The Dodgers offense, projected before the season to be one of the most dangerous in the National League, had yet to really kick into high gear through April 12. Although the Dodgers broke out for 11 runs on Saturday night at Arizona, they scored a total of 21 in the other six games on their season-opening trip, and manager Joe Torre already felt the need to tweak things slightly when he moved slumping OF Andre Ethier out of the cleanup spot and down to sixth, flipping him with 1B James Loney, who had been hot. And while OF Manny Ramirez had been decent, he hadn't yet been spectacular. Through the weekend, the club was still waiting for him to hit his first home run. The Dodgers probably don't have the overall pitching to overcome a lack of offense, so the hitters need to kick it into a higher gear fairly soon if the club hopes to get off to a fast start in the National League West.
PLAYER NEWS: --INF Blake DeWitt was optioned to Class AAA Albuquerque before the game so he can play regularly. DeWitt had been getting limited playing time in the majors, including seven plate appearances in the Dodgers' first seven games, and club officials were growing concerned that his development was being hampered because he was hitting just .167. DeWitt will play primarily at second base in Class AAA, but he also will get a few games at shortstop and an occasional game at third base, the position he played as part of last year's opening-day lineup when he made the team out of spring training.
--INF Juan Castro had his contract purchased from Class AAA Albuquerque to fill INF Blake DeWitt's roster spot. Castro is returning to the organization with which he first reached the majors in 1995, but he is donning a Dodgers uniform for the first time since spring training 2000, just before he was traded to Cincinnati. The Dodgers signed Castro to a minor league contract this winter, and he had an outstanding spring training, but there wasn't a 40-man roster spot available for him until now.
--OF Delwyn Young was designated for assignment to clear a 40-man roster spot for INF Juan Castro. Young had been on the disabled list since late in spring training with a right elbow impingement. The Dodgers are hoping to work out a trade for Young, who is out of minor league options and might get a better opportunity with another club.
MEDICAL WATCH:
RHP Hiroki Kuroda (strained left oblique) went on the 15-day disabled list April 11. The Dodgers don't think the injury is serious.
RHP Claudio Vargas (right elbow tendinitis) went on the 60-day disabled list retroactive to April 6.
RHP Jason Schmidt (right shoulder surgery) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 30. He threw a game in extended spring training on April 8, and he was not yet close to starting a minor league rehab assignment.
ROTATION:
LHP Randy Wolf
RHP Chad Billingsley
LHP Clayton Kershaw
LHP Eric Stults
BULLPEN:
RHP Jonathan Broxton (closer)
LHP Hong-Chih Kuo
RHP Guillermo Mota
LHP Will Ohman
RHP Ronald Belisario
RHP Ramon Troncoso
RHP Cory Wade
RHP James McDonald
CATCHERS:
Russell Martin
Brad Ausmus
INFIELDERS:
1B James Loney
2B Orlando Hudson
SS Rafael Furcal
3B Casey Blake
INF Juan Castro
INF Mark Loretta
INF Doug Mientkiewicz
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Manny Ramirez
CF Matt Kemp
RF Andre Ethier
OF Juan Pierre
