Normally, it's worth dwelling on the final score, except during Spring Training, especially this early in Spring Training, when all the important stuff happens in the first few innings.  On Friday, the Blue may have lost 10-3 but there were encouraging signs to take away from the afternoon.  The biggies were Hiroki Kuroda's two scoreless innings on the mound and Andy LaRoche's run scoring double in the first. 

Turning that smile upside down, it's fair to say that Esteban Loaiza (2 IP, 3 ER, 4 hits... if he kept going, I probably would have hit a five somewhere) is still looking for his mojo.  It's February 29th- fun to say- so there's no reason to freak out, but for those in the Dodger Nation who are a little leery about Loaiza manning the fifth spot in the rotation, today did nothing to de-leery anyone.  Still, Loaiza's first effort of the spring was Cy Young material compared to Greg Miller.  The big lefty allowed five runs on three hits and two walks, all without recording an out.  If you happened to see the broadcast on ESPN, Miller was nowhere near the plate when the inning started, then too near it as it went on. 

For a guy who has rather famously struggled with control issues, it wasn't an auspicious way to kick off the '08 season for Miller. 

BK

Okay, it's just spring training and it's only one opening spring training contest.  But for the time being the Dodgers are absolutely infallible, courtesy of a 5-4 win over the Braves.  So infallible, in fact, that they're able to overcome similar base running issues that oft did in the team last season.  The victory itself came in comeback fashion, powered by John Lindsay's ninth inning ribbie single.  That's the good news.  The bad news was the sight of Matt Kemp sliding into third base, only to find James Loney standing on the bag.  Ouch-ke!  Particularly in the case of this young outfielder, who was often prone to hoofing gaffes in 2007.   And you don't want to spark the ire of a third base coach who isn't one of them namby-pamby, helmet wearing types.  All is good between the instructor and instructee, but clearly, kinks are in need of ironing out.  That mission, generally speaking, will fall upon Joe Torre's flexible shoulders.  And shockingly enough, a dude with rings galore, instant cred and a well-tested ability to bond with players is confident to do things as he pleases.  Nice to have a sense of assurance, because it won't be a cakewalk. 

Just a quick reminder, before we get too deep into the youth vs. experience debates over the 3B/OF situations, about what really went wrong in '07.

BK

Last season, the Dodgers lost 951 player games and over $20 million in salary to injury, no shock for a team that seems to use half its operating budget on MRIs.  Will Carroll, the guru of sports injuries at Baseball Prospectus (among other places), has been issuing his Team Health Reports throughout the month, and has finally reached the Dodgers.  By Carroll's calculations, the Blue have the worst Three-Year health ranking in baseball, though things are moving in the right direction under Stan Conte: 

Stan Conte came in to improve the injury situation for the Dodgers. The idea may be that Stan's a miracle worker, having held together much of the Giants' successful years with little more than athletic tape and hard work, but rebuilding what was once a proud, cutting-edge system takes longer than a year. While the Dodgers are now in the middle of the pack, that's better than the three-year rank, so although they lost tons of valuable days to talent languishing on the DL, it wasn't as bad as it has been in the recent past.

Let's face it, no matter who the trainer and physicians are, they can't save guys like Darren Dreifort or Kevin Brown from the DL. The difference is that these days taking a calculated risk on someone like a Jason Schmidt or last year's experiment with Randy Wolf can be entirely valid moves. These can be the type of gambles that Conte could make pay off, and the cheap Wolf-style signings are easier to make pay off above a club's investment. The problem is that Schmidt is getting paid ace money while only offering a realistic hope that he comes back to league average.

The vast majority of the losses the Dodgers took last season came from those two pitchers, plus the season-long injury to Jason Repko. Taken in light of these, the turnaround that the Dodgers saw last season, taking them to mid-pack, was pretty special, but not enough to get away from the worst Three-Year Rank in the game. Conte's methods worked well in San Francisco, but it's interesting that the Dodgers had to bring in a Giant to do this. Like many things in the organization, the advantage they once had in this area was lost, but could be regained."

Carroll then breaks down the roster, looking position by position at the potential for injury.  I'm not going to paste the thing here- really, you should subscribe (these people gotta eat, you know)- but to summarize, here are some of the guys worth worrying about, in Carroll's estimation:  Russell Martin (rest issues), Raffy Furcal (lingering ankle/back issues?), Chad Billingsley (waistline issues), Anmar LaRochiaparra (really, does this require an explanation?), and Jason Schmidt (see previous).

