Kuroda, Dodgers Travel to Face Oakland

Dodgers (7-10-1) at Athletics (9-10-1), 7:35pm, Phoenix Municipal Stadium, Phoenix, AZ

Catching up on some notes since the Dodgers last played, on Monday:

• Chad Billingsley threw 84 pitches in six innings against Cleveland Indians' minor leaguers during Tuesday's off day, allowing two runs (on a pair of home runs), one walk, and one HBP, while striking out three.  Torre said Billingsley is pleased with the way he's throwing, as the right-hander works on his delivery to avoid spinning off.
  
• Hong-Chih Kuo is having elbow soreness again, reported Ken Gurnick of MLB.com yesterday.  Kuo has not thrown at all since pitching Friday night in Peoria threw off flat ground today, and Joe Torre said his MRI showed nothing new.  However, Torre was also cautious, saying if Kuo starts the season on the disabled list, the club would ideally want a second left-hander in the bullpen to take Kuo's place
  
• Andre Ethier had his number 14 retired by his high school this morning, at a ceremony at St. Mary's High School in Phoenix.
• Russell Martin, who appears to be doing everything he can to play by opening day, will play in a minor league game Thursday
• Brad Ausmus is feeling good, said Torre, and is expected to play "in the next couple of days"
• If you haven't yet read Chris & Alex's Volk's summary of Saturday night with Dodger photographer Jon SooHoo at Dodgerfan.net, you can do so here and here.
  

Here are the lineups:for

Hiroki Kuroda will throw roughly 85 pitches tonight, and be followed on the mound by Josh Lindblom, Ramon Troncoso, and Luis Ayala.

Starters will get two at bats each tonight, then head home early in preparation for tomorrow's day game.

Trevor Cahill will follow Gio Gonzalez for the A's, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.

No TV

Gameday