Justin Turner, earlier today:
Who's ready for Opening Day……in the states? #LA #Dodgers #NorthernHemisphereOpeningDay #BaseballIsBack
— Justin Turner (@redturn2) March 30, 2014
Lineup:
#Dodgers lineup at San Diego. #ITFDB
Crawford LF
Puig RF
Ramirez SS
Gonzalez 1B
Ethier CF
Uribe 3B
Ellis C
Gordon 2B
Ryu P
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 30, 2014
And away we go!
#Dodgers lineup in Anaheim:
Puig RF
Crawford DH
Ramirez SS
Gonzalez 1B
Van Slyke LF
Uribe 3B
Ethier CF
Turner 2B
Ellis C
Haren RHP
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 29, 2014
Haren faces Tyler Skaggs, a 23-year-old lefty.
Update: Much more important than this game, news came this afternoon that Kershaw has been placed on the 15-day Disabled List effective March 23.
the Dodgers are making no promises about when he will pitch again. Mainly, because there is little urgency in the season’s first few weeks given the spate of off-days, and because they want to remain ultra-conservative and make sure Kershaw is right when he returns.
Tests earlier this week showed the strained upper back muscle, behind his left shoulder. Mattingly said he does not know of any more tests scheduled as of now.
“We know what it is,” he said. “We’re not concerned that he’s going to do any damage to it.”
Zach Lee will be the #Dodgers' starting pitcher tonight. Stephen Fife was scratched due to illness. #FreewaySeries
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 28, 2014
No lineup yet.
Lineup:
#Dodgers lineup vs. Angels. #FreewaySeries pic.twitter.com/iONVmjeAce
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 28, 2014
It’s a free game on MLB.tv tonight and it’s on the Angels’ Fox Sports West network as well. Tomorrow’s game in Anaheim is on SPNLA. Sunday’s game against the Padres is on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball.
Angels at Dodgers, Santiago v. Greinke, 7:00PM PST. It’s the MLB.TV Free Game of the Day, also on FSW and SPNLA.
Lineup:
#Dodgers lineup vs. Angels. #FreewaySeries pic.twitter.com/WLWl65FY9M
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 27, 2014
Update: Greinke and Hanley Ramirez looked ready for the season in a 7 – 5 loss. Unfortunately, Jose Dominguez came in for the seventh inning and didn’t have anything, giving up four runs while retiring only one hitter.
Game Two of the Freeway Series is tomorrow.
After last night’s win, tonight it will be Hyun-Jin Ryu v. Trevor Cahill in Game Two of the Opening Series (as MLB’s calling it). Game time is 1:00PM local in Sydney, 4:00PM in Hawai’i and 7:00PM PST. There’s no official word about the lineup yet.
Light a candle for Uribear today; it’s his birthday. Think good LA traffic thoughts for our friend John_from_Aus too; he’s got a 3 1/2 hour drive from his home south of Canberra to Sydney.
Now there’s a lineup:
#Dodgers lineup at Dbacks. #OpeningSeries pic.twitter.com/Nu0AoxnOeD
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 22, 2014
It’s finally here, even if it is on another continent. Lineup:
#Dodgers expected #OpeningSeries lineup: pic.twitter.com/rt6Q2GXX8g
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 21, 2014
Some of the adulation sent Kershaw’s way in the runup to this game makes me think he should be sent off to look for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. If he’s as good as some people want to make him out to be, he’s wasted pitching a mere baseball game right now.
Update: Take note of the standings for the NL West over there on the right under the calendar. Hopefully tomorrow it will have the Dodgers leading the division with the Diamondbacks in last place.
Shut down the Internet: pic.twitter.com/z2vlYQ9ko5
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 19, 2014
Update: Video from the Dodgers – Team Australia game (won 4 – 2 by the Dodgers). Puig ties the game at 2 – 2.
I didn’t get very many takers last year as I recall, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a group again.
Here’s the link.
Group Name: Elysian Fields
Group Password: hershiser59
Update: From the official rules:
Lock-time. All picks will lock at the scheduled tip off time of the Tournament currently scheduled for Thursday, March 20, 2014. Your picks for the matchups must be submitted, received and recorded by Sponsor’s computer by the scheduled locktime.
“A 2013 study found that 124 active pitchers, about one-third of those in the majors, had undergone Tommy John surgery at some point in their careers.” The man who invented that surgical procedure died today at the age of 88. Here’s the NYT obituary.
Here’s a wonderful story on the occasion of his Baseball Hall of Fame commendation ceremony in July of 2013, and here’s a photo essay of the doctor by Jon Soo Hoo.
Two of the most exciting players in baseball combined for one heckuva play this afternoon when Mike Trout hit a ball to Yasiel Puig in center field. Puig dove inadvisedly, but then retrieved the ball from the wall and threw a strike to Hanley Ramirez who relayed the ball on one hop to A.J. Ellis, who stayed off to one side and tagged Trout as he attempted to score on an inside-the-park home run.
Thank heaven for video. I’ve have been very sorry to miss this play.
Update: Two video highlights in one day! Scott van Slyke hit the Dodgers’ second grand slam in two days after Guerrero did it yesterday:
Update II: The MLB Network did a “30 Clubs in 30 Days” tour during this year’s Spring Training, and here’s the Dodgers’ episode at Camelback Ranch. Click the Wilson video if only to see his hair (not beard, hair).