Freeway Series begins

The Dodgers and Angels put on their annual Freeway Series three-game show to end spring training for both teams starting Friday night. Opening Day is Monday, April 3 against the Padres at Dodger Stadium.

Brandon McCarthy earned the #4 spot in the rotation. He’ll be preceded by Clayton Kershaw, Kenta Maeda and Rich Hill and followed by Hyun-jin Ryu. At least that’s the plan today.

Roberts added that Alex Wood, a finalist for the rotation, would share the long relief role with Ross Stripling. Rounding out the bullpen are closer Kenley Jansen, set-up man Sergio Romo, Grant Dayton, Luis Avilan and Chris Hatcher.

Barnes will likely be the backup catcher, although that’s not been formally announced. Kiké Hernandez hurt his wrist the other day and is questionable for the backup infielder spot until he shows it’s healed. If he can’t go, it’ll probably be Chris Taylor, and that might mean Van Slyke stays up too, since he can play center field and Taylor doesn’t. Additionally,

The Dodgers trimmed the roster before leaving Arizona on Wednesday, sending out seven players. Infielder Rob Segedin was optioned and reassigned were outfielders Tyler Holt and O’Koyea Dickson, pitcher Brandon Morrow, first basemen Cody Bellinger and Ike Davis, and infielder Charlie Culberson.

29 thoughts on “Freeway Series begins

  1. I just watched the ninth inning of the Gnats-Snakes game. Schadenfreude can be fun.

  2. Blasted blackouts. Giants – D-Backs are on ESPN2 right now but I can’t see ’em because the Giants claim Hawai’i as “their” market.

        • Tempted to see the reaction on McCovey Chronicles to Melancon, their new $62 million closer.

          • Grant: “Welcome back, 2016. Please take your shoes off before you, oh, well, at least wipe the mud off your, oh, well, please don’t put your muddy shoes on the couch and, oh, well, at least don’t bite the couch like a wolverine and spit the stuffing out and, oh, well, at least don’t hide the batteries in my remote control and, oh, well …”

          • The Gnats also blew a chance to break the game wide open in the top of the ninth.

    • MadBum goes deep twice, once off of Zach, who he also homered against in 2014. He has hit dingers off of Klayton in each of the past two years.

    • Yeah, the Reds-Dodgers one looks enticing. The one on the 60’s and baseball is game-wide view of the one I am currently reading, and enjoying very much, on the Dodgers and the 60’s, which I noted in the previous thread.

  3. Maeda looked great and Hill decent. Fingers crossed for Mac and Ryu, who are both expected to appear in today’s game.

  4. I believe the Dodgers will use Hatcher as their bullpen specialist for when they are up by ten runs or more in a game.

  5. As a CF, SVS is a great LF, i.e., he should be able to catch the balls that he can get to. Very valuable as a PH, assuming he can get back (see what I did there?) to what he was in mashing southpaws. Does fit in with the apparent plan going in to have Joc starting against lefties as well.

      • Wiki says that the name derives from “Ana” for the nearby Santa Ana River and “heim” home in German, as it was settled in 1857 by 50 German-American families from San Francisco. Knowing of the anaheim chile, I had always assumed that it was a name derived entirely from Spanish, but apparently the anaheim chile took on the name after being brought from New Mexico and planted in the area.