Bench depth is as deep as the Grand Canyon

Some years ago we took a family vacation to Arizona and made our way to the Grand Canyon. 

Though I had grown up in California and lived for a time in Utah, I had never made the trip.

A big hole in the ground, I told myself. But getting to the Grand Canyon and taking in the width and breadth of the place was a different story. It is deep and amazing.

Which brings me to the bench Don Mattingly has sitting behind him.

It’s nothing short of amazing.

First closer Kenley Jansen and No. 3 starter Hyun -Jin Ryu start the season on the DL, and Brendan McCarthy and Joel Peralta soon join them. No problem, Carlos Frias and Mike Bolsinger emerge as viable starters. The pen? No problem. Yimi Garcia, Pedro Baez, Adam Liberatore, Paco Rodriguez, Juan Nicasio, J.P. Howell and Chris Hatcher step into the breach.

Then comes the outfield. Stars Yasiel Puig and Carl Crawford go down with injuries. No problem, Andre Ethier, Scott Van Slyke and Alex Guerrero are inserted into the lineup and hit like they were starters all along.

Toss in Justin Turner, who can hit while getting out of bed, and the Dodgers are hitting with power and average.

Turner, Ethier and Van Slyke have led the team in their last three wins and are all swinging hot bats. 

Turner hit a critical pinch-hit homer to lead one victory, Van Slyke hit a walk-off three-run dinger the next night and Ethier went 5-for-5 with a solo shot to center in last night’s 11-1, 21-hit explosion over the Marlins.

Adrian Gonzalez and Howie Kendrick are hitting, Jimmy Rollins has yet to heat up and Yasmani Grandal has found his stroke six weeks into the season.

All this has happened while Clayton Kershaw has sputtered to a 1-2 record and 4.26 ERA. The reigning Cy Young and MVP winner will eventually get his bearings but until he does, Zack Greinke is making his own bid for hardware, posting a 5-0 record and 1.52 ERA.

Aside from the starting rotation, this team is as deep as that big hole in the ground in Arizona.