Dodgers Win Opener, Bynum sets a return date

Yeah I am going to combine two sports into one post. With Opening Day consuming most of my attention, it was also reported that Andrew Bynum said he plans to play Sunday against the team he hurt his knee against over two months ago, the Memphis Grizzlies. That's great news for the Lakers. This will give Bynum two games to try and get his timing and feel right for the playoffs. If Bynum is able to produce at all going into the playoffs then I think it makes the Lakers the favorites to win it all.
Now onto the Dodgers. Hiroki Kuroda pitched great until the sixth when he seemed to hit the wall. However, Cory Wade came in and got out of the bases loaded mess by retiring Kevin Kouzmanoff on a dribbler back to the mound. Kuroda gets the win, Jake Peavy gets the loss (his first against the Dodgers since 2003), and Jon Broxton got the save. Some thoughts I had while watching the game:

• I know this is arbitrary, but I am glad the O-Dog switched his uniform number from #30 to #13. It just looked better on him. I also can't escape the feeling of terror I get when I see a black Dodger second baseman wearing a double ear-flap batting helmet (It's not Delino's fault he was traded for the best pitcher of his generation but I have been classically conditioned otherwise).
• I love the balance in the order. It's not just that the lineup is deep, it's the fact that everyone brings something different and it just fits together nicely. Furcal and Hudson are switch-hitters at the top who both bring good speed and can get on base at a high clip. Manny is the big power threat but will also hit for average and get on base. Andre Ethier has a great approach at the plate, and brings some power from the left side to help keep the lineup balanced. Russell Martin works the count and takes his fair share of walks. Batting him fifth splits the lineup in half and puts another strong OBP guy in front of the bottom of the lineup. James Loney is a contact hitter with gap power. I just can't imagine him not hitting 20-25 home runs eventually. Matt Kemp is a budding star with an incredible combination of raw power and electrifying speed. He is the most exciting Dodger player, and although he makes some frustrating mistakes, his talent is undeniable. We saw it today with the diving catch in center and then the 418 foot bomb he hit off Peavy. Any Casey Blake brings rare pop to the bottom of the order. I don't think there is another team that can say they have a 20 HR hitter batting that low in the order. Any way you slice it, it looks like this will be a fun lineup to watch.
• Getting back to Kemp for a moment (anyone who knows me knows he is my favorite Dodger so get used to the raving), I am really happy that he was able to hit one off Peavy. The last two years, both Grady Little and Joe Torre used him sparingly against tough right-handed pitchers. Maybe it was for his good at the time, but now with no other option, Kemp will get to face all the opposing aces. It will be fun to see how he does, and while there will be bumps along the way, I think he is going to shine.
• Kuroda was fantastic. He wasn't missing bats as much as I would like to see (only 2 K's in 5.2 innings) but when he is getting ground balls at such a staggering rate, it doesn' t matter. Overall, a fantastic effort from Hiroki.
• I love Cory Wade. My sabermetric side tells me to be ready for a slippage. He was exceptionally lucky last year and his average stuff just doesn't seem like it will result in an outstanding career. However, he has very good control and command of his pitches, and it seems like he always gets out of the jams. He inherited a bases loaded situation today and and was able to battle back from being down in the count 2-o to get a 1-3 putout. The man seems to deliver everytime he is called on and for that I respect him.
• Hong-Chih Kuo and Broxton have special arms. Watching both of these guys throw is a treat. Everyone is worried about our bullpen because they are inexperienced. While that is true, I'll take the electric arms of Kuo and Brox all day long. They both had great seasons last year, and they form one of the best 1-2 combos in any bullpen. They might be unheralded but I like it as it gives me a reason to stay mad at ESPN baseball analysts for being so ignorant about the personnel in the game.
• It felt great to beat Peavy. It seems like anytime the Dodgers face him, I resign myself to the fact that they will lose. And while Peavy was brilliant once he settled down, the Dodgers were able to produce just enough offense to never feel truly threatened in the game today.
  

All in all, it was a fun Opening Day. I am looking forward to watching this team play all year. The balance of youth, prime-aged, and old veterans on the team is nice and I think that if it all comes together this could be a special year for the Boys in Blue. I know it's only been one game, but it was a great way to start the 2009 season.