Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 6/ Home Game 4

Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.  See what they've written below.

--------------------------

Los Angeles Angels (0-4-2)LOS ANGELES DODGERS (2-1-2)
Thursday, February 28, 2013 – 1:05 p.m. | Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ
LHP Clayton Kershaw vs. RHP Jerome Williams

(twitter link: @Dodgers)

--------------------------

(pic link: Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2012)

START A STREAK: Fresh off a road victory, the Dodgers host the Angels this afternoon at Camelback Ranch, before sending a split squad to Tempe tomorrow and wrapping up a two-game Cactus League set with their I-5 neighbors. The Freeway series will then take place from March 28-30, including the 2013 Dodger Stadium opener on March 29. The Dodgers face the Angels in the regular season on May 27 and 28 at Dodger Stadium and May 29 and 30 at Angel Stadium. Last season, the Halos went 4-2 against the Boys in Blue, taking two of three in both series. In case you were wondering and I know you were, there are just 32 days until Opening Day!

•  The Dodgers popped off for 11 runs yesterday, including three hits apiece for Alfredo Amezaga and Elian Herrera and three RBI for Jerry Hairston Jr. In addition, outfielder Alex Castellanos belted his second home run of the spring and Yasiel Puig scored three runs. On the mound, Matt Magill was impressive again, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings while RHP Javy Guerra made his 2013 debut with a scoreless frame.  

HILLTOPPERS: Dodger ace Clayton Kershaw will make his second Cactus League start after allowing two runs and four hits in 2.0 innings to the White Sox last Saturday. The left-hander will attempt to become the first pitcher to win three consecutive Major League ERA titles since Greg Maddux accomplished the feat from 1993-95 as a member of the Braves.

• LHP Ted Lilly is set to make his 2013 debut today. Lilly won five of his first seven starts without a loss last season, but did not pitch again due to left shoulder inflammation after suffering his first defeat on May 23. 
• RHP Peter Moylan will make his second spring appearance after giving up two runs in 0.2 innings last Sunday vs. the Chicago White Sox. Moylan has a career record of 20-9 with a 2.59 ERA over 295 games with the Atlanta Braves.  
• RHP Josh Wall will also make his second Cactus League appearance after firing 1.1 scoreless innings and striking out two in his debut last Sunday. Wall picked up the win in his Major League debut last season on July 22 at Citi Field, but was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque the next day.
• RHP Steve Ames fired a scoreless frame last Sunday and is set to make his second 2013 appearance. Ames was added to the Dodgers’ 40-man roster on Nov. 20, 2012 after going 3-3 with a 1.56 ERA and 18 saves in 54 games for Double-A Chattanooga last season.   

(pic link: Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2012)

GET YOUR BIG LEAGUE ON: The Dodgers will have three minor leaguers joining the club vs. the Angels today with right-handed pitchers Andres Santiago (#92) and Blake Johnson  (#83) coming over along with LHP Fabio Castro (#82). Johnson notched a save in the Dodgers’ first win of the spring after being signed out of the open tryout in 2012.

• Speaking of the open tryout, more than 80 Dodger hopefuls came out to test their wares on the minor league side this morning. Among those who showed off for the Dodger scouts were a 54-year-old local pitcher, a 40+-year-old Japanese professional hurler and Iraq war veteran Daniel “Doc” Jacobs, who lost his left leg below the knee and suffered serious hand and foot injuries when an IED exploded beneath him in 2006. Jacobs has sustained more than 50 surgeries, but has returned to his naval infantry and for one day at least was able to try out for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jacobs will also throw out a ceremonial first pitch prior to today’s game. 

LET’S GET IT GOING DODGER FANS!: Dodger center fielder Matt Kemp advanced to the finals of MLB Network’s #FaceofMLB and is currently trailing Cincinnati’s Joey Votto in MLB Network’s bracket to decide who the Face of MLB is. The online hashtag battle (#MattKemp) runs through tomorrow. Start tweeting!

LEGENDS ARRVING: The Dodgers would like to welcome Special Advisor to the Chairman and medical pioneer Dr. Frank Jobe to Camelback Ranch today. Jobe arrived a day before Eric Karros, who will be in uniform tomorrow, speaking to the club in the morning meeting.

TODAY ON THE DIAL: AM 570 Fox Sports LA TODAY ON THE TUBE: PRIME TICKET

HE COMES FROM A LAND DOWN UNDER: The Dodgers would like to welcome former outfielder Trent Oeltjen back to Camelback Ranch today. The Sydney, Australia native was a Dodger from 2010-12 and is now a non-roster invitee for the Angels.

