A Work in Progress

I got to see the spring training game versus the Chicago Cubs on Sunday March 13th on WGN. The first inning was some ugly offensive baseball. Rafael Furcal led off with a single up the middle, Xavier Paul couldn't get a bunt down, Furcal got picked off, and James Loney singled but got thrown out trying to take the extra base. I admire the effort but the play was right in front of him. I was hoping Matt Kemp could make any kind of contact with two strikes. He might as well have gone back to the dugout and got a boat oar the way he was swinging.

Rubby De La Rosa got the start and pitched two solid innings. He was hitting the high 90's with his fastball and he displayed a good breaking pitch. Carlos Monasterios followed him and pitched two solid innings as well. It was probably his best effort of the Spring but he got sent to the minors today probably because he has still got options left. That will allow the Dodgers to go with a veteran arm such as Mike MacDougal who has had a good camp and has three 20 plus save seasons in the majors. It also gives the Dodgers a veteran closer in case Jonathan Broxton blows up again.

As far as the bench goes, Trent Oeltjen got a bunt down and Jerry Sands ripped an opposite field single on a pitch outside (I like the way he went with the pitch rather than try to pull it and ground out to short) but he also got thrown out at home with the play right in front of him. The coach may have sent him but I couldn't tell.

Wilkin De La Rosa, a left-handed reliever, looked pretty decent (he also got reassigned today but he was a non-roster invitee) and last years camp story and AAA flameout, Josh Lindblom displayed some decent stuff and worked his way out of a little bit of a jam.

Xavier Paul did not help himself with his performance yesterday. On the bunt attempt, you could see him drop the head of the bat below the ball and even watching it on TV, you could tell the ball was going to go straight up in the air. He did run out that bunt attempt because Zambrano let the ball hit the ground and avoided the double play. He overran second base on a hit-and-run and was tagged out although you have to give him the benefit of the doubt on that because it was hit to the shortstop and he may have been breaking up a potential double play. He looked bad striking out but he did end up with a bloop single.