Padilla named Opening Day starter
Padilla gets the nod for Opening Day at the Pittsburgh Pirates April 5th. Padilla went 4-0 for the Dodgers last year and was their most reliable pitcher in the postseason.
The L.A. Dodgers have announced Vicente Padilla as their opening day starter against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 5, a somewhat surprising move that comes just five months after a gunshot wound nearly ended his career.
Padilla, often known for his volatile temper along with his nasty sinker, was acquired from the Texas Rangers last season and added an extra spark to the Dodgers rotation down the stretch. A late season surprise (along with knuckle-baller Charlie Haeger), Padilla was the most reliable starter for the Dodgers at the end of last season going 4-0 with a 3.63 E.R.A. in seven regular season games.
Despite always being in the midst of controversy, the righty can do more than just sling bullets. He can take them too.
Padilla was injured last November just weeks after the season ended in his native Nicaragua while he was practicing with a handgun. He said a friend was trying to fix a jam in the gun when it accidentally went off, striking Padilla’s upper right thigh. The bullet went through the back of his leg.
At least he wasn’t in a nightclub with Plaxico Burress.
Despite the injury, Padilla made it to spring training relatively unscathed, but the right-hander hasn’t been as sharp in spring training as the Dodgers have hoped. He gave up five runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings during Friday’s spring start against the Royals. He struck out four and walked one. On a positive note, he wasn’t involved in any bench-clearing brawls. He also didn’t shoot anyone, including himself, which is a plus.
Either way, Torre said he’s going with the hot hand against the Pirates. He said it was Padilla’s postseason resilience last year that earned him a contract extension and his spot in the rotation. In last year’s playoffs Padilla allowed only one earned run in 14 1/3 innings in his first two career playoff appearances before losing Game 5 of the NL Championship to Philadelphia.
This is the first time in his 11-year career Padilla will take the mound on opening day, and he’s the fourth opening day starter for the Blue Crew in as many years.
The Dodgers are off April 6, and then young left-hander Clayton Kershaw will take the hill April 7 against the Pirates followed by last year’s ace Chad Billingsly and right-hander Hiroki Kuroda on April 9 against the Marlins.
Kershaw will get the nod for the Dodgers home opener against Arizona. Torre has yet to name a fifth starter and will decide whether the team will carry 11 or 12 pitchers.
So pretend you’re Joe Torre for a minute. With the pitching staff up in the air, who’s going to step up in 2010?
[poll id="2"]
With its ominous shadows, Dodger Stadium at Chavez Ravine is certainly a pitchers park. The stadium had the second lowest run total in the NL in 2001.
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