Rosen Says Dodgers Will Present Many Questions on Opening Day

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Dodgers and San Francisco Giants don’t have to wait long to renew their rivalry. They will open the season with a two-game set at Dodger Stadium, and Giant President Al Rosen is eager to see the Dodgers’ infield. He says it is a key question in the National League West race.

“Who knows if they’ve solved their infield problems?” Rosen said.

“Despite what Tommy (Lasorda) says, I know he’s going to gulp every time a ground ball is hit.”

Rosen also wondered if the Dodgers might find it difficult to overcome the loss of run producer Eddie Murray and pitchers Tim Belcher and Mike Morgan.

“Can Eric Davis rebound?” he asked. “Do they have a catcher to handle (Tom Candiotti’s) knuckleball? What about the chemistry everyone says will be a problem?”

The Atlanta Braves?

“A lot of guys had career years,” Rosen said. “If they have them again, they’ll be tough to beat.”

The Cincinnati Reds?

Rosen referred to their key acquisitions when he said, “People are handing them the pennant, but Belcher was a .500 pitcher last year (he was 10-9) and Greg Swindell lost 16 games.

“They don’t have a center fielder of the type you normally associate with a pennant contender. Will they miss Eric Davis? Is Billy Doran healthy? How much offense do they have?”

Rosen agreed, however, that the Reds, Braves and Dodgers should be favored in the West.

What about the Giants, with Kevin Mitchell having been traded to the Seattle Mariners for three pitchers?

“Our offense and defense are very sound,” he said. “It depends on pitching. If it’s what I think it is, we’ll be right there, too.”