WORTH WATCHING: Today’s game will be broadcast live on PRIME TICKET and heard on AM 570 Fox Sports Los Angeles. This morning, Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully sat down with legendary Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax for a brief interview that will air on PRIME TICKET this afternoon.

(pic link: Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2012)

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Dodgers Blog Kiosk: 2/28/2013

The above pic is from Dodger photographer Jon SooHoo.  Check out more of his photos from yesterday on his blog, here.

• Today is the Dodgers' open tryouts at Camelback Ranch and CBS has a great story about a wounded veteran who is there to show off his stuff.  Check it out here.

Calling the opportunity a “dream”, Jacobs will take his skills to Dodgers spring training in Arizona after an invitation from Dodger legend Tommy Lasorda, whom he met at a California Disabled Veterans Business Alliance meeting and shared his dream.

“He can hit major league pitching,” said friend and former Angels star pitcher Justin Speier. “I have seen it first hand.”

• Alex Cora at Sons of Steve Garvey is stalking Sandy Koufax.
• Mark Langill, the Dodgers official historian, tells us that today is the anniversary of the infamous living room boxing match in Cuba between pitcher Hugh Casey and Ernest Hemingway... Yes, the writer.  Hemingway was considered one heck of a crazy drunk, so when he offered up a duel (with whatever weapon Casey wanted) the next evening Hugh declined.
• Mattingly is pleased with Hanley Ramirez's work at shortstop, via Bill Plunkett at the OC Register.

"Wally's (Tim Wallach) totally happy with his effort and what he's looking like," Mattingly said. "We film it and look at it pretty much every day. We're real happy with where he's going.

• Apparently, Topps is now in the t-shirt selling business.  Check out some of their vintage-style wares here.

• I had missed this from last year, Jim Fuller at the New Haven Register shares the story of when Yale almost upset the Brooklyn Dodgers.

The showdown on a frigid afternoon at Yale Field was not the only time the Yale baseball team played host to a star-studded major league squad. But watching the Bulldogs come tantalizingly close to knocking off a Brooklyn Dodgers team coming off a 104-win season made for one of the most scintillating baseball games played at the historic facility.

• Panini just released some preview pics of a new Baseball card product that they'll be releasing shortly (in April, I think) called 2012 Prizm Baseball; including the Kemp card below.  As you can see, they will be very shiny cards.  Shiny enough to blind you.

• Grantland tackles the Mona Lisa of Baseball cards in their newest '30 for 30 Documentary Series' called the "The Holy Grail: The T206 Honus Wagner."
• The Topps Archives stumbled across a rare find - a 1967 Topps Venezuelan Baseball card album. This is arguably one of the more iconic foreign made Baseball card sets; due primarily to the 'Retirado' subset filled with Hall of Famers.
• Roberto at Vin Scully is My Homeboy post up a couple of ESPN videos featuring the Dodgers as a part of their '30 Clubs in 30 Days' series.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Hake's Auction: A 1955 Barnstorming Vintage Photo of the Willie Mays All-Stars

Hake's Auctions has, of late, been a depository of some incredible vintage Baseball artifacts.  Over the past couple of years they have had the honor of selling off numerous pieces from the Baseball collection of Richard Merkin- who was noted for having one of the greatest collections of Negro League related material. 

Featured below is a press photo taken by Tennessee photographer Ernest Withers of the 1955 Willie Mays All-Stars. The salaries for players from MLB clubs was not enough to cover the winter months.  So, during the off-season many players continued playing Baseball on barnstorming teams throughout North America. 

(auction link)

As you can see, these Major Leaguers wore their respective team uniforms when they played across the country with this team.  Dodger hurler Don Newcombe is on the top row, far left; and former Dodger Joe Black is directly on Newcombe's left.  Also, Dodger outfielder Jim Gilliam is on the front row, on the far left. Click on the pic above to embiggen, and go here to see this auction.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 5/ Road Game 2

Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.  See what they've written below.

