Dodger Spring Training Notes, February 20, 2014

LONG TIME COMING: It’s now less than a week away from the Dodgers 2014 Cactus League opener against the D-backs at Salt River Fields – Talking Stick. Today, the squad hit the fields at Camelback Ranch – Glendale for their seventh full-squad workout.

Just a couple of Dodger pitchers tossed to live batters today as Paco Rodriguez and Jamey Wright worked to a group of minor leaguers on Field 6. In addition to those hurlers, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Matt Magill, Pedro Baez, Jarret Martin and Carlos Frias threw regular bullpens.

* Dodger left-hander Paul Maholm threw on flat ground today and is likely to throw a ‘pen in the next couple of days according to Dodger Manager Don Mattingly. Maholm has been experiencing some tenderness around the elbow and is being slowed down for precautionary reasons.

* Dodger outfielder Yasiel Puig was held out of action today after fouling a ball off his right leg yesterday. Puig will not undergo any further testing at this time and he is expected to be a full participant in tomorrow’s workout.

THE GAMES BEHIND THE GAMES: The Dodgers will play two intra-squad games on Sunday, Feb. 23 and Monday, Feb. 24 on the back fields of Camelback Ranch – Glendale. Pitchers scheduled to throw on Sunday include Matt Magill, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Chris Perez, Brian Wilson, Kenley Jansen and J.P. Howell. On Monday, Stephen Fife, Dan Haren, Chris Reed, Paco Rodriguez and Jamey Wright each will pitch.

NEW SEASON SEAT OPPORTUNITIES: Two new Dodger season-seat opportunities on the club level are among the limited season seats still available. Among the new improvements for the upcoming season is a newly-renovated executive club bar and food service located on the left-field side. Club Level season seat holders will receive in-seat food and beverage service for the first time and they’ll also be greeted with a new menu. The renovated food stand will include a full service bar and for the first time ever, the Dodgers also will offer season seats in the Stadium Club on the Front Row rail and the Loge Party boxes. The Stadium Club rail seats feature unlimited food and non-alcoholic beverages and are priced at $150 per game. The Loge Party boxes seating six, eight or 10 and located between the bases offer dedicated wait staff and an option of adding in-seat food and beverage service. For more information, contact a Season Ticket Representative at 323-DODGERS.

SAY CHEESE! (OVER AND OVER): Today, the Dodgers held their annual Photo Day, which ran from 7-10:00 a.m. Players, coaches and staff took hundreds and hundreds of photos for a variety of media outlets, including a special shoot for SportsNet LA, the club’s brand new television network. MLB.com, USA Today, Baseball Digest, Topps and Getty were also on hand.

* Tomorrow, the Dodgers will welcome the gang from MLB Productions, here to shoot interviews with Dodger players, coaches and legends for a variety of shows.

ALL DODGERS, ALL THE TIME: We’re just five 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.

* The network has announced its full launch night programming schedule, led by 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’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,” all set to air starting Feb. 25. For more information, please visit www.ineedmydodgers.com.

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.