Keepin' It Real

NL News
Reposted by Danny B

Every Saturday, theScore's MLB editors will bring you a roundup of everything you need to know from around the division with the NL West Notebook.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Passing the blame. Left-hander Brett Anderson tossed six innings of three-run ball to earn a no-decision in his Dodgers' debut Friday night, but is irked about surrendering a three-run homer to Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Paul Goldschmidt. The retractable roof at Chase Field was open for the game, which Anderson used as an excuse for the lack of break on his sinker throughout the contest.
Losing interest? The club's early TV ratings on SportsNet LA are becoming a serious concern despite Adrian Gonzalez's impressive power show over the first handful of games. Over 70 percent of the Southern California region is without regular TV access to Dodgers game due to a fee dispute with Time Warner Cable. More fans are attending the games than watching them on TV. Yikes.

San Diego Padres

Morrow's the man. Brandon Morrow was spectacular in his Padres' debut, tossing seven innings of shutout ball against the San Francisco Giants on Friday night. The oft-injured righty broke spring camp as the team's fifth starter, and earned high praise from teammate Wil Myers following the outing. Myers called the performance incredible and believes Morrow is much better than a No. 5 starter in the majors.
Release the Kimbrel. CBS Sports' Jon Heyman wrote an interesting piece Friday that shed some light on the Atlanta Braves' reasoning behind trading closer Craig Kimbrel to the Padres. Braves general manager John Hart insisted on including the big contract of Melvin Upton Jr. in any trade involving Kimbrel, and revealed assistant GM John Coppolella was the mastermind behind the deal.

San Francisco Giants

Loyalty is key. The Giants have the second-most loyal fans in baseball, according to the Brand Key Sports Fan Loyalty Survey. San Francisco supporters rank just behind the fan base of the St. Louis Cardinals. The Giants made the jump from fifth on the list after claiming the latest World Series title.
Cause for concern? Tim Lincecum turned in seven impressive innings Friday versus the San Diego Padres, but admitted his fastball lacked velocity despite throwing seven shutout frames. The two-time Cy Young Award winner's heater ranged from 85-88 mph for long stretches in the game. Lincecum's fastball averaged 89.6 mph last season, according to FanGraphs.

Colorado Rockies

Unsung heroes. The Rockies' bullpen is getting some well-deserved credit for the club's 4-0 start. Colorado relievers own an impressive 1.26 ERA, yielding only two runs over 14 1/3 innings of work. Veteran catcher Nick Hundley is especially impressed with the 'pen, and stated he'd put them up against anybody in the league. The Kansas City Royals' three-headed monster consisting of Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland probably have something to say about that.
Reinforcements on the way. Veteran left-hander Jorge De La Rosa is tentatively scheduled to make his season debut Tuesday versus the Giants. A groin injury landed De La Rosa on the disabled list to start the season, but he's progressing well in rehab starts.

Arizona Diamondbacks

A tall task. Top pitching prospect Archie Bradley is set to make his big-league debut Saturday, but there's a serious problem: he's opposite Clayton Kershaw and has the daunting task of facing a loaded Dodgers lineup. Bradley is expecting 55 friends and family members to be in attendance and hopes the home crowd support will help him rise to the occasion. The Diamondbacks are counting on Bradley to resurrect a struggling pitching staff.

Pulling back the reins. The hot bat of rookie Jake Lamb has been an interesting storyline early this season, but manager Chip Hale isn't comfortable with his left-handed hitting third baseman facing left-handed pitching on a regular basis just yet. Lamb was benched Friday against a southpaw and Hale said he'll hold him back again Saturday with Kershaw scheduled to take the mound. Lamb is hitting .286 with a home run and seven RBIs in only seven at-bats.