Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Pitchers & Catchers Workout #3


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.
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(Maury Wills and Manny Mota, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

KEEP ROLLING: Today was the third day of workouts for pitchers and catchers at Camelback Ranch – Glendale. Thursday, position players report with the first full-squad workout of 2014 scheduled for Friday.
  • A few more position players reported to camp early for voluntary workouts in advance of Thursday’s report date, including infielders Dee Gordon, Miguel Rojas and Brendan Harris.
  • Harris owns a .256 career batting average with 33 homers and 167 RBI in 529 games. If the middle infielder were to make the club, the Dodgers would become his seventh team, joining the Cubs (2004), Expos/Nationals (2004-06), Reds (2006), Rays (2007), Twins (2008-10) and Angels (2013). The New York native attended William and Mary and was drafted in the fifth round of the 2001 draft by the Cubs.
  • Gordon played in 38 games last season and still managed to swipe 10 bases in 12 attempts (83.3%). In his career, the speedy infielder has stolen 66 bags and been caught just 19 times. (77.6%). Gordon’s stolen base percentage ranks sixth in Dodger history among players with at least 80 attempts, trailing Davey Lopes (503 attempts, 83.1 %), Dave Roberts (143, 82.5), Mariano Duncan (125, 80.0), Delino DeShields (146, 78.1) and Shawn Green (81, 77.8).
(pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

EASY AS 1-2-3: Today marked the second bullpen sessions for hurlers Clayton Kershaw, Dan Haren, Chris Perez, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Brian Wilson, J.P. Howell, Javy Guerra, Seth Rosin, Jose Dominguez, Matt Magill, Ross Stripling, Chris Reed, Daniel Moskos and Sam Demel.
  • Rosin was selected by the Mets from the Phillies in the 2013 Rule 5 draft and then traded to the Dodgers. Rosin, 25, went 9-6 with a 4.33 ERA in 23 starts and three relief appearances last year for Philadelphia's Double-A Reading affiliate. A fourth-round draft pick of the Giants in 2010, Rosin struck out 96 batters and walked 35 in 126.2 innings. As a Rule 5 player, Rosin must make the Dodgers' 25-man roster all season or be offered back to his original club, the Phillies, for $25,000.
  • Moskos, a non-roster invitee, had a cup of coffee with Pittsburgh in 2011, going 1-1 with a 2.96 ERA in 31 games. He owns a career minor league record of 26-28 with a 4.43 ERA, 321 strikeouts in 207 games with the Pirates (2007-12) and White Sox (2012-13) organizations.
PACE YOURSELVES: This Saturday, every pitcher in camp will have a scheduled day off, designated by Dodger Manager Don Mattingly. This plan was conceived in the offseason due to the fact that the club does not have a normally scheduled off day this spring due to the March 16 trip to Sydney, Australia.

NETWORK: MLB Network made its first appearance at Camelback Ranch-Glendale this morning as Sam Ryan was on hand to conduct interviews with Dodger players. MLB Net will be back in full force on March 4, when the crew is in town for their annual “30 Clubs in 30 Days” feature in which they air their daily show from the Camelback Ranch complex.
(pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

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Pedro Guerrero Won the Twitter Yesterday!

What happens when you combine Pedro Guerrero and twitter?

You get a whole lot of awesome!  Like, stupendous, crazy like I can't believe it, awesome!

Last night, the man once called "the best hitter God has made in a long time" took to twitter and spoke his mind.  Or, maybe it was that he went out of his mind.  Either way, it was unbelievable.  (Let me preface this by saying that I am fairly certain, like 99% certain, that this is really Pedro)

Check out what I mean below.


He starts off slowly.  Apparently, Pedro was hired to be a special hitting instructor for the Texas Winter League.  So, he was in town to work.

A few hours pass.  Then, we find out that he is dining with Jose Canseco and former Dodger Mike Marshall.  Hilarity soon ensues.
(twitter link)

Then this classic tweet hits twitter.
(twitter link)

WTF.

The video Pedro links above is a highlight from an April 1987 game when Giants manager, Roger Craig, intentionally walked Pedro to get to Mike Marshall.  Naturally, Marshall proceeded to hit a home run to left field, and immediately taunted the Giants coach as he rounded the bases.  A purpose pitch came next, so benches cleared.  Watch that highlight here.
(twitter link)

Holy Moly!  You gotta love a Dodger who still taunts the Giants in retirement.
(twitter link)

So, we have his agent to thank for Pedro's twitter activities.  Thank you, Jose!  BTW, Pedro's agent tweeted a photo from dinner.


Last, but not least.  Did Pedro do some creeping on twitter?
(twitter link)

Reading Pedro's exchanges last night was incredibly entertaining.  I hope he does more of this because, goodness knows, we could use a little bit more Pedro in our lives.

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Blog Kiosk: 2/11/2014 - Dodgers Links - Elbert, Beckett and Last Nights Town Hall


Brandon League took some time the other day to sign autographs for fans at Camelback Ranch, pic via @cactusleagueaz on twitter.
"I don't have numbness and tingling in my thumbs anymore," Beckett said. "I think my velocity is going to come back. I feel like I'm throwing as hard right now with less effort than I did all of last year."
  • In fact, Beckett had his first Spring bullpen session yesterday, via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, and it was a success.  Gurnick also tells us that pitching prospect Zach Lee missed his bullpen session due to a lateral strain.  Oh, oh.  He also provides some background on Maholm's unique contract incentives.
  • Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider provides an update on the Dodger Stadium renovations.
  • Via Cardboard Connection we find out that Topps will be bringing back their Turkey Red product line as a online-exclusive.  Check out a preview image of a Yasiel Puig card on the right.  A release date is not yet established.
  • Cards That Never Were made a fantasy 1965 Topps NL Stolen Base Leader card featuring Maury Wills since Topps failed to do so back then.  Check it out here.

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