Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 4/Home Game 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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San Francisco Giants (1-1-1) at LOS ANGELES DODGERS (1-1-1)
Tuesday, February 26, 2013 – 1:05 p.m., Camelback Ranch – Glendale
RHP Tim Lincecum vs. RHP Josh Beckett

(twitter link: @Dodgers)

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(pic link: Koufax, Colletti, Kasten and Lasorda, Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2013)

JUST A SNEAK PEAK: The Dodgers and Giants square off this afternoon in the first of two Cactus League meetings this spring with the other coming on March 8 in Scottsdale as part of a split-squad tussle. Those two games are just a couple of appetizers, however, as the main course will be when the Giants visit Los Angeles on April 1 in the Dodgers’ 56th home opener in L.A. In case you were wondering and I know you were, there are just 34 days until Opening Day!

• The Dodgers came from behind and beat the Cubs 7-6 yesterday as Omar Luna’s eighth-inning single plated Nick Evans with the eventual game-winning run. Paco Rodriguez worked out of a jam in the eighth inning to record his first-ever Cactus League win and minor leaguer Blake Johnson notched a save by working a scoreless ninth.
• The Dodgers will send right-hander Josh Beckett to the mound today against Tim Lincecum. Following Beckett to the hill in their spring debuts this afternoon will be RHP Brandon League, RHP Kenley Jansen and LHP J.P. Howell. RHP Gregory Infante will make is scheduled to make his second Cactus League appearance.  
• Los Angeles will have five players venturing over from the minor league side today to suit up with the Major League club: RHP Angel Castro (#95), LHP Fabio Castro (#81), infielder Rusty Ryal (#83), RHP Angel Sanchez (#82) and RHP Mario Santiago (#88).

THE OTHER BIG TEXAN: Former World Series and ALCS MVP Josh Beckett will make his 2013 debut this afternoon. Beckett went 2-3 with a 2.93 ERA in seven starts with Los Angeles last season after coming over in an Aug. 25 trade with Boston. The right-hander made one start against the Giants, allowing four runs in 6.1 innings last Sept. 7 in San Francisco .Beckett posted a 2.65 ERA (11 ER/37.1 IP) in September and went 3-4 with a 2.97 ERA in nine combined starts against NL opponents last season. Since 2005, Beckett’s 106 victories rank sixth in the Major Leagues over that time, trailing just C.C. Sabathia (137), Roy Halladay (132), Justin Verlander (124), Dan Haren (113) and Cliff Lee (108).

(pic link: Juan Uribe on 1st, Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2013)

TIME TO DIG THE LONG BALL: Through three games, the Dodgers have just one home run, courtesy of Luis Cruz, who belted one on Sunday. Today’s starting lineup combined for 85 homers in 2013, led by Hanley Ramirez’s 24.

• The Dodgers’ 116 homers last year ranked 29th in baseball. The only team who hit fewer home runs than Los Angeles was the World Champion San Francisco Giants (103).
• Cruz was a late scratch and was sent home due to the stomach flu. He was replaced in the lineup by DH Tim Federowicz and Juan Uribe will move to third base. 

OLD FRIENDS: Former Dodgers Scott Proctor and Wilson Valdez are on the Giants’ travel squad today. Proctor and Valdez were teammates in blue on the 2007 Dodgers, after Proctor was a trade deadline acquisition and Valdez was recalled in September.

• Today’s starting third baseman for the Dodgers is Juan Uribe, who played in San Francisco from 2009-10, driving in nine postseason runs on the way to helping the Giants win their first World Series in the Bay Area. Uribe started at first base yesterday and played 3.0 innings, going 0-for-2. On Saturday, his line-drive single was the first Cactus League hit for Los Angeles.

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!

RADIO FLYERS: Today’s 1:05 p.m. (12:05 p.m. PT) game will be called by Charley Steiner and Rick Monday and can be heard on AM 570 Fox Sports Los Angeles, which will also feature Dodger Talk with Kevin Kennedy, David Vassegh and Jorge Jarrin tonight at 7:00 p.m. PT.

ADMIRING THE SCENERY: If you have been to the Camelback Ranch Major League building over the years, it will be easy to notice a few changes to the interior that jump out at you in 2013. In addition to the blue paint that now adorns most of the office walls, framed pictures of past Dodger yearbooks, media guides and Sports Illustrated covers now hang in the building. In Dodger manager Don Mattingly’s office,  framed black and white photos of each Dodger skipper in franchise history rests over the couch. Today, Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully stopped by to see Mattingly and Dodger GM Ned Colletti, spinning yarns about rooming with Leo Durocher in Vero Beach, Burt Shotton’s suits and Charlie Dressen’s perfect attendance at church.

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A Weekend Sweep

This past weekends series against the Braves was painful to watch. Our offense was anemic. They scored only 3 runs and had a total 17 hits over the three game set. When your runs are the result of pinch hit single by Juan Pierre and solo homeruns by slumping Andruw Jones and a slow starting Russell Martin, then you know things are not good in Dodgerville.

Our pitching was subpar. Derek Lowe gave up 5 runs in just over 4 innings on Friday. This included 2 rocket-propelled homeruns by Chipper Jones. Chad Billinglsey was a little stronger on Saturday as he yielded only 4 runs in 5 innings of work. Unfortunately, that was more damage than the team could overcome. On Sunday the game was competitive- at least for most of the time. Hiroki Kuroda only gave up 2 runs in his 7 innings, but, again, it was too high a wall to climb for the Dodgers. They failed to score again after Martin's solo homerun. On top of that, Scott Proctor came into the game in relief in the 7th inning and was dinged for a total of 4 runs in less than 2 innings. The game was over and the Dodgers got swept for the first time this season.

Just when I thought the Dodgers could get well playing some east coast teams they end up getting slapped silly. I hope Cincinnati will bring us out of our slump. It does not feel good to be in last place.

Of special note: If Garciaparra's injury continues to hamper his play, then he needs to sit down. By all accounts his fielding gaffes have cost us quite a few runs.

It Started With A Bang

YouTube Link: WSCKKKK:

Following a night where he hit 3 doubles and recorded 2 RBI's, Jeff Kent started the scoring Friday evening with a solo homerun in the 2nd inning. Five more Dodgers would follow him with hits as the Dodgers sprinted to a 5-0 lead after two. The Dodgers have started to look alive these past three days and the results show. They have a three game winning streak having scored 6 runs in each game. The Dodgers have recorded a total of 29 hits that includes 9 doubles and 3 homeruns.

Eric Stults was masterful in his 7 innings last night. Broxton was sharp in his one inning. Proctor faltered a bit, giving up two runs, but the magic hands of Saito saved the day. He recorded his 32nd save of the year. The Dodgers won the game 6-4.

Once again hope is renewed as the Dodgers look ready to finish this marathon strong. Unfortunately, as with any season, questions still remain. Will the pitching staff stay off the injured list? Can our hitters remain consistent? Can our rookies come through in the stretch?

I just hope it isn't too late. We are 6 1/2 games out of first and 2 1/2 games behind in the wild card race. 40 games are left in the season and time is getting short. All I know is that I'm crossing my fingers and praying to the great Dodger in the sky.

Betemit for Proctor

Did we just do a trade with the Yankees?

"The Dodgers and Yankees have agreed in principle on a trade that would send reliever Scott Proctor to the Dodgers for infielder Wilson Betemit."

I can't help but feel that we got burned on this one. Sure, Betemit has been pretty dismal at the plate, but his ceiling appears to be high and he is OPS is at .834. Of course, he has been talked about in glowing terms for a long time and that shining star everyone thought he was has yet to fully brighten the sky. This may very well be a trade that helps solidify our bullpen while, at the same time, won't give us heartburn at the sight of Betemit. Maybe he is at his ceiling right now.

Scott Proctor Stats.

"Proctor is 2-5 with a 3.81 ERA, and his 54 1/3 innings out of the Yankees' bullpen are tied for fourth-most among AL relievers."

Story Link: ESPN:
Hat Tip: Craig via email: