Penny APPEARS to be opening-day starter

Josh Rawitch stopped by the work room a few minutes ago to give us the pitching plans for the Dodgers' intrasquad game on Feb. 26, a simulated game on Feb. 27 and the first two Grapefruit League games with the Braves on Feb. 28-29. Brad Penny will start the intrasquad. Derek Lowe will start the simulated game (opposed by Eric Stults). Chad Billingsley will start against the Braves on the 28th. Hiroki Kuroda will start at the Braves on the 29th. While that would SEEM to suggest that is the season-opening rotation, Josh said that Joe Torre and Rick Honeycutt told him to tell us not to read that much into it. It IS early, and a lot could change between now and opening day. But still, there has to be a reason why this is how they're starting out.