BK 

Okay, it's not really Opening Day, per se, but the Blue will take the field against representatives from an entirely different organization today against the Braves, 10:05 a.m. local start.  Already, Joe Torre is cautioning against reading too much into the lineup- get used to that- that features Juan Pierre on top followed by Raffy Furcal, and the Dodgers are handling a pitcher with caution.  Chad Billingsley was to start, but will be replaced with Jason Johnson because of a tight groin muscle.  That's a part of the body that should be loosey-goosey, for sure, so as a precautionary measure he'll pitch a Minor League simulated game instead.  Better safe than sorry when handling a kid well on his way to establishing himself as an artist on the mound. 

Looking ahead to actual Opening Day, just in case there was any confusion over who should start, Derek Lowe says it's Brad Penny.  Joe Torre seems to agree.  That's one less question for Dylan Hernandez to answer, as he breaks down some of the outstanding issues still surrounding the Blue, which include left field, Andruw Jones's weight, third base, Jason Schmidt, and Hiroki Kuroda.

In a couple years, the Dodgers hope James McDonald and Clayton Kershaw are in L.A. helping to anchor the staff.  The future looks bright for both, but for McDonald, the path to the bigs hasn't been nearly as linear. 

Normally, we don't do a lot of shilling for ticket sales, but news that a new batch of ducats- SRO, so you know- for the March 29th exhibition game against the Red Sox at the Coliseum seems worth passing along.  Info in the press release below.

BK

Well, not rock and roll, but fantasy ball, which is about as far away from rock star cool as it gets (this from a guy currently struggling to figure out who should be his third keeper before draft day...).  But whatever.  Most of us can't rip off hot riffs like Keith Richards, but we can operate a computer, draft and then manage a fake baseball team.  You do what you can.  With that in mind, here's ESPN.com's fantasy preview of the Dodgers (we'll post more previews throughout the spring...).  Some highlights, in paraphrased form:

• Don't overrate Dodger Stadium as a pitcher's park
• First Dodger to draft:  Russell Martin
• Look to the children: Kemp. Loney.  LaRoche (he's a sleeper!). 

Remember, too, that Loney says in a chat for Dodgers.com he's going to do well this year, and is a worthy fantasy option.  I'd be nervous if he said otherwise, but still, it's encouraging.

Just out of curiosity, do those of you who play fantasy ball gravitate towards Dodgers players?  Do you try to avoid them?  Or are you cold hearted and dispassionate, with the ability to cut hometown heroes if they disappoint?  I know there are all kinds of approaches on this one. 

BK

PROGRAMMING NOTE:  Join us for today's edition of Purple, Gold, and Blue.  We'll have John Ireland of CBS/KCAL talking Lakers, and Molly Knight of ESPN The Magazine talking Dodgers.  11 am.  Click on the show widget at right to tune in.

Joe Torre admits it's a nice problem to have, this "too many outfielders" thing.  Especially nice when, as they did in Tuesday's intrasquad game, they start whacking balls all over the place.  Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier both went yard (off James McDonald and Cory Wade, respectively), as did Jason Repko, who after a winter of rehab and paternally aided BP ought to carry some wood around, just to knock on it.  Juan Pierre was also busy.  No homer- this story ain't that good- but JP had two hits and made a nice catch in left to take extras away from Repko.  Toss in Delwyn Young, who is out of options and spent Tuesday not in the OF, but filling in at second for Jeff Kent and a slow healing Tony Abreu, and the Dodgers' depth chart is, for at least today, a very crowded place. "It will be difficult with everybody in the mix, the number of outfielders we have that are capable of playing at this level," said Torre.

On the mound, Jason Schmidt hit his first bump in the road back to health.  Nothing major, but the righty wasn't all that thrilled with his bullpen session yesterday, struggling to get loose and find pop on his pitches.   "Maybe I've hit a fatigue stage. I'm trying not to get frustrated and not put myself under the microscope. I've been through rehab before and I know you don't always feel better each and every time. It's just been going so good, you want it to just keep going all spring. But I know to expect to have dips like this."

