Opening Day, 2021

Dodgers at Rockies, 1:10 PM PDT, TV: ATTSportsnetRM, SPNLA, ESPN

LHP Clayton Kershaw will make his ninth Opening Day start, most in Dodger history. He’ll face RHP Germán Márquez. Each pitcher faced the other team once last season: Kershaw gave up one run over seven innings at Coors Field, and Márquez went seven, gave up two runs and five hits at Dodger Stadium.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1937 The Reds sell Babe Herman to the Tigers. The 34 year-old outfielder, batting .300 for his new team, will appear in only 17 contests with Detroit before effectively retiring from the game, although he will return to play briefly for the war-time Dodgers in 1945.
  • 1963 Former Brooklyn Dodger Duke Snider returns to New York when the Mets purchase him from LA for $40,000. The 36 year-old outfielder, who will represent New York in the All-Star game, will be told at the end of the season by Buzzie Bavasi, his former GM, that the Yankees had asked for him to back up Mickey Mantle before he was dealt to the team across the river.
  • 2008 On Opening Day in Los Angeles, Juan Pierre’s 434 consecutive game streak, the longest current one in the major leagues, comes to an end when the Dodger outfielder does not play in the 3-2 victory over the Giants. New skipper Joe Torre plays Andre Ethier in left field in place of the highly paid but light-hitting fly chaser.

Can you imagine Duke Snider in pinstripes?

Lineup when available.

120 thoughts on “Opening Day, 2021

  1. Well now. MLB is taking its civic responsibilities seriously. Georgia, if you want to suppress votes, you lose the ASG.

    Just released:

    “Over the last week, we have engaged in thoughtful conversations with Clubs, former and current players, the Players Association, and The Players Alliance, among others, to listen to their views. I have decided that the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport is by relocating this year’s All-Star Game and MLB Draft.

    “Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box. In 2020, MLB became the first professional sports league to join the non-partisan Civic Alliance to help build a future in which everyone participates in shaping the United States. We proudly used our platform to encourage baseball fans and communities throughout our country to perform their civic duty and actively participate in the voting process. Fair access to voting continues to have our game’s unwavering support.

  2. On the Schadenfreude front, in Seattle. the Gnatpen blew a five-run lead in the eighth and they lost in extras thanks to another reliever who walked everyone he faced.

  3. I cannot think of a worse all-around game by the Dodgers in all the decades that I have been watching them play. Certainly, this is the worst-ever opener in my lifetime.

    • Sloppy and frustrating to be sure, but the ump in the ninth made a few egregious calls. And the Cody HR non-HR also affected by the ump not signaling. And all those seeing-eye singles!

  4. The Dodgers had 46 plate appearances today. Twenty-four times the batter reached base — 15 hits, 8 walks, 1 hit by pitch. One of those PAs resulted in a sac fly.

  5. I can’t remotely recall the last time the Dodgers played such a sloppy game.

    • There was that one inning in the WS – but that really was just the last trying to field the last hit…

  6. Tough day for Klayton. Not sharp enough to overcome meh defense and pesky hitters.

  7. Hi all! I was on a little getaway up in San Luis Obispo and listened to the first five innings on the radio. Home now with my hat on and my fingers crossed. Crazy game already. That non-homer homer was… weird. But… baseball!

  8. Anyone here going to OD at Dodger Stadium next week? Or Opening Weekend?

  9. Maybe it’s good that Belli is leading off this inning – just in case he hits another HR.

  10. I know that baserunners passing each other is an out according to the rule book. But what’s the history of it? That is – what’s the reason for it? Why does the trailing runner passing the lead runner necessitate it being an out? Anyone know?

    • (Asks the guy who thinks they should track “passed balls” with no runners on base.)

    • Otherwise anarchy would abound (and it could be funny). Imagine Mookie trying to score from second and passing Turner who was a third on his way home.

  11. For those of us only able to use Gameday at work, how in the world do you get thrown out at 1st on a scoring fly ball?

  12. Miss Alanna but willing to give Kirsten lots of space and time to grow into the role.

  13. Might need to make a call out for RBI for next inning. 3 base runners but no runs.

  14. Over/under question: 5.5 hrs today – what do you take?
    I’ll optimistically go with 6 hrs.

  15. Duke played in 1964 for the Giants. I recall him saying that in one game he looked down at the front of his jersey and said to himself, “What the heck is this?” (only it was stronger than heck). Snider said he hated Halloween because its colors, black and orange, were the same as those of the Giants.

    • I was surprised how well it went last year after the Fish/Fillies debacle. Protocols were tightened and players got the message, such that before the Turner positive (a few innings short of the end of the season) there hadn’t been an issue for almost two months.