Debby Wong-USA Today Sports
Now the weather is starting to hate the Los Angeles Dodgers. After a nice, clear day in the Bronx on Tuesday, the rain rolled into the Tri-State area to wash away the opening game of a two-game series against the New York Yankees.
The two teams will play a day-night doubleheader on Wednesday. Game 1 is set for 1 p.m. EST followed by Game 1 at 7 p.m.
The postponement will now make for a very long day for the Dodgers on Wednesday. After they spend about 12-14 hours at Yankee Stadium, they will have to fly cross country for about six hours and play a game at the San Diego Padres on Thursday night. Do the math and that means the Dodgers will play three games on two different coasts in 36 hours. Someone better bring the Red Bull.
The postponement hurts the Dodgers pitching-wise in more ways than one.
They will have to use more arms out of their bullpen on Wednesday because they play two games as opposed to one. That can change if one of the two Dodgers starters on Wednesday, Hyun-Jin Ryu or Chris Capuano, can pitch deep into their games. The bullpen, which hasn’t been that great anyway, will need all the rest it can get when they head to San Diego for a four-game set against the streaking Padres.
Even worse is now the Dodgers will be forced into a tough choice. Who will pitch Sunday in San Diego? Ryu was slated to start that day, but because today’s rain pushed his start to Wednesday, he will not be on regular rest in time to start on Sunday. That most likely means Matt Magill will probably get called up from the minors to make another spot start.
That’s not good news. All he has done during his last two starts for the Dodgers is walk 16 batters. Chalk up a loss there if he starts.
The only other option could be young stud Zach Lee, the Dodgers No. 1 draft pick in 2010. He is scheduled to pitch on Wednesday at Double-A Chattanooga. It would be interesting to see if the Dodgers scratch him from his start and give him the call up for Sunday’s start, but I highly doubt it. He isn’t ready for The Show yet and the Dodgers are probably only going to call him up when he is ready for good. So my guess is they will be stuck with Magill.
It’s been that type of season for the Dodgers. The injury bug hates them. The Baseball Gods aren’t happy with them. And now Mother Nature joins the list.
Matthew Muench writes about the Los Angeles Dodgers for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewMuench and add him to your network at Google+.
