Roger Arrieta
NEXT TIME IT’S REAL: The Dodgers will open the 2014 season in just 10 days against the D-backs in MLB’s Opening Series in Sydney, Australia. With their Cactus League series tied 1-1, the clubs will square off today for their third and final meeting of the spring. Despite the Dodgers winning the division in 2013 and leading the D-backs in the overall series 146-131, the D-backs won 10 of the 19 meetings between the clubs last season.
Outfielder Matt Kemp is scheduled to play in a minor league intrasuad game today at noon on the backfields of Camelback Ranch – Glendale.
Minor league position players suiting up today include LHP Daniel Moskos (#47), IF Darnell Sweeney (#83), IF Daniel Mayora (#88), OF Scott Schebler (#89), IF Jamie Romak (#90), RHP Craig Stem (#96) and RHP Romulo Sanchez (#97).
AUSTRALIAN FOR BASEBALL: The historic Sydney Cricket Ground, which is the site where the Dodgers will face the D-backs in MLB’s 2014 Opening Series in Sydney, Australia, has been undergoing renovations to prepare for the first-ever MLB games to be played Down Under. The club will depart Arizona following its Sunday game against the Rockies and land in Sydney on March 18. Following a few days of workouts and sightseeing, the Dodgers will play Team Australia in an exhibition March 20 and then take on the D-backs March 22 and 23 to open the regular season.
Clayton Kershaw will be the Opening Day starter for the first game against the D-backs in the 2014 Opening Series in Sydney, Australia. This will mark Kershaw’s fourth consecutive Opening Day start for the club and he has not allowed a run in his three previous outings (19.0 IP). The left-hander has racked up 19 strikeouts in his three Opening Day starts against the Giants (2013 – SHO, 2011 – 7.0 IP) and Padres (2012, 3.0 IP, exited game due to illness). Hyun-Jin Ryu will pitch the second game in Australia.
BACK IN THE “W” COLUMN: Yesterday, the Dodgers picked up their fifth Cactus League win, 7-5, against the Royals in Surprise, their first victory since Friday’s win vs. Texas. Outfielder Scott Van Slyke (1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB) gave the Dodgers a late lead with a two-run homer in the eighth inning and, after the lead was given up in the bottom half of the inning, outfielder Noel Cuevas (1-for-1, HR, 3 RBI) put Los Angeles on top for good with a three-run shot in the ninth. On the mound, starter Dan Haren had a solid outing by allowing one run on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout in 4.0 innings, while RHP Jose Dominguez (1.0 IP), LHP Paco Rodriguez (1.0 IP) and RHP Sam Demel (1.0 IP) each tossed scoreless relief.
ZACK ATTACK: For the first time since suffering a right calf strain in his only Cactus League appearance on February 27, right-hander Zack Greinke will pitch 2.0 innings today against Arizona. Greinke enters his second season with the Dodgers after going 15-4 in 2013, one win shy of his career high of 16 in 2009, with the National League’s fourth-lowest ERA at 2.63 in 28.
Also scheduled to throw today is left-hander J.P. Howell, who will be making his fifth appearance of the spring. Howell last appeared on Monday against Oakland and has fired scoreless relief in three of his four outings.
Yet to allow a run in 4.0 innings (4 G), right-handed reliever Kenley Jansen is scheduled to pitch this afternoon against the D-backs. Jansen is limiting the opposition to a .154 (2-for-13) batting average this spring and has racked up three strikeouts without issuing a walk.
RHP Chris Perez and RHP Chris Withrow are scheduled to pitch today for their fifth and fourth times of the spring, respectively.
UP FOR THE CHALLENGE: With Manager Don Mattingly leaving camp due to a death in the family, bench coach Tim Wallach will serve as the manager and Special Advisor to the GM Pat Corrales will be the club’s bench coach this afternoon. Los Angeles will play their third game with the new instant replay system today and will have two more Cactus League games where replay is used after today’s game, March 15 at Chicago-AL and March 16 vs. Colorado. The system will also be in place for all three Freeway Series games against the Angels.
Wallach managed the Dodgers’ Triple-A partner the Albuquerque Isotopes in 2009 and 2010 and guided them to a 152-135 (.530) record and an American Southern Division title in 2009. That season, Wallach was recognized as the 2009 Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year and also as Baseball America’s “Best Manager Prospect.”
SPRING CLEANING: Tonight, Senior Vice President of Planning and Development Janet Marie Smith will speak at the NINE Spring Training conference in Tempe, AZ. NINE: A Journal of Baseball History & Culture seeks to promote the study of all historical aspects of baseball and centers on the cultural implications of the game wherever in the world baseball is played. The journal reflects an eclectic approach and does not foster a particular ideological bias.
Renowned architect and urban planner Janet Marie Smith was named the Dodgers’ Senior Vice President of Planning and Development in August 2012 and is overseeing current upgrades and enhancements to Dodger Stadium.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Date/Time Opponent Location Probables TV/RADIO
March 13/1:05 p.m. CIN Glendale LHP Paul Maholm vs. LHP Alfredo Simon SNLA
via Los Angeles Dodgers
