Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 17 / Road Game 1

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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Los Angeles Dodgers (0-0) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (0-0)
Wednesday, February 26, 2014 – 1:10 p.m. | Talking Stick
LHP Clayton Kershaw vs. RHP Brandon McCarthy
Spring Game 17/Road Game 1

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(pic via MLB Fan Cave on twitter)

PLAY BALL!: The Dodgers will play their Cactus League opener today against the D-backs at Talking Stick. Today’s game will be the Dodgers’ first of 21 games in Arizona, with the club playing 25 total exhibitions this spring, including a game against Team Australia (March 20 in Sydney) and the Freeway Series (March 27-29 in Southern California).

(Clayton Kershaw, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

HILLTOPPERS: Clayton Kershaw will take the mound today after winning his second-career Cy Young Award in 2013, becoming just the second Dodger (Sandy Koufax – 1963, 1965, 1966) and 17th all-time pitcher to win multiple Cy Young Awards. Since the start of the live ball era in 1920, the left-hander has the lowest all-time career ERA (2.60) among pitchers with more than 1,000.0 innings pitched and 100 games started. The Dallas, TX, native led the Majors in ERA in each of the last three seasons, becoming the first pitcher to do so since Greg Maddux (1993-95) and the first-ever Dodger to accomplish the feat. Also appearing in the game today:

• Seth Rosin (RHP) enters his first season in the Dodger organization after he was acquired through the Rule 5 draft and a trade with New York-NL in December 2013. In 108 professional games (42 GS), Rosin has gone 14-12 with a 4.00 ERA in the Philadelphia and San Francisco organizations.
• Right-hander Javy Guerra, who spent the majority of 2013 with Triple-A Albuquerque, allowed nine runs (eight earned) in 10.2 innings over nine appearances in his only stint with the Dodgers last season.
• 23-year-old Jose Dominguez made his Major League debut last season and posted a 2.16 ERA (2 ER/8.1 IP) in nine appearances with Los Angeles. The hard-throwing right-hander was eventually transferred to the 60-day disabled list after being placed on the 15-day DL on July 23 with a left quad strain.
• Non-roster invitee Ross Stripling is in his first big league camp after posting an 8-4 record with one save and a 2.82 ERA in 27 games (22 GS) between Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Chattanooga in 2013. The right-hander enters 2014 rated by Baseball America as the Dodgers’ No. 10 prospect.
• Right-handed non-roster invitee Sam Demel has appeared in 72 games at the Major League level with the D-backs (2010-12), posting a 4-4 record with a 4.95 ERA.
• 27-year-old non-roster invitee Daniel Moskos (LHP) has gone 26-28 with a 4.43 ERA in 207 games (45 GS) in seven minor league seasons with the Pirates (2007-12) and White Sox (2012-13).

(Adrian Gonzalez, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

GET YOUR BIG LEAGUE ON: The Dodgers will have four minor leaguers joining the club vs. the D-backs today, with infielders Darnell Sweeney (#83) and Jamie Romak (#94), outfielder Jeremy Hazelbaker (#83) and right-handed pitcher Stephen Smith (#95) all making the trip.

A WARM WELCOME: Dodger great Shawn Green arrived in camp today and will be in uniform as a guest instructor, joining Sandy Koufax, Tommy Davis and Eric Karros as those who’ve appeared at Camelback Ranch – Glendale this year.

• Green is a two-time All-Star, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner, who set the franchise record for the most homers in a single season with 49 in 2001. The following year, Green hit four homers in a single game against the Milwaukee Brewers, joining Gil Hodges as the only Dodgers two hit four homers in a game. Green surpassed 40 home runs, 100 RBI and 100 runs three times in his 15-year Major League career.

OPEN TRYOUT: The Dodgers’ annual open tryout will be held tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. MT (8:00 a.m. registration) on the minor league side of Camelback Ranch – Glendale. Those wishing to participate must not be enrolled in high school, on a collegiate roster or be under contract with any Major League club. Additional information is available on the Dodgers Scouting Hotline at 323-224-1512.

