Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: 3/19/2015 - Happy Birthday Clayton Kershaw

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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(Camelback Ranch, pic via @Dodgers on twitter)

MARCH MADNESS: The Dodgers, who have the Cactus League’s best winning percentage at .727,  take on the Angels in the first of five meetings between the clubs during the exhibition season. Los Angeles won the season series between the clubs last year, 3-1, and the clubs will meet six times during the regular season in 2015, July 31-Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium and Sept. 7-9 at Angel Stadium.

• The Freeway Series begins exactly two weeks from today, Thursday, April 2 in Anaheim. The Dodgers and Angels will play two 7:05 p.m. games at Angel Stadium before the series shifs to Los Angeles for a 6:10 p.m. game on Saturday, April 4. In anticipation of the Freeway Series, the clubs partnered on a billboard in Hollywood to celebrate the 2014 Most Valuable Player Awards of Clayton Kershaw and Mike Trout, with the script “Is Your MVP Red Or Blue.” Fans are encouraged to show their support by utilizing the hashtags #MVPKersh and #MVPTrout.
• Today’s Angels starter Andrew Heaney was briefly a Dodger when the club acquired the left-hander from the Marlins on Dec. 10 as part of a seven-player deal and subsequently traded him to their I-5 rivals in exchange for Howie Kendrick. Kendrick played the first nine seasons of his career with the Angels from 2006-14 and ranks among the franchise’s all-time leaders (min. 3000 PA) in games played (1,081, 9th), runs (534, 9th), hits (1,204, 6th), batting average (.292, 4th), doubles (249, 5th) and triples (30, T-7th) and is the club’s all-time leader in hits by a second baseman. Kendrick is not expected to play today, but is batting .400 (10-for-25) with a homer and six RBI in 10 games this spring.

(Rain, Rain, Go Away!  At Camelback Ranch, pic via Kevin Baxter on twitter)

ROSTER UPDATE: Following yesterday’s game, the Dodgers optioned OF Scott Schebler and reassigned IF Buck Britton, IF/OF Darnell Sweeney, C Shawn Zarraga, IF Corey Seager and C Chris O’Brien to minor league camp.  Including Brandon Beachy and Chris Withrow, who are on the 60-day disabled list, the Dodgers have 44 players remaining in big league camp.

DOWNER: The Dodgers had their six-game unbeaten streak come to an end yesterday, falling, 7-5 to the Cubs. Two Dodger hitters posted multi-hit games to raise their batting averages to .400, as Joc Pederson went 3-for-3 with a three-run homer to push his average to .429 and Howie Kendrick added two singles to reach the .400 mark on the spring. Brandon McCarthy took the loss in his third start of the spring, allowing six runs on eight hits in 4.0 innings.

• Los Angeles had 12 hits yesterday to increase the club’s batting average to .271 on the spring.

TEXAS TWO-STEP: Big League Weekend, with the Dodgers taking on the Rangers Friday night and Saturday afternoon at the Alamodome in San Antonio, is almost here! The traveling party, which includes starters  Erik Bedard and Zack Greinke along with Yasmani Grandal, Adrian Gonzalez, Yasiel Puig, and Joc Pederson, departs Camelback Ranch this evening for the brief two-day trip to Texas.

ON THE MOUND: Left-hander Brett Anderson will make his third Cactus League start today, last pitching 3.0 scoreless innings in a win over the Indians Saturday. He has allowed only three hits in 5.0 scoreless innings this spring.

• RHP Chris Hatcher is expected to make his fifth appearance of the spring today, last pitching on Monday against the A’s.
• RHP Yimi Garcia is also expected to see action today, last pitching on Monday against the A’s. Garcia has allowed only one hit and struck out three in 4.0 scoreless innings this spring.
• RHP Joel Peralta will make his third Cactus League appearance today, last pitching a scoreless inning on Monday against the A’s.

(Clayton Kershaw, screengrab from MLB video Ping Pong)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!: The Dodgers would like to wish a very happy 27th birthday to Clayton Kershaw today! Kershaw became the first-ever player to win three Cy Young Awards before the age of 27 when he was honored with both the Cy Young and MVP awards this past November.

Happy Birthday @ClaytonKersh22!!!! We all chipped in and got you a years supply of these. pic.twitter.com/jpZyd183uF
— Brett Anderson (@BrettAnderson35) March 19, 2015

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