--------------------------

LOS ANGELES DODGERS (1-1-2) at Chicago Cubs (3-1)
Wednesday, February 27, 2013 – 1:05 p.m. | Hohokam Park, Mesa, AZ
RHP Aaron Harang vs. LHP Brooks Raley

(twitter link: @Dodgers)

--------------------------

(pic link: Jon SooHoo/ LA Dodgers 2013)

HIT THE ROAD!: The Dodgers travel to Mesa today for their first true road game of the spring as they meet the Cubs for the second time in three days after Los Angeles’ 7-6 win on Monday at Camelback Ranch. After today, the clubs will meet two more times this spring and then seven times during the regular season, Aug. 1-4, at Wrigley Field and Aug. 26-28 at Dodger Stadium. Los Angeles won the season series, 4-2, last season and according to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Dodgers hold a slim, 1,028-1,023-14, advantage in the franchises’ 2,065 all-time meetings. In case you were wondering and I know you were, there are just 33 days until Opening Day!

• The Giants rallied for four runs in the ninth inning yesterday to tie the Dodgers, 8-8. Los Angeles batted around during a five-run second inning that knocked Tim Lincecum out of the game and also plated three runs in the sixth inning on Alex Castellanos’ three-run homer. Skip Schumaker and non-roster hopeful Jeremy Moore both hit two-run doubles during the club’s second-inning rally with Moore going 2-for-2 with two doubles, a run scored and two RBI on the afternoon. On the mound, Josh Beckett threw 27 pitches and struck out three in 2.0 scoreless frames in his first start of the spring.

HILLTOPPERS: Aaron Harang will make his 2013 debut this afternoon after going 10-10 with a career-best 3.61 ERA in 31 starts last season with the Dodgers. Harang made just one start against the Cubs last year and did not factor in the decision despite allowing just two runs in 6.0 innings in an eventual 4-3 Dodger loss on May 6 at Wrigley Field. In his career, the 35-year-old right-hander has thrown more innings against the Cubs than any other big league club (165.2 IP), going 11-8 with a 4.40 ERA in 26 starts against Chicago.

• RHP Ronald Belisario is expected to make his second appearance of the spring this afternoon after allowing two runs on three hits in 1.0 inning on Saturday against the White Sox. Belisario did not allow a hit or a run in three appearances against the Cubs last season, walking one and striking out four in 3.0 frames.
• RHP Mark Lowe tossed a scoreless inning on Saturday against the White Sox and will be making his second appearance of the spring. Lowe, a seven-year big league veteran, is in his first season with Los Angeles after two-plus years with the Rangers.
• RHP Javy Guerra will make his 2013 debut today after having his 2012 season cut short by an oblique injury. Guerra has been successful in 29 of 36 save opportunities in his career and his 2.45 ERA is the 15th lowest mark among NL relievers during the past two seasons.
• RHP Matt Magill enters the season rated as the Dodgers’ No. 9 prospect by Baseball America and will make his second appearance of the spring after striking out three in 1.1 scoreless frames on Saturday against the White Sox. Magill was a 2012 Double-A Southern League All-Star and was honored as the league’s pitcher of the week on three occasions last year, going 11-8 with a 3.75 ERA in 26 starts for Chattanooga.

(pic link: Jon SooHoo/ LA Dodgers 2013)

LET’S GET IT GOING DODGER FANS!: Dodger center fielder Matt Kemp advanced to the finals of MLB Network’s #FaceofMLB and is currently trailing Cincinnati’s Joey Votto in MLB Network’s bracket to decide who the Face of MLB is. The online hashtag battle (#MattKemp) runs through Friday. Start tweeting!

TODAY ON THE DIAL: None TODAY ON THE TUBE: None LACE ‘EM UP: Tomorrow morning is the Dodgers’ annual open tryout in which any ballplayer can come to the fields and attempt to earn a minor league contract. Registration will begin promptly at 8 a.m. with the tryout taking place at 9 a.m. on the minor league back fields. Players just have to bring their own uniform and then dazzle the staff.

MAJORING IN THE MINORS: The Dodgers will have six minor leaguers joining the club in Mesa today with outfielder Matt Angle (#82), infielders Rafael Ynoa (#83) and Rusty Ryal (#84) and pitchers RHP Angel Sanchez (#87), LHP Eric Eadington (#88) and RHP Red Patterson (#89). Today will be a homecoming of sorts for Eadington, Patterson and Ynoa, who played in Mesa during their stints last fall in the Arizona Fall League. Ynoa, 25, led the Solar Sox with a .330 batting average, 32 hits, four triples, 20 RBI in 27 games.

WORTH WATCHING: Today’s game will not be televised or on the radio in Los Angeles, but tomorrow’s 1:05 pm game (12:05 pm PT) can be seen on PRIME TICKET and heard on AM 570 Fox Sports Los Angeles. During tomorrow’s telecast, an excerpt of a special interview will air featuring a pair of Hall of Famers, Vin Scully and Sandy Koufax.