GIVING BACK: Following Friday’s game between the Dodgers and White Sox, Camelback Ranch-Glendale and the two clubs will host a clinic for youngsters from the Glendale Youth Project and Boys & Girls Club of Metro Phoenix. 2014 marks the second year that the clubs have hosted a youth clinic during Spring Training and is just one of the many Camelback Ranch community initiatives, which include food drives, Home Runs for Life (honoring patients at Cancer Treatment Centers of America and Phoenix Children’s Hospital) and a Read Across America Day event at Glendale’s Main Public Library. Dodger prospects Joc Pederson, Zach Lee and Jarret Martin will represent the club at Friday’s event.

AND THEY’RE OFF: The new 24-hour-a-day network of the Dodgers, SportsNet LA, premiered last night with original programming, including the live studio show “Access SportsNet: Dodgers,” the inaugural episode of “Backstage: Dodgers,” back-to-back “Connected With…” interview shows featuring Clayton Kershaw and Don Mattingly and a one-hour retrospective special about last year’s season.

• SNLA will televise all of this year’s Dodger Cactus League games, with the exception of two split-squad games, giving fans more Spring Training coverage than ever before. Vin Scully will call four Cactus League contests, including games today and Thursday.

(SportsNet LA on-air talent, Jerod Harris/Getty Images)

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2014 Topps Tribute Baseball - The Dodger Relic Cards

To follow yesterday's post that shared the Dodgers' base cards to the newly released 2014 Topps Tribute Baseball card set, I now show the various relic cards that are available.  Check them out below.

Tribute to the Throne Relic

#THRONE-DS Don Sutton

There is also a Jackie Robinson "Tribute to the Throne" relic card (#THRONE-JR), but it is only available through a redemption card.  

Looking at the 1991 Dodgers Unocal Pin Set

Following up on my posts from the past couple of weeks featuring pinbacks from the Dodgers Unocal pin sets, I now share with you the pins from the 1991 set.  Go here to check out my previous post on these sets.

One of the benefits of putting together this checklist of Dodgers' Unocal pins is that I am forced to take a close look at my own sets.  As I was preparing to write this post, I discovered that I had a hole in my collection.  For reasons unbeknown to me, I had a duplicate pin in place of Pin #1 of the 1991 set.  Hopefully, I will soon rectify that error.  In the meantime, take a look at an image I took off of eBay of that pin below.

The theme of the 1991 Dodgers' Unocal pin set are record breaking/setting Dodger accomplishments.

Pin #1 - Record Setting Infield - Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell and Ron Cey comprised the longest-standing infield in Major League history.  The four men played together from 1973 through 1981.

Pin #2 - Pinch-Hitting Records - Manny Mota set a record with 150 career pinch-hits and hit a remarkable .322 as a pinch-hitter with the Dodgers.  Lee Lacy tied a Major League record by slamming three consecutive inch-hit home runs during May 1978.

Pin #3 - Consecutive Shutout Innings - Don Drysdale's 56 1/3 consecutive shutout innings in 1968 set a record that was broken by Orel Hershiser's 59 straight shutout innings in 1988.  Fernando Valenzuela set a record with 41 1/3 straight shutout innings at the start of a season (1985).

Pin #4 - No-Hitters in LA - Sandy Koufax, Bill Singer, Jerry Reuss and Fernando Valenzuela have hurled no-hitters for the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Koufax tossed four no-hitters in all, including a perfect game against the Cubs at Dodger Stadium on September 9, 1965.

Pin #5 - Four Teammates with 30 Homers - Steve Garvey (33), Reggie Smith (32), Ron Cey (30) and Dusty Baker (30) are the only foursome in Major League history to each hit 30 or more homers in a single season (1977).

Pin #6 - 18 Strikeouts in a Game - Sandy Koufax tied a Major League record by striking out 18 Chicago Cubs on August 31, 1959, at the Los Angeles Coliseum.  Ramon Martinez duplicated Koufax' feat against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on June 4, 1990.

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Blog Kiosk: 2/26/2014 - Dodgers Links - Dee Gordon, Moneyball as a College Course and an Interview with AJ Ellis

Check out some Dodgers' pitchers warming up, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014.