Excerpts from today's Spring Training Notes, courtesy of Dodgers PR:

TAKE TWO: The Dodgers played their second intrasquad game this afternoon with “Team Koufax” besting “Team Drysdale,” 6-4, in a seven-inning affair.  Right-handers Mario Alvarez and Ramon Troncoso each fired scoreless innings for the winning team, while right-hander Justin Orenduff struck out two and allowed just one hit over two shutout frames for the “Drysdale” squad. Non-roster invitee Rick Asadoorian worked a 1-2-3 inning and fanned two in his only inning of work. At the plate, Juan Pierre had two hits, a run, and an RBI, but the long ball stole the show at Holman Stadium on this day. Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Russell Martin, and Jason Repko all hit home runs on the afternoon. For Repko, today marked his first competitive action in a Dodger uniform since tearing his hamstring last March. In addition to the homer, Repko put his arm on display in the second inning, firing a laser to Martin that almost threw out Angel Chavez....   

HE’S GOT IT WADE: Dodger right-hander Cory Wade tossed an inning in the intrasquad game today and gave up a solo homer to Andre Ethier, but that mistake should be easily shaken off when the hurler thinks of what took place about 72 hours ago. Amaya Isabelle Wade was born in Ogden, Utah on Saturday weighing seven pounds and nine ounces. Amaya is Wade’s first child and this marks the second Dodger baby this spring and it’s still February. Jason Repko’s wife, Traci, gave birth to the couple’s first child last Thursday...

THAT’S A LONG ROE TO HOE – The Dodgers would like to wish a Happy Birthday to former hurler Elwin Charles “Preacher” Roe, who turns 93 years young today. Roe pitched for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1948-54 and went 93-37 (.715) with a 3.26 ERA for the famed “Boys of Summer.” The Arkansas native was a sparkling 22-3 in 1951 and was 2-1 with a 2.54 ERA in three World Series starts following the 1949, ’52 and’53 National League pennant-winning seasons. After being traded from the Pirates to the Dodgers in December of 1947, the five-time All-Star once said of the Dodgers’ superior middle infield (Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson), “A pitcher should pay to pitch for the Dodgers. The Pirate's second baseman and shortstop were like goalposts with the ball bouncing between them.” Happy Birthday Preacher!...

COME ON DOWN: The Dodgers will be holding their annual free agent tryout this Friday, Feb. 29 on fields 5 and 6. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the players will start going through workouts at 9 a.m. Typically, the workout involves a 60-yard dash, batting practice, and throwing drills from shortstop to first (infielders) and right-center to third base (outfielders).

I find that last item particularly compelling.  My glove is in the car, and if I left now, I might make it to Vero by Friday...

BK

The entertainment just keeps coming in Vero for the Dodgers.  On the heels of the public humiliation of some members of the coaching staff, Mark Sweeney has taken it upon himself to institute an American Idol style competition in camp, similar to the one's the Giants have had for the last couple of seasons.  You know, the one that produced the fairly disturbing scene pictured at left.  But it'll make for fun bonding time, and since there is significant work going on for the Blue these days (and because Bonds isn't a Dodger), it should just make for good times. 

On the field, the battle for third base continues to be a major talking point.  Nomar is looking for a bounce back season, and is conceding nothing in his competition with Andy LaRoche for the starting gig- but questions the characterization of the situation as a competition.  Everyone, he says, is on the same team with the same goal.  And while he certainly concedes that his '07 was disappointing, it's clear Nomar believes declarations of his demise are premature.  Meanwhile, Andy LaRoche says he's healthy and comfortable, and is excited about his first real opportunity to win a job in a Major League camp. 

Saw in the ol' Blue Notes inbox that Joe Torre will be a guest on the inaugural airing of "Conversations with Michael Eisner" on CNBC.  Two airings, the first at 6 pm PST (that's right now), and another at 9. 

Enjoy!

BK

I can't imagine when members of the '86 Dodgers look back at a disappointing 73 win season, this clip does much to take the sting away.  But I'm willing to bet it provided some serious entertainment for the current squad, who had a chance to watch it during Sunday's clubhouse meeting.

Serious thanks to reader Brian for sending this along. 

