The Dodgers play their 34th and final exhibition game on Wednesday, hosting the Angels in the third and final game of the Freeway Series.

For Josh Lindblom and Justin Sellers, they were both excited after hearing the news Tuesday night that they made the opening day roster. Sellers he was a bundle of nerves before hearing the news.

"Oh my God, he was excited. He was scared to death," manager Don Mattingly said. Trey [Hillman, bench coach] said when he was waiting to get in, Sellers was shaking."

Lindblom played it cool, but still felt a little anxiety about the decision. "Even though it was out of my control, I'd be lying to you if I said it wasn't weighing on me a little bit," Lindblom said.

"It's emotional for them. These guys are fighting to get here," Mattingly said. "When it gets down to those guys fighting for that last spot knowing it's them or somebody else, it's a wild time for them."

AJE, A-OK

A.J. Ellis was hit by a pitch in the elbow in Tuesday night's game, but the catcher is okay today. Ellis left the game for a pinch runner after getting hit, but Mattingly said the pitch "hit more meat than bone" and that Ellis kept his arm on ice for most of the night, which kept the swelling down.

"He's okay. He said it was better than he thought he was going to be," Mattingly said of Ellis.

Starting Lineups

Most of the Dodgers regulars are off today, with their season opener Thursday in San Diego. Nathan Eovaldi gets the start for the Dodgers, and will be followed on the mound by a bevy of minor leaguers as the entire major league bullpen has the day off.

C.J. Wilson starts on the mound for the Angels, who have essentially a regular lineup today with an off day coming Thursday.

Game Time: 12:10 p.m.

TV: Fox Sports West (Angels broadcast)

Radio: KLAC 570 AM

MLB Gameday

The Dodgers play at Dodger Stadium for the first time in 2012 on Tuesday night, hosting the Angels in the second of three games in the Freeway Series. Aaron Harang makes his final spring tuneup tonight, facing Ervin Santana for the Halos.

Both manager Don Mattingly and general manager Ned Colletti said before the game that the final roster decisions had pretty much been made and will likely be announced after the game. Opening day rosters are due at the MLB offices by 2 p.m. PDT on Wednesday.

Starting Lineups

Andre Ethier was held out of the lineup tonight with a stomach bug.

Game Time: 7:10 p.m.

TV: KCAL (Vin Scully)

Radio: KLAC 570 AM, and KTNQ 1020 AM

MLB Gameday

The Dodgers fell 12-3 to the Angels in the Freeway Series opener on Monday night, in a game in which the bullpen pitched all nine innings, yet provided little relief.

Javy Guerra pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth inning, but it officially never happened, as both teams agreed to play a full nine innings regardless of the score in all three series games. With the Angels up 12-3 in the bottom of the ninth, that half frame existed only to get work in.

But the events in Anaheim will be remembered for two things manager Don Mattingly said that provided bookends to the day.

"You know what was the best thing? Waking up today, and not having to go straight to the ballpark," Mattingly said before the game of being back in Southern California after six weeks in Arizona, in a sort of Jim Tracy-esque call and response. "My brain could work in a different direction for like a half an hour."

This was part of a conversation about returning home that included the fact that Don Mattingly didn't know what a sigalert was. But I suppose it's easy to avoid traffic when you get to the ballpark at 1:30 p.m. and leave at 11 p.m. or later.

Then, nearly six hours later, after his team lost 12-3, Mattingly provided more Q&A wisdom.

"I was talking with Trey [Hillman, bench coach] during the game toward the end there," Mattingly said with a wry smile. "You know what the biggest positive was about tonight? That it doesn't count."

Roster Moves

The Dodgers are down to 36 remaining in major league camp, with three of those players either on the disabled list (Rubby De La Rosa, Blake Hawksworth) or about to go on the DL (Ted Lilly). In addition, Ivan DeJesus Jr. is still in Arizona in extended spring training and Ronald Belisario will open the season on the suspended list, so that effectively leaves 31 in camp.

That means six more cuts have to be made before Wednesday's 2 p.m. PDT deadline to set opening day rosters. Barring injury, it is clear that Matt Angle, Tim Federowicz, and Nathan Eovaldi will be optioned, leaving a pair of position battles:

• Final bench spot: between Justin Sellers and non-roster invitees Josh Fields and Luis Cruz.
• Final bullpen spot: between the right-handed Josh Lindblom and left-handed non-roster invitee Scott Rice.
  

Up Next

The Dodgers and Angels hook up again on Tuesday night, this time at Dodger Stadium. Aaron Harang makes his final tuneup start for the Dodgers, facing Ervin Santana of the Angels. Vin Scully will call Tuesday night's game, his third game of the spring, on KCAL.

The Dodgers have lost five straight Freeway Series games to the Angels.

Today's Particulars

Home Runs: Mark Trumbo (5)

WP - Dan Haren (3-0): 5 2/3 IP, 6 hits, 1 run, 5 strikeouts

LP - Todd Coffey (0-2): 2/3 IP, 3 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts

Nathan Eovaldi on Sunday won the Jim & Dearie Mulvey Award, given annually to the top Dodgers rookie in spring training. In four starts so far this spring, Eovaldi is 1-1 with a 1.72 ERA in 16 innings, with four walks and six strikeouts.

The award, which is named after longtime co-owners, is voted on by Dodgers coaches, and has been awarded since 1969. Rubby De La Rosa and Jerry Sands split the award last season, the only year there has been two winners. Past winners include Josh Lindblom (2010), Xavier Paul (2009), Blake DeWitt (2008), Tony Abreu (2007), Hong-Chih Kuo (2006), Mike Piazza (1992 & 1993, the only two-time winner), and German Rivera (1984).

Eovaldi is slated to start Wednesday afternoon's Freeway Series finale at Dodger Stadium, keeping him in line to start on regular rest on April 9 and April 14.

April 14 is the date earmarked for Ted Lilly's first major league start, after the left-hander will open the season on the disabled list. Lilly threw roughly 70 pitches in a simulated game earlier Monday in Anaheim. "He was good, his pitch count got up. He got a little gassed at the end, but he was good," manager Don Mattingly said.

Lilly will next pitch a rehab game on Sunday, April 8 with Class A Rancho Cucamonga as the Quakes host the Inland Empire 66ers. If Lilly is deemed ready after that rehab start, he will pitch for the Dodgers on April 14 at home against the San Diego Padres. Otherwise, Eovaldi will start.

Pitching Matchup

Jamey Wright starts tonight in Anaheim, in what essentially is a bullpen game for the Dodgers. Kenley Jansen, Javy Guerra, Scott Elbert, Todd Coffey, and Mike MacDougal are also scheduled to pitch.

Dan Haren gets the start for the Angels in his final spring tuneup before his first regular season start on Saturday.

Starting Lineups

Adam Kennedy is back in the starting lineup for the first time in eight days after suffering a slight right groin pull on March 25 against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Dodgers were playing it cautious with Kennedy, 36, who didn't play in a game until his pinch-hitting appearance on Sunday.

"We tried to hold off as long as we could, not taking any chances with him, but now I'm going to try to get him some at-bats these last three days," Mattingly said

Kennedy is the designated hitter tonight, the appendix to what will otherwise be the regular Dodgers lineup to begin the regular season.

Game Time: 7:05 p.m

TV: Fox Sports West (Angels broadcast, tape delayed at roughly 8 p.m., or whenever the Clippers' game ends); MLB Network (live)

Radio: AM 570 (Charley Steiner, Rick Monday)

MLB Gameday

A mere 40 days after spring training began for the Dodgers at Camelback Ranch, Sunday is getaway day. The Dodgers play their final Cactus League game in Arizona this season today, with Chad Billingsley facing off with Daniel Hudson of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

With many players preparing to go home either after or during today's game, Sunday will feature many a minor leaguer in the game.

These 41 days of camp have been the experience of a lifetime for me, and I hope you have enjoyed the daily coverage. Over the next few days I will try to properly put my Arizona spring training trip into words, but today is getaway day for me as well.

Enjoy the finale; I will be listening on my drive home. I'll see you in Anaheim Monday night.

Opening Series in San Diego

The Padres today named Edinson Volquez their opening day starter. Per San Diego broadcaster Andy Masur, the Padres will pitch in order, Volquez, Cory Luebke, Dustin Moseley, and Clayton Richard, against the Dodgers from Thursday though Sunday.

The Dodgers will send Clayton Kershaw, Billingsley, Chris Capuano, and Aaron Harang to the mound against the Padres.

Starting Lineups

I assume this is an April Fools Day joke of a lineup with the pitcher Hudson batting leadoff, but I have yet to see another Arizona batting order, so this will do for now.

Game Time: 1:05 p.m.

TV: Prime Ticket (Charley Steiner, Rick Monday)

Radio: KLAC 570 AM, and KTNQ 1010 AM

MLB Gameday

Clayton Kershaw made his final tuneup start on Saturday before opening day, but the left-hander wasn't too pleased his his final start of the spring. Kershaw allowed three runs in 3 2/3 innings in the Dodgers' 9-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale.

Kershaw said after his last outing that he was having trouble with his slider, and that continued on Saturday.

"It was better today. Some were better and some weren't. I didn't leave any up, but the ones that were for strikes got hit," Kershaw said. "I guess there was a little improvement, but not as much as I'd like."

Kershaw said he physically felt 100% and that he would be ready to go on Thursday at Petco Park in San Diego, but that didn't stop him from being dissatisfied from Saturday's outing, even though it was a spring training game.

"I'd like to pitch well no matter when I go out there, it's no fun to pitch bad. But it doesn't count until April 5 so hopefully all these bad ones are out of my system," Kershaw said.