• Yesterday, team photographer Jon SooHoo shot a once-in-a-lifetime photo with legendary Dodgers Maury Wills and Sandy Koufax, Hall of Fame broadcasters Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrin, Hall of Fame Manager Tommy Lasorda and Team Travel Advisor Billy Delury that represented more than three hundred combined years of service to the club. That photo along with SooHoo’s daily photo galleries can be viewed on Dodgers.com.

(pic link: Jon SooHoo/ LA Dodgers 2013)

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Dodgers' Open Tryouts Tomorrow!

I know this is a late note, but for those of you who think you have the right stuff to wear Dodger Blue might want to drop what you're doing and head over to Arizona - like now!  Tomorrow is the Dodgers' annual open tryout.  Anybody can come to the field in hopes of "wowing" the Dodgers' staff. 


Registration starts at 8:00 AM and the tryout begins an hour later at 9:00 AM on the minor league back fields.  You must bring your own uniform and equipment.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Dodgers Blog Kiosk: 2/27/2013

 

Chris Olds at Beckett.com shares even more pics from 2012 Panini National Treasures Baseball.  This set officially goes live today, so you should be able to find them in hobby stores soon, if not now.  Above are Duke Snider and Burleigh Grimes game-used jersey button cards, and below are Leo Durocher and Wee Willie Keeler book cards.  BTW, I believe the Snider card above is a base card.  Also, this set is not licensed by MLB, so you will not see any team logos.  Nevertheless, the cards that I have seen look very sharp and I hardly miss the logos.

• Eno Sarris at FanGraphs suggest that Hanley Ramirez should play shortstop.

The Dodgers might be losing a few runs here or there due to Hanley Ramirez playing at shortstop despite his bad range to his right. With a good defender to his right, though, that negativity is mitigated. And by showing him a little positivity, maybe the Dodgers will reap the best Ramirez has to offer. 

• This is a daily must-see.  Check out Jon SooHoo's pics from yesterday at Camelback Ranch.
• Via JP Hoornstra at Inside the Dodgers, they plan on bringing back the Hollywood Stars Game in 2014.  YEAH!!!  All I ask is that they play Baseball, not softball!

“We have an awful lot of celebrities at our games,” Kasten said. “People that I know from TV and movies. … You associate that with the Lakers; you see them at courtside and you see them dolled up like they’re going to a Hollywood premiere. All the makeup, all the glamour, all the jewelry and all of that. Those same people come to Dodger games. You don’t notice it because they’re in jeans and a T-shirt and a baseball cap without a lot of frills. I’m telling you, I have met star after star after star of TV shows and movies and they are blending in because there’s a different way to go to a baseball game — a more comfortable, more relaxing, more natural way — than to other events.”

• I love seeing other folks photos from Spring Training.  Here, Alex Cora at Sons of Steve Garvey share his.
• via Dan Kaplan at Sports Business Journal, Chavez Ravine is now being considered as a possible site for a new Football Stadium.  Please... Say it ain't so! Also, the below line in the article greatly troubles me.

It’s unclear if the league would want the Dodgers to leave Chavez Ravine if an NFL team moved in. Guggenheim is planning to spend a low-nine-figure sum renovating Dodger Stadium, so that would seem an odd investment if the stadium were to be torn down to make way for an NFL venue.

I don't mean to go on a rant here, but as far as I'm concerned the NFL gave Angelenos a big "middle finger" when they let those other teams leave, and as a result I could give a flying "f***" if a NFL team ever comes back to LA.  I am a firm believer that NO citizen (tax dollar) funds should ever be used to build a stadium; especially after witnessing what the Marlins owner did to Miami.  I consider the spending of those funds for that purpose to be welfare for millionaires, with little prospect of a fair return for taxpayers.

• Manny Ramirez to play in Taiwan, via David Brown at Big League Stew.  
• Nick Diunte at Examiner.com reports on former Negro Leaguer Rev. William "Bill" Greason's recent speech in New Jersey.  (Hat Tip: Baseball Happenings)

An increasingly rare opportunity to witness one of the legends who played in the Negro Leagues tell their story live and in-person came to Mt. Calvary Baptist Church on Saturday in Mullica Hill, N.J. Eighty-eight-year-old Rev. William “Bill” Greason, former pitcher for the Birmingham Black Barons and St. Louis Cardinals, delivered an impressive sermon for their "Take the Mystery out of Black History" event in which baseball, race, and spirituality were effortlessly intertwined.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *