True Blue LA - March 7: Dodgers 2, Rangers 1Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2014-03-07T16:44:55-08:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/52472672014-03-07T16:44:55-08:002014-03-07T16:44:55-08:00Zach Lee has the look
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<figcaption>Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Hanley Ramirez homered for the only Dodgers runs of the day, to back Lee on the mound.</p> <p>GLENDALE -- <span>Zach Lee</span> continued to make a positive impression on Friday, pitching two scoreless innings in the Dodgers' 2-1 win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a> at Camelback Ranch.</p>
<p>Friday was Lee's Cactus League debut, delayed a bit by a lat strain early in camp. He allowed two hits, including a leadoff double by <span>Shin-Soo Choo</span> on "a 2-1 fastball over the middle that you don't want to throw," per Lee. But he recovered with three ground balls in the first inning to strand Choo, and tacked on a scoreless second inning with a strikeout to end his game.</p>
<p>"I really beared down on some tough pitches, especially after the leadoff double," Lee said. "I got myself out of a jam there, which was really a confidence boost going into the second inning."</p>
<p>Lee threw a simulated inning in the bullpen after leaving the game. Manager Don Mattingly was impressed.</p>
<p>"Zach's just one of those guys who looks like he belongs, in the clubhouse, around the field. He does everything well," said Mattingly. "He's got a clean delivery, we feel like he'll be able to throw the ball where he wants. I just like his composure, and pretty much everything about him."</p>
<p>A good impression isn't all Lee had sights on accomplishing this spring, in his first big league camp. Lee wanted to break camp as part of the big league rotation, a long shot that was all but ended with his injury early in camp.</p>
<p>"Any time you set a goal, you want to set it high. If you set it low, you'll probably meet it and get content with it," Lee said. "If I throw the ball like I'm capable of, I don't think I'm that far away."</p>
<p>Lee said that of all the Dodgers pitchers he is most similar to <span>Zack Greinke</span>, though he has also sought advice from fellow Texan <span>Josh Beckett</span> as well.</p>
<p>"I'm somewhat like [Greinke]. I don't know if I take it to the extent that he does. Growing up, the way I looked at pitching, I was always more a cerebral and analytical person," Lee explained. "I really thought more about game-planning, kind of like what Maddux did back in the day where he was able to pinpoint with location rather than overpowering people."</p>
<p>Mattingly sees Lee as a throwback to an earlier time.</p>
<p>"With Zach you see more of the old-style kid coming up, who is quiet in the clubhouse, going about his business. He's just working on his game all the time, asking a lot of questions, paying attention and learning. It's what you like about him," Mattingly said. "You see him around the clubhouse, the way he handles himself, getting after his work. He does everything pretty well. He takes fielding his position seriously, holding runners, all the little things you don't get a lot of attention for."</p>
<p>Another example of Lee's traditional style is his uniform. He wears traditional stirrups, a seemingly lost tradition in baseball.</p>
<p>"I just like the look. I was always a pants up guy, I never really liked to have my pants down. The stirrups were just kind of a tribute to the old school. I prefer them over the regular socks," Lee noted. "I think the regular socks bring more of a soccer mentality rather than a baseball mentality."</p>
<h4>Notes</h4>
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<span>Hanley Ramirez</span> hit his first home run of the spring, a two-run shot off <span>Martin Perez</span> in the first inning. "Hanley is slowly getting his timing," Mattingly said.<br>
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<li>
<span>Yasiel Puig</span> wasn't in the lineup on Friday, and he won't be in either lineup on Saturday, as he had to tend to a personal matter, an excused absence by the team. Puig is expected back in camp, and in the lineup on Sunday.<br>
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<li>Dodgers 2013 second-round pick Tom Windle, a left-handed pitcher out of the University of Minneosta, made his first big league spring training appearance, pitching two scoreless innings to end the game, with one hit and one walk allowed, and one strikeout. He picked up a save, the third different Dodgers pitcher to record one this spring (<span>Matt Magill</span> has two!).</li>
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<h4>Up next</h4>
<p>The Dodgers have their first of two consecutive day-night split-squad Saturdays. Tomorrow's afternoon game is a rematch with the Rangers, with <span>Paul Maholm</span> starting in Surprise against Tanner Scheppers. In the nightcap, Josh Beckett starts against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Mariners</a> at Camelback Ranch while <span>Blake Beavan</span> pitches for Seattle.</p>
<h4>Soon</h4>
<blockquote align="center" class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
<p>The <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Dodgers&src=hash">#Dodgers</a> dugout is ready for <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBSydney2014">@MLBSydney2014</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23OpeningSeries&src=hash">#OpeningSeries</a> <a href="http://t.co/DXLwusYtDC">pic.twitter.com/DXLwusYtDC</a></p>
— <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> (@Dodgers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dodgers/statuses/442085924399099905">March 7, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
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<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<h4>Friday particulars</h4>
<p>Home run: Hanley Ramirez (1)</p>
<p><b>WP - Zach Lee (1-0)</b>: 2 IP, 2 hits, 1 strikeout</p>
<p><b>LP - Martin Perez (0-1)</b>: 3 IP, 2 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts</p>
<p><b>Sv - Tom Windle (1)</b>: 2 IP, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 strikeout</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/3/7/5482858/zach-lee-dodgers-rangersEric Stephen2014-03-07T11:52:57-08:002014-03-07T11:52:57-08:00Zach Lee starts vs. Rangers
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<figcaption>Eric Stephen | True Blue LA</figcaption>
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<p>The McKinney, Texas native makes his 2014 spring training debut against his home state Rangers.</p> <p>GLENDALE -- <span>Zach Lee</span> makes his 2014 Cactus League debut on Friday afternoon, starting on the mound for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a> at Camelback Ranch.</p>
<p>Lee was sidelined earlier in camp by a strained lat, but is back and expected to throw about 30 pitches today, or roughly two innings.</p>
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<h4>Starting Lineups</h4>
<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"><tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#E00016" width="125"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Rangers</b></font></td>
<td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#157dec" width="125"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Dodgers</b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LF</td>
<td>Choo (L)</td>
<td>RF</td>
<td>Figgins (S)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SS</td>
<td>Andrus</td>
<td>LF</td>
<td>Crawford (L)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1B</td>
<td>Moreland (L)</td>
<td>SS</td>
<td>Ramirez</td>
</tr>
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<td>3B</td>
<td>Beltre</td>
<td>1B</td>
<td>Van Slyke</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RF</td>
<td>Choice</td>
<td>CF</td>
<td>Ethier (L)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2B</td>
<td>Parrino (S)</td>
<td>3B</td>
<td>Uribe</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DH</td>
<td>Profar (S)</td>
<td>C</td>
<td>Federowicz</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>C</td>
<td>Chirinos</td>
<td>DH</td>
<td>Ellis</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CF</td>
<td>Martin (L)</td>
<td>2B</td>
<td>Gordon (L)</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<span><b>Location</b>: Camelback Ranch<br><b>Time</b>: 12:05 p.m. PT<br><b>TV</b>: SportsNet LA (Steiner/Hershiser)<br><b>Radio</b>: KLAC (Monday solo)<br></span>
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<p>The 2010 first-round pick will be followed on the mound by most of the Dodgers regular bullpen, with <span>Kenley Jansen</span>, <span>Brian Wilson</span>, <span>J.P. Howell</span>, <span>Chris Perez</span> and <span>Brandon League</span> all scheduled to pitch.</p>
<p>In addition, 2013 second-round pick Tom Windle, a left-handed pitcher out of the University of Minnesota, is in uniform as well, wearing No. 94, and is expected to pitch. Other Dodgers minor leaguers in uniform today are southpaw <span>Fu-Te Ni</span> (No. 83), infielders <span>Darnell Sweeney</span> (No. 87) and Jacob Scavuzzo (No. 90), and outfielder <span>Jon Garcia</span> (No. 91). For Sweeney, this is his eighth time in uniform with the Dodgers in 10 Cactus League games.</p>
<p><span>Martin Perez</span> starts on the mound for the Rangers.</p>
<p><span>Chone Figgins</span> gets the start in right field for the Dodgers on Friday, his sixth different position this spring, seventh if you could designated hitter. I asked him if he lobbied to catch, in a quest to fill all nine positions.</p>
<p>"If [manager Don Mattingly] asked me, and if it would put me on this team, I would say yes," Figgins quipped. "They'd probably have to get smaller shin guards, though."</p>
<p><span>Hanley Ramirez</span> is back after getting hit in his left triceps on Thursday, and <span>Carl Crawford</span> starts in left field. Crawford said his quad feels much better today, and was tested running to first base on Wednesday and doing outfield drills on Thursday.</p>
<p>Scheduled reserves for the Dodgers today include <span>Clint Robinson</span> at first base, <span>Mike Baxter</span> in left field, <span>Joc Pederson</span> in center field, <span>Miguel Rojas</span> at third base, <span>Drew Butera</span> at catcher, <span>Brendan Harris</span> at shortstop and <span>Alex Guerrero</span> at second base.</p>
<h4>Notes</h4>
<ul>
<li> <span>Zack Greinke</span> came out of his bullpen session Friday feeling good, and the plan is for him to face live hitters on Saturday, and through roughly 30 pitches.</li>
<li>The Dodgers will honor the late Dr. Frank Jobe with a moment of silence before today's game at Camelback Ranch.</li>
<li>Old friend <span>Alex Castellanos</span> was claimed off waivers from the Rangers by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> on Friday. Castellanos was designated for assignment by Texas on Wednesday, the third time since October he was DFA'd.<br>
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https://www.truebluela.com/2014/3/7/5482238/zach-lee-dodgers-rangersEric Stephen