• Mark Langill at Dodger Insider writes, "Becoming Red Barber: How the first voice of the Dodgers began his career".
• Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider tells us that Larry King will host his own Dodger show on SportsNet LA called "Larry King At Bat".
• Mark Monninger, better known to Dodger fans as the Rally Bear, took his act to the Sochi Olympics.  I kid you not.  Via Shawn Anderson at the Hall of Very Good.
• MLB.com has up some brand new interactive browser themes available for download.  Go here to check them out.
• Tom Hoffarth at Farther Off the Wall provides a complete look at the Dodgers Spring radio schedule.  Then, Tom writes for the LA Daily News to provide some answers about why you might not have SportsNet LA yet.
• Mike Petriello at Dodgers Digest provides some insight by writing, "This Is How Dee Gordon Apparently Ruined His 2013 Season".
• Adam Poulisse at the Pasadena Star-News writes, "The Theory and Practice of Moneyball at Caltech takes a new look at sports analysis".

“I’ve spent a lot of time with students interested in the business of sports, which is no different than the business of business,” said Fred Claire, co-instructor of the class and former general manager of the Dodgers. “Some people have a passion for sports, and this is a way to stay involved.”

• Panini America shares some preview images from their newest Baseball card called 2014 Donruss.  That's right collectors, Donruss is back!  Check out some of the cards on the right from a pack they just opened; including a couple of Kemp's.  BTW, this set officially goes live today.
• Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com shares a recent interview he had with AJ Ellis.

Q. What did you think, specifically, about Zack’s comment about having “zero excitement” for going to pitch in Australia?
A. I love how Zack is himself. I love how Zack is very honest. When I get off an airplane in a city and I’m looking for somebody to have a meal with, I’m looking for Zack because it’s going to be a great conversation, he’s going to tell you exactly how it feels and it’s going to be a great time.

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "The time Steve Yeager stole home".
• Whaaa...?  Via Kashmira Gander at The Independent, a Northern California couple found 1,427 mint uncirculated vintage gold coins buried on their property.  The approximate value is $10Mil.  Below is a pic of one of the canisters they found.

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Vin Scully Told a Story of the Day He Wore a Dodger Uniform, Once Upon a Time

This might very well be the greatest Vin Scully story I have ever heard.

For those of you who do not have SportsNet LA yet, I figured I would transcribe what I thought was the best moment from tonight's opening presentation of the new Dodger channel.

It was from the "Access SportsNet: Dodgers" show, and a group of their broadcasters interviewed Vin Scully.

Orel Hershiser asked the following question:

"What is it like to have never put the Dodger uniform on, but to be the most famous Dodger ever?"

In classic Vin style, he deflected any notion that he's the most famous, and instead recounted a story I had never heard him tell.

Well, um... Number 1, I'll pass on that most famous Dodger, but actually I did put the uniform on, once.

We were in Chicago for a series, and for whatever reason we weren't broadcasting... and Tommy Lasorda said to me "have you ever watched a game from the dugout?"

And, I said, "no."

And, he said, "well, we have a uniform, you can sit in the dugout with us."

I said, "I'll go, but you must ask the umpires, and if they agree, cause I don't want them looking over and throwing me out of the game."

So, the umpires said yes, I put on a uniform, snuck in to the dugout, sat down with the cap pulled over my eye, and I figured no one knows except the team.

And, at the bottom of the 1st inning John Vukovich, God rest his soul, the 1st base coach of the Cubs, is running across towards the box.

And, as he goes by the dugout he hollers, "Vinny!"

And, I'm startled.  And, he throws a ball, and I catch the ball.  And, written on the ball, it says:

"If a fight breaks out, I want you" ... And, it's signed by Don Zimmer...

I look over and all the Cubs are falling on the floor, so it was the worse kept secret.

So, I did wear one Dodger uniform, once upon a time.

Awesome!

Pic at the very top via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014

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Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Full-Squad Workout #12

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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(Contemplative Puig, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

TAKE IT EASY: The Dodgers completed their 12th full-squad workout today, a shortened tuneup before the club’s Cactus League opener tomorrow at Talking Stick against the D-backs. Tomorrow’s game will be the Dodgers’ first of 21 games in Arizona with the club playing 25 total exhibitions this spring, including a game against Team Australia (March 20 in Sydney) and the Freeway Series (March 27-29 in Southern California).

