Dodgers (Well, Some of Them) Make the Long Trip to Tucson
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 11:32 AM PST
in Game Threads
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PrintDodgers (2-4-1) at Diamondbacks (4-5-1)
12:05pm, Tucson Electric Park, Tucson, AZ
Today marks the second-to-last trip to Tucson for the Dodgers (they also go to Hi Corbett Field -- where the spring training scenes of Major League were filmed!! -- on March 30 to play the Rockies), to face the Diamondbacks for the final time at Tucson Electric Park. Next season, the D-Backs and Rockies will begin play in their new spring training facility in Scottsdale, a field roughly 36 miles away instead of the current distance of 135 miles away, by far the longest trip of the spring.
As a result, today's travel roster is devoid of most veterans. There are lots of players from minor league camp making the trip, including a pair in the starting lineup, in Andrew Lambo and Pedro Baez.
Speaking of minor leaguers, the indispensable Spring Training Online has posted the Dodgers' schedule for their minor league games, which run from March 19 through April 3. Typically, the two A teams are at home when the Double A and Triple A teams are on the road, and vice versa. If you are making a journey out to Camelback Ranch this spring, I highly recommend checking out these minor league games. Get up close and personal with the next generation of Dodgers.
Larry Bowa, who was taken to the hospital yesterday with stomach cramps, is fine today, but did not make the trip to Tucson. Mariano Duncan will coach third base in his place, while Albuquerque hitting coach John Moses coaches first base for the Dodgers today.
The Dodgers' trip to Taiwan is an attempt to restore faith in Taiwanese baseball, rocked by game-fixing scandals, writes Steve Henson of Yahoo Sports:
The current game-fixing scandal is the fifth such occurrence in recent years. Officials from Taiwan’s China Professional Baseball League have asked MLB for guidance on how to prevent game-fixing. Unlike MLB, most players aren’t paid enough to eliminate the temptation to risk their careers for an envelope stuffed with cash or a few nights with prostitutes. Taiwanese players earn between $40,000 and $200,000 a year.
Acey Kohrogi, the Dodgers head of operations in Asia, has been scouting in Taiwan since 1996. He said players are offered two to three times their annual salaries to throw games. "Then they are trapped," Kohrogi said. "These are gangster types. It’s organized crime but not like the gangsters on the streets of L.A. This is really organized, and by college graduates. It’s very discreet but can be very dangerous."
In Diamondbacks' news, Brandon Webb is likely to begin the season on the disabled list, per the Associated Press.
Here are the lineups:
| Dodgers | D-Backs | |||
| SS | DeJesus | 2B | Johnson | |
| 2B | DeWitt | SS | Abreu | |
| CF | Johnson | 1B | Jackson | |
| DH | Mientkiewicz | DH | Reynolds | |
| C | Ellis | RF | Parra | |
| 1B | Gibbons | CF | Young | |
| RF | Repko | C | Snyder | |
| LF | Lambo | LF | Macias | |
| 3B | Baez | 3B | Ojeda | |
| P | Billingsley | P | Mulvey | |
After Chad Billingsley, scheduled to pitch for the Dodgers are Scott Elbert, Eric Gagne, Justin Miller, and Brent Leach.
Other players from major league camp on the travel roster today are Justin Knoedler, Nick Green, Argenis Reyes, and pitchers Armando Zerpa and Javy Guerra.
Scheduled pitchers to follow Kevin Mulvey for Arizona are Chad Qualls, Zach Kroenke, Blaine Boyer, Leyson Septimo, Bob Howry, and Roque Mercedes.
Daylight savings time is tonight, so starting tomorrow the day games start a little later, at 1pm Pacific time instead of noon, because most of Arizona, including the Phoenix area, does not recognize daylight savings time.
No TV today (tomorrow is on Prime Ticket), but you can listen on 790 KABC or the Dodger Radio Network.
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Xavier Paul
after being mobbed by fans in Taiwan:
I feel like the Jonas Brothers – no, make that the Jackson Five
I’m a little surprised that a guy as young as XPaul referred to them as “The Jackson Five”, as opposed to “The Jacksons”. They started using the latter name in the mid-70s after they left Motown, who held the rights to the former name.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
by David Young on Mar 13, 2010 12:08 PM PST up reply actions
Two great names there pitching for AZ
Leyson Septimo, Roque Mercedes. Ronald Belisario should name a son Septimo. The english-speaking guys must nicknamed the other Rock. Rock Mercedes – doesn’t he make movies in Chatsworth?
