PHOENIX — The Los Angeles Dodgers lost two of their most productive bats in Matt Kemp and Hanley Ramirez in the offseason, but manager Don Mattingly believes his new group is better fit in some ways. It looked that way Sunday, when the Dodgers pounded out 16 hits, hitting balls all over the field.
“I like the fact that we are a little more of a grind-it-out offense,” Mattingly said. “I think we want to be an offense that fights and scratches, continues to make the pitcher work and try not to give him any easy outs if we can help it. That’s the way it’s been playing out so far.”
First baseman Adrian Gonzalez and right fielder Yasiel Puig remain in the middle of the order, but the 2015 configuration features shortstop Jimmy Rollins in the leadoff spot and new second baseman Howie Kendrick hitting fourth.
“I don’t look at Howie as a typical ‘4’ guy, but he’s a guy who is a good hitter,” Mattingly said. “Hits good pitching. Just kind of keeps the ball moving. It think we’re a little bit more of a day-in, day-out, at-bat-to-at-bat-to-at-bat type of offense. Hope there are going to be less ups and downs.”
Kendrick, acquired from the Angels for minor league left-hander Andrew Heaney over the winter, has 78 homers in nine major league seasons, with a high of 18 with the Angels in 2011. Kendrick has had two seasons of 75 RBIs, including last year.
“Howie is just a good hitter,” Mattingly said. “I don’t typically sit around and worry about home runs. I worry about good at-bats. I felt like late in the games we’ve had good at-bats.”
Gonzalez led the Dodgers with 27 homers last season, two more than Kemp, who was sent to San Diego in an offseason package that brought catcher Yasmani Grandal and minor league right-hander Joe Weiland to Los Angeles. Ramirez had 33 homers in 194 games with the Dodgers the last two years before signing a free-agent deal with Boston over the winter.