Dodgers at Cleveland

Chad Billingsley will make his exhibition debut Tuesday as the Dodgers field a lineup against the Cleveland Indians that is close to what it’s expected to be on opening day.

Casey Blake is batting second, which is where Manager Don Mattingly said he could hit this season. On Blake's days off, Jamey Carroll, Tony Gwynn Jr. and Juan Uribe could hit there.

But Mattingly said he wanted Uribe to hit with men on base, which is why he will probably hit fifth or sixth. Mattingly said Uribe would probably hit fifth in games that the Dodgers face a left-hander and sixth when they face a right-hander. Against right-handers Mattingly said he planned to bat James Loney fifth.

Here’s the Dodgers’ lineup today:

Furcal SS
Blake 3B
Ethier RF
Kemp CF
Loney 1B
Uribe 2B
Thames DH
Barajas C
Gwynn LF
Billingsley RHP

-- Dylan Hernandez in Goodyear, Ariz.

Comments

[Zen]

Barajas will not be hitting in the 8-spot for very long. He is much more useful in the middle of the order.

[Zen]

Make that the 7-spot!

I see him at 5, and once he gets hot, at clean-up. No kidding.

[Tom Thompson]

Barajas at clean-up!!!! Don't think so.... If the team gets so bad they have to put him in the number 4 spot...Lord help us all!!!

[16blows]

CLEV wins 2-1...

The dudgers played their starters today - result: 1 hit (a single) and 0 runs... the reserves produced the one run & the other hit (a wind-blown homer.) mccourt's heroes now 2-3; excitement's growin'...

[Labeldude]

Well our "A" list starters were a collective 1 for 15 with a walk today. Think we'd better get used to it. This team could possibly make the '67 club look like the '27 Yanks. Hell, let Barajas bat leadoff.

[Indian Dj In Los Angeles]

Imagine if Joe Torre was manager? Barajas wold bat third. Blake would bat Eight. Kemp would be benched. And Chad Billingsly would be pulled at a strange time....