Rockies at Brewers
Keeping stars on the field is paramount to any team's success, and no player is more important to the Milwaukee Brewers than Ryan Braun. "I've always said that as long as I'm healthy, I feel like success is inevitable," Braun told reporters as the Brewers prepare to host the Colorado Rockies on Monday. "Hopefully I'm about to continue to stay healthy, but I feel good. I'm able to do some things I haven't been able to do for a long time."
The same goes for Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and right fielder Carlos Gonzalez, who combined to play only 161 games in 2014 when Colorado lost the second-most contests in franchise history (96). The Rockies also must deal with improving the worst pitching staff in baseball, which posted a 4.84 ERA last season - more than a run over the major league average. The Brewers finished eight games behind St. Louis in the National League Central last season as Braun, the 2011 NL MVP who was suspended the final 65 games of 2013 because of performance-enhancing drug use, battled a nagging thumb injury while hitting .266 - 40 points below his career average - with 19 home runs and 81 RBIs. A pair of right-handed Kyles - Milwaukee's Lohse and Colorado's Kendrick - take the mound as Lohse enters the final season of a three-year contract and Kendrick makes his Rockies debut while filling in for ace Jorge De La Rosa (groin).
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Kyle Kendrick (2014: 10-13, 4.61 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Kyle Lohse (2014: 13-9, 3.54)
Kendrick was signed as a free agent during the offseason to add depth to Colorado's pitching staff, but finds himself in the middle of the Opening Day hoopla for the first time. "I'm looking forward to starting the season with these guys," Kendrick told reporters. "I feel we can be pretty competitive. We're going to score a lot of runs, play good defense and win a lot of games. I feel pretty confident about it." The 30-year-old Texan is 2-5 with a 4.98 ERA in 10 career appearances (seven starts) against Milwaukee and earned a 9-7 victory versus the Brewers last July 8 despite yielding seven runs in 5 2/3 innings.
Lohse, who is 24-19 with a 3.45 ERA in the last two seasons, makes his first Opening Day start with Milwaukee and third of his career. “Just his experience, the type of quality pitcher he’s been for quite a few years now,” Brewers manager Ron Roenicke told reporters of the decision to go with the 36-year-old Californian. “Upstairs, he’s a solid guy that understands what he needs to do. ..." Lohse is 6-3 with a 3.64 ERA in 13 career starts against the Rockies - 3-0, 1.61 in seven turns away from Coors Field, including a 3-2 victory last June 27 at Miller Park when he yielded one run in seven innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Milwaukee C Jonathan Lucroy, who finished fourth in NL MVP voting last season, appears healthy after missing time in spring training with a hamstring injury.
2. Colorado, which opens on the road for the fourth consecutive season, was a major league-worst 21-60 away from home in 2014.
3. The Brewers start at home for the fourth straight year and defeated the Rockies 5-4 in 10 innings on Opening Day in 2013.