Spring Training Preview: Joe Wieland Takes Mound Vs White Sox
Today, the Dodgers play their final game in Glendale against their neighbors, the White Sox. Don Mattingly gives the ball to Joe Wieland in the Camelback finale. Wieland, acquired in the Matt Kemp deal, has had a strong spring, allowing just one earned run in nine innings. With the amount of pitching depth the team has acquired over the offseason, he was optioned to minor league camp on the 16th, but a strong performance today could convince management that he should replace the injured Hyun-jin Ryu to start the season.
Following Wieland today will be Juan Nicasio, David Aardsma, Sergio Santos and Yimi Garcia. Nicasio has the best chance to make the club out of the group, though his performance hasn’t been overly impressive this spring. Aardsma, the senior of the group, has pitched well in eight innings, allowing just a pair of runs and striking out nine. Santos has the most closing experience and was roughed up in his last outing, so today’s appearance will weigh heavily on his chances. Garcia is the youngest and has options, but has been nearly untouchable this spring, with just a solo home run as the lone blemish on his stat line.
The lineup is largely what fans should expect to see opening day, save Andre Ethier in center field for Joc Pederson. Yasiel Puig is batting second again, with Howie Kendrick hitting cleanup and Yasmani Grandal batting fifth. Kendrick isn’t your typical cleanup hitter, but makes plenty of contact and has gap power. Grandal might establish himself as more of a run producer over the course of the season, but he’ll need to make more contact than he did last year.
Dodgers Lineup:
SS Jimmy Rollins
RF Yasiel Puig
2B Howie Kendrick
C Yasmani Grandal
LF Carl Crawford
3B Juan Uribe
CF Andre Ethier
P Joe Wieland
White Sox Lineup:
CF J.B. Shuck
LF Melky Cabrera
1B Jose Abreu
DH Keon Barnam
SS Alexei Ramirez
RF Avisail Garcia
3B Conor Gillaspie
C Geovany Soto
2B Carlos Sanchez
P Rodon
Dodgers 2015 Spring Training – Brandon McCarthy
