Pitcher Chris Hatcher is on his first Opening Day roster with the Dodgers. (Getty Images)
Monday marked the 15th Opening Day for Dodgers shortstop Jimmy Rollins.
On the other end of the spectrum, it was the first Opening Day for Joc Pederson, Yimi Garcia, Pedro Baez and Chris Hatcher.
Of the four, Hatcher waited the longest.
“Five years in the big leagues and never made an Opening Day roster,” the 30-year-old pitcher said Monday morning. “This is kind of what you strive for. Once you make it to the big leagues you break in on an Opening Day roster. Starting the season with a team, it’s a great feeling.”
Hatcher finished the 2014 season with 52 appearances out of the Miami Marlins’ bullpen. But that came after he was designated for assignment in spring training, started the year at Triple-A, and wasn’t added back onto the Marlins’ 40-man roster until May 22.
While he had a good spring training each of the last two years, Hatcher was understanding of the situation each time. By his own admission, this was the first Opening Day when he was ready to be a major-league pitcher.
“I was more a thrower then,” he said. “I lean more toward the pitching side now, as far as me being a pitcher or a thrower. I’ve learned along the way. I think that’s put me in a better position.
“Anytime you can look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself why, if you have an answer, that pretty much tells you what you nedd to work on. I was a thrower. I’d be the first to tell you I tried to just blow it by people. I’ve learned to realize how to change speeds and locations instead of just attack, attack, attack. So I’ve been able to look in the mirror and see why it happened.”
This year, Hatcher learned to look around the Dodgers’ locker room too.
“Myself and (Joel) Peralta, we kind of have the same repertoire. So I’ve been trying to pick his brain and learn how he goes about his business. I throw a bit harder than he does but we’re both slider/split guys, so the guy’s had a successful career. Something’s obviously worked for him. I look at it as, I can learn something from him and hopefully by picking his brain I will.”
