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.
Tony Jackson has covered the Dodgers for the Daily News since 2004 and has covered Major League Baseball on a regular basis since 1995. He previously covered the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds. He is a native of Springdale, Ark., and a graduate of the University of Arkansas.
Comments
It may not last the entire spring but I would imagine the way Torre set up the rotation at first has to do with fact that ESPN is televising Friday's game and Hiroki Poki is a much bigger draw than Bills, Lowe and Penny.
Posted by: ESPN Conspiracy | February 21, 2008 2:33 PM
It makes sense to make Penny the opening day starter if this is really how they're leaning to set the rotation. They have one more year of Penny and probably want to extend him. Lowe has already said he's going free agency and Boras is his agent so he's most likely gone.
Beyond the wooing reason, Penny has been an all star two years going now and deserves the nod this year.
Posted by: Garrett
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February 21, 2008 3:05 PM
Not to mention the last three years we have lost with Lowe as our opening day starter... time to change it up.
Posted by: J.L.
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February 21, 2008 3:46 PM