DodgerBlue32

Probable Pitching Matchups:

Game 1: Brad Penny v. Jake Peavy
Game 2: Derek Lowe v. Chris Young
Game 3: Chad Billingsley v. Greg Maddux

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DodgerBlue32

The Dodgers need to take this series. In years past they have seemed to see their struggles snowball, and this has already begun to occur during the sweep at the hands of the Diamondbacks. While it's still early in the season, I would like to see the Dodgers show that they are a force to be reckoned with in the NL West.

I'm going to say the Dodgers take two out of three.

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JollyDodger

Too bad no one matches up better than the Padres' pitchers. Their 1-2 is insane.

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Let's play two!!!

DodgerBlue32

The Peavy-Young combination is far and away the best in the majors - I really don't think any other duo is even terribly comparable. This is definitely, as you suggest, brought to light here as they matchup against the Dodgers one-two punch of Penny and Lowe... who are both a step below Peavy and Young.

However, I'm hoping the offense will wake up and save the day. The Padres offense is significantly lesser than the Dodgers, and I hope it shines through in this series.

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DodgerBlue32

I just noticed that James Loney has had a hit in every Dodgers game thus far. I hope I'm not jinxing this little hitting streak (knock-on-wood), but it's impressive nonetheless.

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DodgerBlue32

Ugh - another disgusting game thus far.

Peavy has looked mortal, and the Dodgers offense has struggled to take advantage of that, stranding at least four or five baserunners thus far. Penny got rocked in the fourth, but he seems to have recovered decently.

I know this has become very predictable for my part, but why in the world is Juan Pierre starting? True, he's two for three... but he can't field, can't hit anything better than a bloop single, and Matt Kemp had five hits in his last ten at-bats. Ugh, I'll never understand Joe Torre.

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DodgerBlue32

Pierre actually had a solid game, but I refuse to renege on my hatred for him garnering playing time.

The bullpen is struggling, which is a bad sign, in my opinion. With a questionable fifth starter, a relative newcomer in Chad Billingsley, and Hiroki Kuroda still cutting his teeth in stateside, a dependable bullpen is necessary - the Dodgers don't have that right now.

The bats were fine, with the obvious exception of Andruw Jones - I'm hoping more than five of sixteen baserunners will score whenever the bats are that active, again.

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DodgerBlue32

Yes, yes, Y-E-S!

Every starter reached base at least once, Ethier and Loney knocked the crap out of the ball, Lowe was absolutely dominant, and Kemp is continuing to prove that he deserves to be in the starting line-up. All in all, though, I cannot complain about a single thing from tonight.

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DodgerBlue32

Jeez - what a game.

Maddux and Billingsley looked brilliant, and both 'pens really held it down. I am obviously upset that they lost, but I love good old fashioned pitcher's duels. I just wish Pierre hadn't started.

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Say 'Dodgers' and people know you're talking about baseball. Say 'Braves' and they ask, 'What reservation?' Say 'Reds' and they think of communism. Say 'Padres' and they look around for a priest.