The Los Angeles Dodgers begin their brief two-game series in Denver tonight against the Colorado Rockies, with their ace Clayton Kershaw battling against Jhoulys Chacin of the Rockies. Playing in the most spacious outfield in the major leagues, it makes sense that Tony Gwynn Jr., the Dodgers' best defensive outfielder, is in tonight's lineup. What doesn't make sense, though, is why Gwynn is batting second.
Manager Don Mattingly said in the opening week of the season that he knows the Dodgers are lacking in on-base percentage, but tonight's lineup seems to make the problem worse. Now, keep in mind, I don't think batting order matters much, and the difference in one game could be negligible, but tonight the choice seems so obvious. The Dodgers have Gwynn, he of the .304 OBP in 2010 and .322 career OBP, batting second while Jamey Carroll, with a .356 career OBP and .379 last year, batting eighth. Gwynn is undoubtedly the faster player and can do more on the basepaths, but as the old adage goes, you can't steal first base.
Here are tonight's lineups:
Dodgers (3-1)
Furcal SS
Gwynn LF
Ethier RF
Kemp CF
Loney 1B
Uribe 3B
Barajas C
Carroll 2B
Kershaw P
Rockies (1-1)
Fowler CF
Spilborghs RF
Gonzalez LF
Tulowitzki SS
Lopez 2B
Helton 1B
Wigginton 3B
Iannetta C
Chacin P
For more news and information on the Dodgers or tonight's game, be sure to read the SB Nation blog True Blue LA.