Colorado @ Los Angeles preview
Dodger Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 7, 2010 ) Colorado 5, LA Dodgers 6
Andre Ethier has already established himself as a talented major-league player. Yet he now might be getting ready to blossom into a big-time star.
The Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder has been one of the most productive players in all of baseball for the first five weeks of the season. He will look to continue his hot hitting when the Dodgers host the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night in the second of a three-game series.
Ethier had two RBIs in Friday’s victory over the Rockies and leads the majors with 32 RBIs. He also is tied for the National League lead in home runs (10) and has a .376 batting average - second to Washington Nationals catcher Ivan Rodriguez (.383).
Ethier also hits when games are on the line. He hit a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth on Thursday to give the Dodgers a victory over the Milwaukee Brewers for his 11th game-winning hit in the past two-plus seasons.
Last season represented a career-best season for Ethier in homers (31) and RBIs (106) - and he’s currently on pace to easily top both figures.
Ethier has been carrying the Dodgers lately while center fielder Matt Kemp has been struggling. Kemp had a go-ahead triple that decided the first game of the series with the Rockies on Friday, but the RBI was his first since April 21.
Kemp had a hot stretch in April when he homered in four consecutive games but then slumped and drew the ire of general manager Ned Colletti, who publicly criticized Kemp’s performance.
If the Dodgers get both players hitting well at the same time, they might eventually leave their spot at the bottom of the NL West standings.
Colorado starter Jhoulys Chacin will be attempting to keep both players silent on Saturday when he starts for the second time this season.
His first start was terrific. Chacin held the San Francisco Giants to one hit over seven scoreless innings while posting the victory on May 2.
The Dodgers are starting knuckleballer Charlie Haeger, who is 0-3 with a 6.56 ERA. Haeger has 12 strikeouts in his first start of the year against the Florida Marlins but has struggled in his other three starts.
Carlos Gonzalez continues to be the top offensive threat for the Rockies. Gonzalez is batting .324 with a team-leading 22 RBIs.
Colorado’s struggling attack is close to getting right fielder Brad Hawpe back. Hawpe (quadriceps) is currently on a rehab assignment and could be back with the Rockies early next week.
Another nice injury development was Jeff Francis’ rehab start for Double-A Tulsa earlier this week.
Francis, who missed all of last season after shoulder surgery, didn’t have any setbacks after throwing 74 pitches. He’ll make another rehab start for Tulsa on Tuesday and could find himself back in the majors within two weeks.