BK

And not in an "influential 80's band" kinda way.  The casa is stuffed because there's a lot of players on a talented Dodger squad jockeying for just a few spots.  One of them upstarts is the youngster Matt Kemp, who's been coming on string during this early February baseball.  His improvement could theoretically come at the expense of Andre Ethier, although the hope is that the duo can squeeze the best out of each other.  Such would mirror the attitude of Nomar Garciaparra, who ain't itching to get left for dead just quite yet, but nonetheless doesn't see Andy LaRoche as his Lex Luthor.  Still, it's easy to claim "we're all in this kumbaya boat together," but as last year's finish showed, dudes can get mighty sensitive when it comes to cut PT.  Such potential dilemmas are just one reason Joe Torre clocks big dollars on either coast, even as he's feeling out the new situation.

Oscar themed highlights from Sunday's Spring Training Notes, courtesy of Dodgers PR:

TINSELTOWN TUSSLE: The Dodgers held their first intrasquad game this afternoon and even though it only lasted five innings, Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti and new Dodger Manger Joe Torre were able to begin their “official” evaluation of the 2008 Dodgers. The contest, which pitted “Team Koufax” against “Team Drysdale” featured a triple by outfielder Matt Kemp, three hits from outfielder John Lindsey, and RBI double by A.J. Ellis, and a two-run double by John-Ford Griffin. Dodger shortstop Chin-lung Hu also had two hits. On the mound, Mike Myers, Tanyon Sturtze, Eric Hull, Mike Koplove, Greg Jones, Fernando De La Cruz, and Brian Shackelford all tossed scoreless innings.   

GONE BABY GONE: Dodger non-roster invitee John Lindsey crushed the ball in each of his at-bats this afternoon, going 3-for-3 with a double, RBI, and two runs scored. Although most haven’t had a chance to watch the 245-lb. first baseman, his numbers at both Double and Triple-A last season should make this performance come as no surprise. Lindsey led all Dodger minor leaguers with a combined 30 home runs and 121 RBI last year, while also hitting .317. The Missouri native was named the Dodgers’ Minor League Player of the Month for July, when he batted .337 (32-for-95) with nine homers, 39 RBI and a .716 slugging percentage during the month for the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s. Lindsey is in his 14th year in professional baseball, but has never made the Major Leagues after stints in the Colorado, Seattle, and Florida Organizations.    

NO STARTING FOR OLD MAN: Dodger left-hander Mike Myers started the intrasquad game this afternoon and fanned Tony Abreu and James Loney in his only inning of work. It has been quite some time since the 38-year old has seen his name penciled in as the starter. Myers has appeared in 883 big league games, which is 22nd all-time, and none as a starter. He did make 80 starts in the minor leagues in 127 games, but the last time he started a contest was in 1994.

And there you have it.  We're still about a week away from the creation of real news... but we're getting there.   In the meantime,  we'll post what we get.  On a side note, Lindsey, who is, I believe 31 years old and a career minor leaguer, is the sort of guy you root for.  That said, he's a major long shot to make the team.

BK

ESPN's Outside the Lines takes a look (video style!) at Dodgertown, as part of the look at (presumably) L.A.'s last preseason there.  While I've written before that the move is a long time in coming, it's worth remembering how significant a role it played in baseball history.  And for those of you who missed the E-Ticket on the venerable Spring Training site... here you go.

BK

As the Rolling Stones famously told us, we all need someone we can lean on.   Thus, it's a happy sight in Dodger country to see folks teaming up to help bring the best out of the Dodger roster.  There's Blue base running legend Maury Wills giving pointers to Matt Kemp, which will hopefully prevent this speeding locomotive from going off the rails as often as in '07.  New hurler Hiroki Kuroda has plenty of know how when it comes to the craft of baseball, but he's not much on the American game or culture.  Cue Takashi Saito, who's showing his buddy the ropes and rustling up authentic vittles to help ease the transition.   Yet one more reason for Joe Torre to be highly impressed with his '08 Mariano. 

As for Derek Lowe, the partnership is with a familiar ally.  Himself.  He's out to become his best asset, whether by remaining healthy or just playing some ball and not worrying about what the future will bring.  Some similar self reliance might help these gents with the proving ground they're looking to conquer.

