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Dodgers: Three Takeaways from Opening Series

By Jamaal Artis

April 3, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; View of batting practice before the Los Angeles Dodgers play against the San Diego Padres before the opening day game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
April 3, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; View of batting practice before the Los Angeles Dodgers play against the San Diego Padres before the opening day game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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For the Dodgers, it meant the world to get 2017 off correctly.

The Los Angeles Dodgers started their season on the right foot by taking 3 of 4 games against the San Diego Padres in their opening series.  All four games showed us something about this Dodgers team, and these are the three takeaways from the series.

Dodgers Dig the Long Ball

It’s early, but it looks like the Dodgers are going to be using the home run as a weapon again. The Dodgers outscored the Padres 27-10 in the series and homered in every win. Los Angeles started the series by drubbing the Padres 14-3 and hit a home opening record four home runs.

In the next two wins it was Yasiel Puig providing the home runs. They won’t always hit seven home runs in a series, but their roster depth and a healthy line up may lead to some great power numbers.

And that’s bad news for pitchers.

Bullpen May be Better Than Last Year

Except for Clayton Kershaw going 7 innings in the opening game, every starter lasted less than 6 innings. This means the Dodgers bullpen worked 13 innings in the series.  In those 13 innings, the bullpen only gave up 2 earned runs. Both runs coming when the games were already decided.

Hopefully their starting staff will have more health than last years but if the bullpen goes 9 scoreless as they have over the last three games, then teams will find it difficult to beat the Dodgers.

Still Can’t hit Lefties

It is one game, but the ugly narrative from the last few years reared it’s ugly head again.  They have trouble against left-handers. In the second game of the series they faced starter Clayton Richard. He’s a decent starter but with a middling 54-53 and 4.19 ERA for his career.

Against the Dodgers, he looked like the second coming of Sandy Koufax.

Richard goes eight innings, also striking out five and four double plays killing any momentum. Much was made about Los Angeles’ woeful stats against left-handed pitching last year.

Next: Preview For AL & NL West

They went .213/.290/.332 against left handers and it didn’t get better in the playoffs.

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