anderson versus Anderson.... will it be the Red Pill or the Blue Pill for the Dbacks?

Saturday - Kershaw vs Bradley - wonder if Archie may press a bit on the debut....

Sunday - Greinke vs Collmenter

Advantage Dodgers

Lineup

Gonzalez is incendiary, Crawford and Kendrick had an exemplary series, not sure that their defense is much better but those three are swinging hot sticks.

Advantage Dodgers - until our guys prove otherwise....

Bench/Bullpen/Payroll - Advantage Dodgers, but SSS is in play and perhaps that's simply my perception since we have so little reality to go on

RANDOM MUSINGS

Happiest Dodger? - My guess is it's Jimmy Rollins who has been given his freedom from the debacle that is/are/continue to be the Phillies....

Unhappiest Dodger - Scott Van Slyke because we traded Wade Miley to the BoSox.

Over/Under on hit batters - 3

Chances of a brawl where Turner Ward gets suspended 3 in 20....

TACO FACTOR - 1 out of 3

The erstwhile division favorites come to town on Friday and based on how they addressed the upstart Padres and the long established history that is in place between the two clubs, I imagine that the Bridegrooms are looking forward to their first road trip. SSS arguments and caveats apply, but I will be happy if we can sneak one game away from them. Yet this IS baseball and you never know, that's why they play the games (2D20+/- saving throw). We do have a history of sometimes giving Kershaw fits but it's not the kind of history that you feel comfortable betting the house payment on in Laughlin on a DBacks victory.

MADE UP FACT

Don Mattingly's brother-in-law was once a roadie for ABBA.