LOS ANGELES — Walt Weiss had his crayon box out Friday, getting creative while coloring in the Rockies lineup.
Against Clayton Kershaw, the reigning National League MVP, Weiss twisted Colorado’s order for every advantage he could find.
“It’s a tough assignment,” Weiss said of facing the Dodgers’ ace left-hander. “Kershaw is a tough at-bat for anybody, let alone a left-hander.”
Weiss went heavy with righties, sitting first baseman Justin Morneau, the defending NL batting champ, and right fielder Carlos Gonzalez, who’s hitting .231 but has four doubles.
“I targeted this date for a couple of our lefties to get a day off,” Weiss said. “They get two days in a row, then get back in there and get rolling again.”
Weiss, though, said he wanted to put more responsibility on the favorable right-left matchup against Kershaw. He started Drew Stubbs in center field, despite his striking out three times in four at-bats this season before Friday. And he put Wilin Rosario at first.
“I wanted to get some right-handers in. It gives me a chance to get Stubbs in the lineup, get him involved. Wilin the same thing,” Weiss said.
Axford return still on hold. Reliever John Axford, who left the Rockies last Sunday to help care for his 2-year-old son, Jameson, will have his time on the family medical emergency leave list come to an end Sunday.
The Rockies can use a replacement for Axford on the 25-man roster for a minimum of three days and a maximum of seven. But Axford — whose son underwent a third surgery this week after a rattlesnake bite infected his right foot — may need more time.
“That’s something we have to deal with with the commissioner’s office — if we felt like it’s needed,” Weiss said. “We’re still not sure.”
Scott Oberg took Axford’s spot in the bullpen and made his major-league debut in San Francisco.
Phillies reunion. Rockies starter Kyle Kendrick, who arrived in Colorado as a free agent before this season, finally faced his former longtime Phillies teammate, Jimmy Rollins.
Rollins signed a free-agent deal with the Dodgers in the offseason.
Kendrick walked Rollins on five pitches to lead off the bottom of the first. Rollins then stole second and scored on Adrian Gonzalez’s double. Nick Groke, The Denver Post
