The Youth Movement

The Dodgers' lineup for tonight's matchup with the hated-Phillies includes three rookies (in fact, three players who started the season in the Minor Leagues) Dee Gordon, Jerry Sands, and Rubby De La Rosa. And there is a lot of help from the kids in the bullpen, and some coming off the bench

I like the line-up, and it is refreshing to see the Dodgers reverting to the youth (combined with guys who, until very recently, were considered the youth movement--Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, James Loney, and, in a way, Dioner Navarro). But why now. For three years (from 2006-2008), Dodger fans were begging for the team to use the kids like Kemp and Loney, etc. But Ned Colletti, Grady Little, and Joe Torre all stuck with older players like Juan Pierre and Luis Gonzalez.

Has Don Mattingly's ascendance to the manger's job affected a change in organizational mentality? Has the success of Kemp, Kershaw, Ethier, Billingsley, etc. given Colletti the confidence to rely on the younger players? Has the Dodgers precarious financial position required it?

Or have the Dodgers league-leading number of days lost to the Disabled List simply left the team with no other option?

I am guessing each of these plays a part in the philosophy.