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
must have nicknamed the other guy Rock. Really weak fingers.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
by David Young on Mar 13, 2010 12:05 PM PST up reply actions
Agreed...awesome names all
I hear Roque really brings the cheese
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 12:06 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Wow. Just wow.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
by David Young on Mar 13, 2010 12:11 PM PST up reply actions
Rec’d.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
by David Young on Mar 13, 2010 12:12 PM PST up reply actions
You have no idea how long I debated putting that pun in the story above. :)
For an alternate title, I was also going to use “Dodger Veterans Too Loose for L.A. Trek” but I didn’t like the headline, and besides how many people give a crap about Toulouse-Lautrec?
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 12:15 PM PST up reply actions
He was a short guy
so I like him. I like that pun.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
by David Young on Mar 13, 2010 12:20 PM PST up reply actions
and the Roque brings the cheese line would have been a great sentence after the pitcher’s list. You should have gone for it.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
by David Young on Mar 13, 2010 12:21 PM PST up reply actions
Is it raining or something?
Neither teams’ radio feeds (at least online) are playing the game at the moment…
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
I assumed the first few seconds were the AZ announcers, but these guys aren’t Greg Schulte and Tom Candiotti!
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 12:13 PM PST up reply actions
KABC is broadcasting the game over-the-air
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
by David Young on Mar 13, 2010 12:14 PM PST up reply actions
Thanks
I’d rather not listen to the other KABC content if I don’t have to. ;-)
Wait… they’re playing ZZ Top! Help!
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
I like that the two guys have the ridiculous chin hair, but it is the other guy who’s name is Beard.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
by David Young on Mar 13, 2010 12:24 PM PST up reply actions
back to back Ks to follow the walk by Mulvey
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 12:26 PM PST up reply actions
Billingsley's 1st inning
Johnson: swinging strikeout
Abreu: 3-1 groundout
CoJack: line drive double to RF
Reynolds: swinging strikeout
I don’t believe Gameday tracks pitches, but if it did, Billingsley threw 8 pitches in the first (doubtful)
Gameday definitely doesn’t track pitches in the spring, but rather it fills in the pitches depending on the outcome.
A walk becomes 4 pitches (ball, ball, ball, ball), a strikeout becomes 3 pitches (strike, strike, strike) no matter how long the PA. Balls in play are just shown as one-pitch ABs.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 12:29 PM PST up reply actions
Tell Molly Knight
She’s now joined the Chad Doubters!
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
Saw her tweet last night. Died a little on the inside.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 12:31 PM PST up reply actions
Here is the tweet in question:
Not holding my breath Billingsley will rebound. He’s obviously got great stuff but I don’t think he can let bad outings go. Too bad.
She also added:
I still like the Dodgers to win the division, though. The line-up is rock solid and Kershaw-Kuroda-Padilla is not too shabby.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 12:32 PM PST up reply actions
Snyder hit a smash to 3B, and Baez made a great diving stop, but threw to first too late (infield single) and a bit wide; Gibbons made a nice stop.
Schulte (AZ announcer) said Baez saved a sure double. 1st and 3rd, 1 out
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 12:36 PM PST up reply actions
4-pitch walk to Drew Macias…bases load, 1 out for Ojeda
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 12:38 PM PST up reply actions
4-pitch walk to DeJesus…1st & 2nd with 1 out for DeWitt.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 12:48 PM PST up reply actions
Mientkiewicz struck out to end the inning…I missed Johnson’s AB, but he got out as well.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 12:53 PM PST up reply actions
DeWitt's HR was the Dodgers' first hit
(they have 3 walks).
Their R-H-E line is 3-1-2 right now. Heh.
hi everyone
Dewitt looks ready
Move over Belliard
by hirambocachica on Mar 13, 2010 12:55 PM PST reply actions
I just got done watching chapman from yesterday. What is supposed to be his second or third pitch? He sure throws hard
by delias man on Mar 13, 2010 12:56 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Seemed like his slider was drawing rave reviews.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 12:57 PM PST up reply actions
I haven’t watched his two innings yet, and I’m usually awful at pitch recognition anyway, but I am eager to see him throw.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 1:15 PM PST up reply actions
end his day with his 4th K (Mark Reynolds, after a 3-0 count, too).
3 IP, 3 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 1 HBP, 4 K
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 1:01 PM PST up reply actions
Elbert pitched a scoreless inning, and I think he allowed just one runner (Young walked, and then stole second). I may have missed a batter though.
