Who Will Fill In For Kershaw? Dodgers Pitching Woes Continue

Maholm (Jaime Squire/Getty Images)

It’s not the end of the world, yet. Los Angeles Dodgers’ ace Clayton Kershaw is suffering from back inflammation and, as was reported on OPSN yesterday by Andrew Vigliotti,  has been scratched from the Dodgers’ Sunday U.S. opener against the San Diego Padres. An MRI showed no structural damage in Kershaw’s back which is excellent news. It was also reported by Fansided.com‘s Stacie Wheeler that Kershaw reported no discomfort after playing catch on Tuesday. 

For the rest of the story CLICK HERE! Brought to you by Outside Pitch Sports Network LLC

Follow us on Twitter! @OPSN_MLB and @OakAsSocksGrl

Greinke Injured, CrAzy A's Fans and Trying to go to EVERY Single Home Game in a Season

Just a quick update because it is something I think is pretty news worthy .... I know that all injuries should be newsworthy but some more than others and I kinda felt like writing for bit since I am awake from voting for my boy Eric Sogard for the Face of Major League Baseball. Which is pretty freakin' awesome because it shows the power of a true fan base and a tight knit one. We are seriously AmAzing and it's not just this competition - not at all! We are creative, we love our players and they love us! We are crAzy but we are cool too. The RF Bleachers (I'd say we again but gotta give credit where credit is due!) make friends with the players from other teams and in turn they love us all! It's greAt and incredibly cool. We've also been called the loudest fans in baseball ... just ask the Detroit Tigers .... even after being shut out by Verlander in game 5 (yes, I do realize this has happened twice) - we still gave our players a five minute standing ovation ... so while we may be NERDS (both baseball and otherwise) ... we are the coolest nerds you will ever meet and by far the best fans in baseball .... but I completely digress ... 

Michael Hickey/Getty Images 

My point in starting this was really as the title may suggest that the Dodgers' star pitcher - well after Kershaw of course - Zach Greinke was forced to leave their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks early due to a calf injury. He faced only retired only one batter Diamondbacks leadoff hitter, Tony Compana on a first pitch fly ball to left. On his third pitch to second baseman Cliff Pennington Grenke landed wrong on his right leg. He threw one more pitch and hobbled a bit off the rubber and out came the trainers. Greinke threw two warm up pitches before being taken into the clubhouse for treatment. Greinke was diagnosed with a mild right calf strain. While this might not sound bad and doesn't sound like a big blow to the Dodgers, it could be. With the compressed Spring Training schedule due to the team's early start to the season in Australia there could be a question as to whether or not Greinke can start the season on time. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim's outfielder Josh Hamilton recently suffered a calf strain that has him sitting out from Spring Training for the next couple of weeks. The injury makes it even more likely that Kershaw and either Hyun-Jin Ryu or Dan Haren will  be the starters for their opening series down under. There is a chance that this was just a cramp. Greinke says he's had them before and could pitch through it but at this point since it is still February there is no reason for the Dodgers to want him to do that ...

I mean that makes sense doesn't it? It's Spring Training, he's their second best starter and he actually told the press at one point that he had "absolutely no excitement about going to Australia." He did kinda try to correct that comment yesterday saying, 

If we're going to be there, and we obviously are, yes I'd like to pitch there," he said. "My comments, I didn't realize they would cause a stir. I'm looking forward to playing over there. No one wants me to say it, I had to vote to go, my vote was not to go. Now that we are going, I want to be there. I don't want the team to go and me sit here and watch. I don't want to go and watch. I want to play. I want to pitch good, I want to win games. You're forced to do what you're not used to do, it's harder to be able to do it to the best of your ability."

That last part of the comment was referring to his being outside his comfort zone by having to change his pitching routine and preparation for the trip to Australia. Again, I don't blame the guy because shit who wants that? I'd LOVE to go to Australia dont get me wrong but I get annoyed when I have to watch my team open in Japan (and now they are talking about Taiwan for next year ... why always my A's?? I mean seriously!!) and I just have to wake up in the middle of the night not travel there and play the game! I mean shit, that would suck. I once tried going to every single home game one year (made it to 78!) but that was rough and all I had to do was show up and sit there ... but some days the couch and a tv can be much more appealing ... Just sayin' - I'm not the perfect fan but I do try ... So yeah, I will leave y'all with that and of course this ...

 If you are awake and it is before 5am on the West Coast  - wait! What the hell are you doing reading this ... get back on Twitter and VOTE #EricSogard 4 #FaceOfMLB! I so hope I get to write about this in the morning saying that he is the winner!! #NERDPOWER!!!! (I'm even wearing my own #RallySpecs as we speak because I'm cool like that and because I am incredibly blind ...)