Spring Training is almost here, as pitchers and catchers are currently fine-tuning in Arizona. We know Clayton Kerhsaw has been named the Opening Day starter, with Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda, and Jon Garland (or possibly Vicente Padilla... who knows) lined up behind him.
If the season started today, let's take a look at what the ideal lineup would be. Keep in mind this can easily change in no time.
1. SS - Rafael Furcal
2. 1B - James Loney
3. CF - Matt Kemp
4. RF - Andre Ethier
5. 2B - Juan Uribe
6. LF - Jay Gibbons
7. 3B - Casey Blake
8. C - Rod Barajas
9. Pitcher's Spot
Here's why I have each guy in a certain spot:
1) Furcal - When healthy, it's a no-brainer. Plenty of experience leading off, and has speed and pop to set the table.
2) Loney - Probably a bit of a surprise, but his lack of power is mostly the reason why. His double plays are still a concern, but it's worth a shot.
3) Kemp - Ethier and Kemp could be interchangeable depending on the matchup, so the spots here really aren't a big deal. He should be the Dodgers' best hitter, so the #3 spot would be best.
4) Ethier - Like I said, this can flip-flop with Kemp in the #3 spot. If he's back to full strength, he has 40 homer potential.
5) Uribe - He won't get on base that much, but he does drive in runs when needed.
6) Gibbons - This may be more wishful thinking on my part, as I hope he can find that power stroke again. Could be a sleeper.
7) Blake - I'm not sure what's left in his tank. Hitting lower in the order doesn't bring as much pressure, so maybe he can settle in.
8) Barajas - He won't hit homers at the pace he did last year, but the pop is there. If he can keep that bat alive, it's a great weapon for late in the order.
We'll revisit this lineup later on in spring and see how it looks.
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