Naming Padilla to start opening day could quickly come back to hurt Dodgers again

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Here’s one more reason why naming Vicente Padilla as your opening day starter was a bad idea:

Because your No.1 pitcher has a slight opportunity to start more games than any other pitcher in the rotation, and your best pitcher should get more opportunities.

Manager Joe Torre’s odd I-had-to-name-somebody decision to start Padilla on opening day not only backfired Monday when he was lit up by the hapless Pirates, but now it’s already in position to cost the Dodgers again.

Torre said he would start Padilla on Saturday in Florida, pushing No. 5 starter Charlie Haeger’s first start back to Sunday.

If Torre had elected to start Clayton Kershaw opening day, then the Dodgers would have had their best pitcher going twice in five days.

As it is, Kershaw will get the honor of starting the home opener on Tuesday following Monday’s off day.

With an off day each of the first three weeks of the season, in theory Kershaw could have started three times in 13 games.

Instead, the Dodgers will quickly recycle Padilla, who easily could be their No. 4 starter.

-- Matt Kemp is back to hitting second today against right-hander Ross Ohlendorf. Torre said he was trying to get a ‘feel’ for how the lineup would play out or even if he would have a set lineup.

Kemp batted fifth in the Monday’s opener, going 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI -- fifth, like he should be batting.

Torre also said the type of lefty pitching would determine when Blake DeWitt would start against left-handers.
-- Minneapolis Star-Tribune columnist Joe Christensen said Jason Repko has signed a Triple-A contract with the Twins.

-- Steve Dilbeck