Note to Dodgers organization - don't start Derek Lowe against the Red Sox in Spring Training.
Against his former team, Lowe did not even survive the 3rd inning as he was charged with 5 runs and 6 hits in 2+. He explained that his arm path was not right. I guess his arm path was right in line with the hitter's bat paths all day. At least David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez didn't get a hit. Too bad just about everyone else did.
Now the reason for my first line is because this has happened in the spring before. I can recall year after the Sox took the World Series and Lowe went on to the Dodgers, he started against them and was rocked. Even Bronson Arroyo got a hit! Deju vu strikes (all over again).
In case you're wondering if the second part of the title is wrong, well, I can't blame you. But it's not. JASON REPKO of all people hit a grand slam in the 9th to give the Dodgers the cushion to win. That can only help his cause for being an extra outfielder, even if his odds are still slim at best. I've always appreciated his grit and hustle, and if he's healthy (which is rare), he can help win games.
Lowe is the first of the Big 4 (Penny, Lowe, Kuroda, Billingsley) to get rocked, and 8 games into Spring Training, it's hard to complain about that. It's an indicator to what kind of a pitcher he is: great one day, shelled the next. The roller coaster ride is what we've come to expect, with hopefully more good than bad along the way.
Next up is a home game vs. the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday. It'll be Chad Billingsley taking the mound, probably looking at going at least 3 innings.
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