Game #2 Preview: 4/7, Arizona Diamondbacks vs. San Francisco Giants

Ryan Vogelsong RHP, 0-0, N/A

Rubby De La Rosa RHP, 0-0, N/A

Norichika Aoki - LF	Ender Inciarte - CF
Joe Panik - 2B	Aaron Hill - 2B
Angel Pagan - CF	Paul Goldschmidt - 1B
Buster Posey - C	David Peralta - LF
Brandon Belt - 1B	Mark Trumbo - RF
Casey McGehee - 3B	Jake Lamb - 3B
Brandon Crawford - SS	Tuffy Gosewisch - C
Gregor Blanco - RF	Nick Ahmed - SS
Ryan Vogelsong - RHP	Rubby De La Rosa - RHP

A couple of changes to the Diamondbacks from last night. A.J. Pollock is replaced in CF: Inciarte moves over from left field, with Peralta getting his first start of the season there. And Chris Owings is similarly given the night off at 2B, Hill moving back to his regularly-scheduled spot, and last night's here (in a 300 kinfa way, going down bravely to heroic defeat), Jake Lamb, starts for the Diamondbacks. Keen to see whether De La Rosa can live up to the promise of his last spring training start, where he did a great job of harnessing his undeniable stuff. The ability to control that will go a long way tonight: be nice to get a starter going six innings.

The Giants roster is already in disarray, with both tonight and tomorrow's scheduled starters Jake Peavy and Matt Cain having to be replaced - sadly for Goldie, tomorrow will actually see Chris Heston start for the Giants, rather than Tim Lincecum. Tonight, it's Ryan Vogelsong, who has somehow managed to turn 37 while no-one was looking. After a sterling year in 2011, after his return from Japan, Vogelson has struggled to reach the same heights. In the past three seasons, he has an 85 ERA+, but now finds himself occupying the second spot of the Giants rotation, which indicates the drop-off after Bumgarner, along with the injury issues.

Hill and Goldschmidt have both his Vogelsong solidly. Hill, in particular, is 14-for-30 with two home-runs, while Goldie is 6-for-24, but with four doubles. Perhaps surprisingly, considering he has been with a divisional rival for the past four years, they're the only Diamondbacks with more than a dozen PAs, though Pacheco is 5-for-11 with a home-run. Obviously, De La Rosa will have a massive advantage in terms of unfamiliarity with regard to the Giants: Aoki (1-for-4 with a walk) is the only San Francisco player with even a handful of PAs vs. Rubby, and the entire team collectively has less than Hill or Goldschmidt alone.

Important notes for viewers

Tonight's contest is the MLB Free Game of the Day, so you can watch this one even if you have not purchased MLB.tv. And those tuning in locally should also be aware, we're still in the part of the season where there are (shudder) other sports taking place - which means Fox Sports Arizona has to make use of its auxiliary channel, Fox Sports Arizona Plus. Below, you'll find details of where about on the dial (Kids! Ask your parents!) tonight's game can be found.

Finally, here's channel information for FOX Sports Arizona Plus / #Dbacks vs #SFGiants pic.twitter.com/vYgPbE3i2S

— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) April 7, 2015

Other notes

• The D-backs' 25-man Opening Day roster was the second-youngest in MLB (28.04) behind the Rangers (27.92)...however, Arizona's 40-man roster was the youngest (27.03). In 2014, the D-backs opened the season with the sixth-oldest 25- and 40-man rosters.
  
• Jordan Pacheco, who recorded a pinch-hit single in the seventh inning last night vs. Giants, leads MLB with a .307 pinch-hit average since 2011 (min. 75 AB).
• Ken_Rosenthal says that Satan is going to California - how appropriate - with former Diamondback Cody Ross signing with Oakland, once he clears his waivers.
• Today is National Beer Day. I trust I need say no more than that.