Elbert living up to Phil's moniker for him this inning
starts out walk, walk, then a 2-run triple by Abreu (his second in as many games against LA this spring)
More (less) fun spring stats
Abreu is 11 for 23 this spring, with 2 doubles, 2 triples, and a dinger
Both triples and the HR are against the Dodgers.
He is not having a great Spring thus far
by Julio Nievas on Mar 13, 2010 1:54 PM PST up reply actions
Justin Miller was the one who finished the 4th, and he’s on to start the fifth
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 1:58 PM PST up reply actions
Billingsley had a great outing and our starting second baseman hit a home run
I’m declaring this game a moral victory. See you in Taiwan…
From Dylan Hernandez:
An NL scout told @nickpiecoro that Russ Ortiz looked impressive in his last outing. “He has his [expletive] back,” the scout said
I hope that scout doesn’t work for the Dodgers. He can go [expletive] himself :)
Nick Piecoro is the D-Backs beat writer for the AZ Republic BTW
Shame About Elbert...
…but before any games even started he was clearly not being taken seriously as a fifth starter candidate — not by Torre, at least. Ironically, I am now worried that Elbert WILL make the the MLB team for opening day — as a bullpen arm in place of an injured Kuo. I really don’t want that. Elbert needs to be a starter in Triple A, and I think he needs to do as well as a pitcher can in ABQ, or he is not going to figure in the Dodgers’ plans for the future.
I agree
although I don’t necessarily think he will start the season in the Dodger bullpen. Especially not if he’s still wild.
I didn’t realize that today was Elbert’s first “A” game action this spring. He pitched Monday in the “B” game against the White Sox, and for some reason that left my mind.
Small sample size of course, but so far, in two games Elbert has 5 walks and 4 strikeouts in 3.1 innings.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 2:14 PM PST up reply actions
Someone just got picked off 1-3-6, but it may have been Repko and not Guerra (if he forced him; I missed a batter)
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 2:15 PM PST up reply actions
OK, I misheard that…the pinch runner (per Gameday) was actually Brandon Watson
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 2:27 PM PST up reply actions
Brandon Allen just crushed a Gagne offering to RF for a HR…5-3 AZ
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 2:21 PM PST up reply actions
and now an RBI triple for Cole Gillaspie.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 2:29 PM PST up reply actions
and another run…Gagne is done after 0.2 innings…3 runs allowed. Game over.
lefty coming in. Could be Leach or Zerpa.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 2:32 PM PST up reply actions
6 runs in 2.2 IP so far this spring for Gagne
It is Zerpa in to pitch
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 2:34 PM PST up reply actions
clearly he needs to stop boinking his blonde publicist and put the goggles back on, then he will be ok.
My head would have exploded if that were the case. Maybe that March 30 game (on MLB Network!) will be important after all!
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 2:47 PM PST up reply actions
Bingo
Manny is clearly Cerrano.
Eddie Harris is probably Kuroda
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 2:56 PM PST up reply actions
Ardoin would have been a fun choice.
Ausmus may work for the Taylor role.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 2:59 PM PST up reply actions
Dee Gordon as Willie Mays Hayes.
Or maybe Trayvon Robinson, since he plays CF :)
Or maybe Kemp, since he has Hollywood connections now and can star in “Black Hammer 2”
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 2:55 PM PST up reply actions
Hmm. .. i like Kemp, Plays CF speed and mays-hayes kinda had power in the 2nd movie. Imperfect comparison, but I’ll take it
The part of Duke Temple will be played by…
Steve Yeager
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 2:58 PM PST up reply actions
I desperately want to cast Matt Stairs in the Clew Haywood role
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 3:01 PM PST up reply actions
Current lineup (I think)
bottom 7th
DeJesus SS
DeWitt 2B
Van Slyke RF
Mientkiewicz DH
Knoedler C
Caseres 1B
Repko CF
Mattingly LF
Baez 3B
Gagne P
If Gagne is auditioning for a spot on the roster, he better burn the tape from today
-D-Backs announcer (I believe Jeff Munn)
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 2:35 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Some good news for Gagne
His ERA may be 20.45 after three outings (gave up a run or more in all three), but I have his FIP at ~8.45 :)
by Eric Stephen on Mar 13, 2010 2:54 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Dodgers from minor league camp who played today
Lambo, Baez, Van Slyke, Pedroza, Gordon, Watson, Caseres, Mattingly, Sartor
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