• Hyun-Jin Ryu, Chad Billingsley, Kenley Jansen, Brian Wilson, Chris Perez, J.P. Howell, Matt Magill and Yimi Garcia threw normal bullpens today, while Josh Beckett, Paul Maholm and Stephen Fife threw live BP on the minor league side.

(Kemp and Etheir gab away, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

FOR REAL (ALMOST): The lineup for tomorrow’s game against Arizona was already posted this morning in the Dodger clubhouse with Chone Figgins leading off at shortstop followed by Carl Crawford in left field, Yasiel Puig in right field, Juan Uribe at third base, Joc Pederson in center field, Scott Van Slyke at first base, Tim Federowicz at catcher, Alex Guerrero at second base and Justin Turner as the designated hitter. Clayton Kershaw will be the starting pitcher and will be followed to the mound by Seth Rosin, Ross Stripling, Javy Guerra, Jose Dominguez, Sam Demel and Daniel Moskos (L).

LAUNCH PARTY: The new 24-hour-a-day network of the Dodgers, SportsNet LA, will premier tonight at 7:00 p.m. PT with original programming. Tonight’s lineup will feature a live studio show “Access SportsNet: Dodgers,” the inaugural episode of “Backstage: Dodgers,” back-to-back “Connected With…” interview shows featuring Clayton Kershaw and Don Mattingly and a one-hour retrospective special about last year’s season.

• This spring, SNLA will televise all of this year’s Dodger Cactus League games, with the exception of two split-squad games, giving fans more Spring Training coverage than ever before. Vin Scully will call four Cactus League contests, including games tomorrow and Thursday.
• SNLA’s programming lineup will include shows “Backstage: Dodgers,” “Access SportsNet: Dodgers,” “Leadoff LA,” “Dodgers Clubhouse,” “Connected With,” “Talkin’ Blue,” “Dodgermentary,” “Timeless Dodgers” and “Dodgers Squeeze Play.” For more information, please visit www.ineedmydodgers.com.
• SportsNet LA will be available to Time Warner Cable’s customers in the Los Angeles area with Standard TV service or above in high definition (HD) on channel 431 and in standard definition (SD) on digital channel 249.

(The Dodgers broadcast crew, pic via @alannarizzo on twitter)

OVER THE AIRWAVES: The Dodgers announced their Spring Training radio schedule earlier today, which includes 15 broadcasts on AM 570 Fox Sports Los Angeles (KLAC) and eight broadcasts in Spanish on Univision America 1020 (KTNQ). Tomorrow’s game can be heard in both English and Spanish and the full broadcast schedule can be found on Dodgers.com.

• The Dodgers’ English-language radio broadcast will be led by a combination of Rick Monday (8 play-by-play, 7 analyst), Charley Steiner (7 play-by-play) and Nomar Garciaparra (5 analyst). Monday begins his 22nd season as a Dodger broadcaster and 30th overall with the organization, including eight as a player. Steiner enters his 10th season as a play-by-play announcer for the team. Garciaparra, who enters his first season with the Dodgers as a broadcaster, played three seasons for the Dodgers (2006-08) in his 14-year Major League career.
• Hall of Famer Jaime Jarrín, Pepe Yñiguez and legendary Dodger pitcher Fernando Valenzuela will call the action in Spanish for the Dodgers. Jarrín enters his 56th season in the Dodgers’ Spanish-language radio booth and Yñiguez will begin his 16th. Valenzuela enters his 12th season calling games for the Dodgers after a 17-year playing career.

GIVING BACK: Following Friday’s game between the Dodgers and White Sox, Camelback Ranch-Glendale and the two clubs will host a clinic for youngsters from the Glendale Youth Project and Boys & Girls Club of Metro Phoenix. 2014 marks the second year that the clubs have hosted a youth clinic during Spring Training and is just one of the many Camelback Ranch community initiatives, which include food drives, Home Runs for Life (honoring patients at Cancer Treatment Centers of America and Phoenix Children’s Hospital) and a Read Across America Day event at Glendale’s Main Public Library. Dodger prospects Joc Pederson, Zach Lee and Jarret Martin will represent the club at Friday’s event.

(Don Mattingly, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

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