In 22 innings this spring, Kershaw allowed 19 hits and six runs for a 2.45 ERA, with eight walks and 16 strikeouts.

"The only thing I worry about Kersh is trying too hard," said manager Don Mattingly. "The only thing I worry about with any time is trying to put too much pressure on himself to be perfect, and just not letting it happen."

Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt liked the competitiveness of the staff ace, adding, "That's what makes him so good, he's never satisfied."

Kershaw agreed.

"My arm feels good and I'm ready to pitch in the season, those are the positives," Kershaw said. "The negatives are that I don't want to give up any runs and I gave up some runs."

"I think he's ready," said Mattingly.

Roster Move

After the game, Trent Oeltjen was optioned to minor league camp. That leaves 36 players in major league camp, including 18 pitchers and 18 position players.

More importantly, aside from definitively answering the question of "does Oeltjen have options remaining?," that leaves the Dodgers with little wiggle room on the 40-man roster. They will open up one spot by placing Ronald Belisario on the suspended list, allowing them to add one non-roster invitee to the active roster but likely no more.

That means one of Josh Fields, Luis Cruz, and Scott Rice could make the team, but likely not more than that.

Notes

• Matt Angle hit his first home run of the spring in the eighth inning, a two-run shot off of minor league left-hander Keith Hessler.
• Adam Kennedy went 0-for-2 with a walk as the designated hitter in an intrasquad game against Triple A players back at Camelback Ranch, his first game action in a week since suffering a light right groin pull last Sunday. Mattingly said Kennedy felt good running out of the batters box and that the next step for his reserve infielder is to play in a major league game either Sunday or Monday.
  
• Steven Ames, the Dodgers' 17th round pick in 2009 who struck out 69 batters in 48 innings between Class A Rancho Cucamonga and Double A Chattanooga last season, saw his first action of the spring on the major league side, pitching a scoreless eighth inning with a walk and a strikeout.
• Old friend Takashi Saito, now with Arizona and about to begin his seventh big league season, pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the Diamondbacks.
• While we were visiting in the press box with former Dodgers VP of Communications Josh Rawitch, now with the Diamondbacks, a foul ball off the bat of Andre Ethier came into the box and struck Rawitch in the groin. The longtime PR man is day-to-day.
  

Up Next

The Dodgers and Diamondbacks face off again on Sunday, this time at Camelback Ranch. Chad Billingsley gets the start for the Dodgers in their Cactus League finale, facing Daniel Hudson for Arizona.

Matt Guerrier is also scheduled to pitch for the Dodgers on Sunday.

Today's Particulars

Home Runs: Matt Angle (1); Jason Kubel (3)

WP - Ronald Belisario (2-0): 4 up, 4 down

LP - Craig Breslow (0-1): 1 IP, 4 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout

Our next spring training stadium tour brings us to Scottsdale Stadium, home of the archrival Giants. It is located in old town Scottsdale, roughly 27 miles from Camelback Ranch:

View Larger Map

Scottsdale Stadium for 21 years has been the spring home of the Giants, who have been in the city of Scottsdale since 1981 after a 29-year run in Phoenix. The Giants use dynamic ticket pricing for spring games, so prices are affected by market demand. The stadium has 12,000 capacity.

Other Tours: Phoenix | Surprise | Peoria | Tempe | Goodyear | Maryvale

Here is a view from right field, complete with two people in Tom Seaver jerseys taking in the action:

Here is the right field grass seating area.

Beyond the right field corner is the Giants' practice field.

There is a party patio area in right field.

Continue reading this post »

The Dodgers wrap up their Cactus League schedule with a pair of games against the division rival Arizona Diamondbacks, including Saturday's matchup of the first and fourth-place finishers in the National League Cy Young balloting last year, Clayton Kershaw and Ian Kennedy.

After a pair of weekend games with Arizona, the Dodgers head to Southern California to battle the Angels for three games in the Freeway Series. Making the trip from minor league camp for all three games are catchers Griff Erickson and Matt Wallach, infielders Jeff Baisley and Luis Nunez, outfielder Blake Smith, and pitchers Fernando Nieve, Will Savage, and Shawn Tolleson, the 2011 organizational minor league player of the year.

Pitchers Logan Bawcom and Angel Sanchez, and outfielder Jonathan Garcia will join the team in Los Angeles for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Other than things winding down in Arizona, there wasn't much news so far in camp today, other than perhaps Todd Coffey dying his hair black, in stark contrast to his red beard. Coffey said this is something he does at the end of every spring training, to "flip the switch" to the regular season.

Starting Lineups

Outfielder Leon Landry, the Dodgers' third round draft pick in 2010, is in uniform from minor league camp today.

Game Time: 1:10 p.m.

TV: None

Radio: KTNQ 1020 AM; the Arizona broadcast can also be heard through MLB Gameday Audio

MLB Gameday