Roger Arrieta
GROUNDHOG DAY: Just eight days away from their Cactus League opener against the D-backs at Salt River Fields – Talking Stick, the Dodgers took to the fields at Camelback Ranch – Glendale for the fifth full-squad workout of 2014.
Another round of live batting practice took place today to close out the day’s workout, as Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez, Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp faced off against left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu and right-hander Matt Magill on Field 1. On Field 2, Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, Juan Uribe, Chone Figgins and Justin Turner took their cuts against left-handed pitcher Jarret Martin, right-handed pitcher Pedro Baez and right-handed pitcher Carlos Frias.
A WARM WELCOME: There has been a steady stream of familiar faces to arrive at Camelback Ranch – Glendale in the last few days, including the likes of Sandy Koufax, Orel Hershiser and Tommy Davis. Another Dodger great to arrive in camp today was Eric Karros, whose name is etched atop the LA Dodgers career home run list with 270, 42 ahead of Ron Cey. In Karros’ 14-year career, he was honored with the 1992 NL Rookie of the Year Award and the 1995 Silver Slugger Award for first basemen, the year in which he also finished fifth in the NL MVP voting. Karros will serve as a guest instructor while in camp.
ALL TOGETHER NOW: Today, managers and general managers from throughout the Cactus League will be available between 3:00-5:00 p.m. in the First Base Suite Lounge on the Diamond Level at Chase Field in Phoenix, including Don Mattingly and Ned Colletti, who will take their turns behind the mic at 4:00 p.m. Media can confirm attendance by emailing MLB Public Relations’ Mike Teevan (mike.teevan@mlb.com).
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!: Assistant Hitting Coach John Valentin and Coach/Spanish TV Broadcaster Manny Mota both celebrated their birthdays today at Camelback Ranch – Glendale.
* Valentin enters his second season as the assistant hitting coach after serving as a minor league coach in the Dodgers’ organization since 2008, following an 11-year Major League career with Boston (1992-2001) and New York-NL (2002). Valentin posted a career .279 batting average and was honored with the Silver Slugger Award with the Red Sox in 1995.
* Mota enters his 35th season as a coach with the Dodgers and 2014 will mark his 46th year with Los Angeles after a playing career that spanned parts of 13 seasons from 1969-1980 and 1982. During his 20-year-career, Mota hit .304 with San Francisco (1962), Pittsburgh (1963-68), Montreal (1969) and the Dodgers (1969-80, 82) while becoming baseball’s all-time pinch-hit leader with 150, a mark since broken by Lenny Harris and Mark Sweeney.
AN OFFICIAL PORTRAIT: On Thursday, the Dodgers will hold their annual Photo Day starting at 7:00 a.m. with players, coaches and staff showing their pearly whites for a variety of media outlets, including SportsNet LA, MLB.com, USA Today, Baseball Digest, Topps and Getty. To RSVP, please email Garrett Thomas (GThomas@LADodgers.com).
ALL DODGERS, ALL THE TIME: We’re just seven days away from the launch of SportsNet LA on February 25, the new 24-hour-a-day network of the Dodgers. 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. In addition to airing games during Spring Training, SportsNet LA will also air a nightly show, “Access SportsNet: Dodgers,” at 7:00 p.m. PT.
* SNLA’s programming lineup will include new shows “Backstage: Dodgers,” “Access SportsNet: Dodgers,” “Leadoff LA,” “Dodgers Clubhouse,” “Connected With,” “Talkin’ Blue,” “Dodgermentary,” “Timeless Dodgers” and “Dodgers Squeeze Play” all set to air starting Feb. 25. For more information, please visit www.ineedmydodgers.com.
* Today, SNLA began filming a series of long-form interviews for the “Connected With” program. During the next few days, Orel Hershiser, John Hartung and Alanna Rizzo will sit down for extended interviews with Don Mattingly, Clayton Kershaw, Brian Wilson and Adrian Gonzalez for the network.
AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE: This year, an early report date means an early exit from Arizona as the Dodgers will depart the Valley of the Sun on March 16 for Sydney, Australia. Once Down Under, Los Angeles will battle the D-backs on March 22-23 in Major League Baseball’s Opening Series, which will mark MLB’s first regular-season games ever to be staged in Australia. The Dodgers will return stateside and play three exhibitions against the Angels in the Freeway Series before opening the “North American” portion of their schedule March 30 at San Diego on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball.
