{"id":22628,"date":"2012-03-01T08:35:49","date_gmt":"2012-03-01T15:35:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/?p=22628"},"modified":"2012-03-01T08:35:49","modified_gmt":"2012-03-01T15:35:49","slug":"dodgers-spring-training-notes-vol-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/?p=22628","title":{"rendered":"Dodgers Spring Training Notes: Vol. I"},"content":{"rendered":"

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LOS ANGELES DODGERS<\/h2>\n

Day 8\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Spring Training Notes\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 February 29, 2012<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

ALMOST GAME TIME:<\/span><\/strong> The Dodgers completed their second day of full squad workouts this afternoon and all was business as usual. Only four more workouts remain before the first game of the Cactus League campaign on March 5 at 1:05 p.m. against the White Sox at Camelback Ranch – Glendale. The Dodgers\u2019 first home game at Camelback Ranch will be the following day against the San Francisco Giants.<\/p>\n

YOU ARE LOOKING LIVE:<\/span><\/strong> <\/strong>Dodger pitchers were back on the mounds throwing live batting practice today and among those who tossed were Chad Billingsley<\/strong>,\u00a0Aaron Harang<\/strong>,\u00a0Ronald Belisario<\/strong>,\u00a0Jamey Wright<\/strong>,\u00a0Josh Lindblom<\/strong>,\u00a0Nathan Eovaldi<\/strong>,\u00a0Ramon Troncoso<\/strong>,Chris Withrow<\/strong>,\u00a0Michael Antonini<\/strong> and\u00a0Josh Wall<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

BEST OF THE BEST:<\/span><\/strong> <\/strong>However, the main attraction today was 2011 National League Cy Young Award winner\u00a0Clayton<\/strong> Kershaw<\/strong> squaring off with\u00a0Matt Kemp<\/strong>,\u00a0Andre Ethier<\/strong> and\u00a0James Loney<\/strong> during his live batting practice session. As Kershaw walked off the mound,Adam Kennedy<\/strong> and\u00a0Mark Ellis<\/strong> arrived at the field, with Kennedy asking the 21-game winner, \u201cAre you throwing?\u201d To which Kershaw replied, \u201cI\u2019m done.\u201d Kennedy waited a half beat and deadpanned, \u201cYou\u2019re lucky,\u201d before breaking into a wide smile.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL:<\/span><\/strong> <\/strong>This morning was the annual Cactus League Breakfast and this year the hosts were none other than the Dodgers, White Sox and Camelback Ranch \u2013 Glendale. Hundreds of local politicians, sponsors, civic leaders and baseball folks enjoyed a buffet breakfast and speeches from several team personnel, including Hall of Famer\u00a0Tommy Lasorda<\/strong>, Dodger General Manager\u00a0Ned Colletti<\/strong>, White Sox Vice President, Player Development Buddy Bell and White Sox broadcaster Steve Stone.<\/p>\n

NON-ROSTER SPOTLIGHT:<\/span><\/strong> <\/strong>One catcher has literally stood out among the Dodger backstops and that\u2019s the 6\u2019 4\u201d California native Gorman \u201cGriff\u201d Erickson.\u00a0 The 24-year-old San Diego resident was selected by the Dodgers in the 15th<\/sup> round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft and hit a combined .293 and set career highs with 13 homers and 66 RBI in 104 games with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Chattanooga. Erickson was the starting catcher in the California League All-Star Game in 2011.<\/p>\n

LEAP DAY MADNESS:<\/span><\/strong> According to the wonderful people at\u00a0baseball-reference.com<\/a>, there have been just 11 players in baseball history born on Feb. 29. Of those, only one played for the Dodgers, as\u00a0Ed Appleton<\/strong> pitched for the Brooklyn Robins from 1915-16, going 5-12 with a 3.25 ERA in 48 games (13 starts). The most recent big leaguer who can only celebrate a birthday once every four years is Terrence Long, who played from 1999-2006.<\/p>\n

SIGN HERE PLEASE:<\/span><\/strong> Today was autograph day at Camelback Ranch and the Dodgers signed hundreds of balls, jerseys, photos and bats that will be auctioned off for charity, donated or given away throughout the season.<\/p>\n

SAY CHEESE:<\/span><\/strong> This Friday is photo day at Camelback Ranch \u2013 Glendale\u00a0 This year, a bevy of entities will be taking part, including the Associated Press, Getty Images, Dodger radio partner AM 570 Fox Sports Radio, MLB International, MLB Photos,\u00a0Baseball Magazine Sha<\/em>, Dodger broadcast partner KCAL 9,\u00a0Topps<\/em> and MLB.com.<\/p>\n

THE GOLDEN TICKET:<\/span><\/strong> <\/strong>In just three days on Saturday, March 3 fans can purchase a limited number of Opening Day tickets as well as single-game regular season tickets at Dodger Stadium and on\u00a0Dodgers.com<\/a>. Prices on many advanced individual tickets for the 2012 season after Opening Day have been reduced as much as $20 per ticket. The Dodger Stadium gates will open at 8:00 a.m. and the annual On Sale festivities will include music, trivia and contests, hosted by AM 570 Fox Sports Los Angeles. Additionally, fans that purchase at least one ticket at Dodger Stadium at the On Sale event will receive a Dodger gift.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

DREAM A LITTLE DREAM:<\/span><\/strong> Tomorrow, the Dodgers will hold their annual open tryout here at Camelback Ranch \u2013 Glendale, hosted by the amateur scouting department. The tryout will take place from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and potential prospects can call 323-224-1512 for details and instructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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LOS ANGELES DODGERS Day 8\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Spring Training Notes\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 February 29, 2012 ALMOST GAME TIME: The Dodgers completed their second day of full squad workouts this afternoon and all was business as usual. Only four more workouts remain before the first game of the Cactus League campaign on March 5 at 1:05 p.m. against the White […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22628","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-10s"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22628","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=22628"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22628\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22629,"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22628\/revisions\/22629"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=22628"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=22628"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=22628"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}