The folks at Baseball Prospectus do a lot of numbers crunching, including yearly projections for every player in the league (PECOTA, the eggheads call it). BP's Jim Baker broke down the numbers for players with no MLB experience, and among that crowd no pitcher rated with a higher PECOTA than Dodgers' FA righty Hiroki Kuroda.  While obviously such an honor doesn't actually mean anything for the Blue until Kuroda actually hits the hill, it's still nice to see.  After all, last year's winner of the "no MLB experience" projection category was Daisuke Matsuzaka.  That turned out pretty well for Boston.  But along with the kudos for Kuroda, Baker has another nugget that should make fans smile, given how good the pitching in the NL West is this year:

"Starting Pitcher: Hiroki Kuroda, Dodgers, 23.3 Projected VORP. As it was last year, the starting pitcher with the best PECOTA is a Japanese import, albeit a less-heralded one than Daisuke Matsuzaka was. Adding Kuroda gives the Dodgers something that no other team in the National League has: four starting pitchers with a PECOTA-projected VORP over 20.0. True, they’re all scores in the low 20s, but it beats the alternative. Chad Billingsley is highest at 23.7, followed by Kuroda; Derek Lowe is next at 21.0, followed closely by Brad Penny at 20.9. A healthier Jason Schmidt would certainly project that high as well. Only one other team has four equally promising starters in their stable, that being Boston with Josh Beckett (44.6), Daisuke Matsuzaka (34.9), Clay Buchholz (22.8), and Curt Schilling (20.2), although Buchholz is behind John Lester and Tim Wakefield on the depth chart."

Like the weather, the preseason forecasts aren't always right, but like the weather, it's better to see projections of sunshine than rain.

BK

It's not exactly a terrible problem for Joe Torre, the notion of having options plenty at his fingertips.  But it does require some decision making on his part.  For example, how to set the outfield.  It's a given that newbie Andruw Jones will start in center, but will his newest protege be awarded the full time spot in right?  Should Matt Kemp beat out Andre Ethier for that role, it would be Ethier vs. Juan Pierre for the other corner of the outfield (and in this case, the fans have been casting their votes since last season).  And, as always, there's that pesky hot corner case of Garciaparra v. LaRoche.  Phil Gurnee of SportsHubLA.com believes it's time for youth to be served. 

Were Torre to follow that lead, what would he do with Mr. Mia Hamm, one asks?  Garciaparra has thrown out a semi-serious idea.  In tribute to his baseball idol "B.Bunny," Nomar says he's down for some emergency work at the 2 spot.  Which could theoretically help his skip out a touch, since he'll undoubtedly have to force himself to play Russell Martin at a more "Posada-ish" rate.  As for John Lindsey, he's not likely to cause Joe Torre any sleepless nights in regards to first base.  But after years feeling like Kevin Costner, he's just happy for some time in Vero.

Clearly the frontrunner for the third base gig is an open question, because even the guys writing about it can't quite figure it out.  Maybe the job is Nomar's to lose, maybe Andy LaRoche has the inside track (he's been getting a lot of reps defensively with the other starters... but Joe Torre says not to read much into that).  Maybe Nomar is better suited to bench duty?  Maybe not.  One guy willing to do about anything to stick with the big club is Delwyn Young, who has taken his infielder's glove out of storage in an effort to add a little more versatility to his resume. 

Meanwhile, maybe we all jumped the gun with this whole, "Final Tribute to Dodgertown!" theme.  The Blue aren't happy with the folks in Glendale and some of the plans for the new facility there.  While it's likely a lot of legalese and posturing, at least in theory, the Blue left the door open to exploring other options if things don't pan out the way they'd like.

For Andrew Jones and Rafael Furcal, former Braves phenoms and incredibly close friends, it's good to be back together, writes Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.  For Rudy Seanez, if he's not back this year, he may not be back at all. 

It's easy to understand why some might think Gary Sheffield is kind of a jerk.  But here's something Shef says we can all agree on: Scotty Boras is a bad man.   

With news that Tommy Lasorda will manage the Dodgers in Vero while Joe Torre's Goodwill Blue make the jaunt to Beijing, it appears the folks at SI have gotten a little nostalgic for the early days Mr. Pasta.  That would explain the reprinting of this article from March of 1977.  Remember, there was once a day when the changing of managers was a rare thing for the franchise.

How ST will play out, given the split squads, long trips, and multiple home fields is just one of the many questions on the minds of fans and writers alike.  There's always a lot of noise, but finding solid lessons can be tougher. 

BK

For those lacking Espanol prowess, the latter phrase means "the boss." And this season a new boss (Joe Torre) has been named, while an old authority figure (Jeff Kent) showed up in Vero Beach for perhaps the last time.  We say "perhaps" because those details remain locked in the vault, with only the second baseman aware of that particular combination.  But he was willing to divulge some details when it comes to last season's "young v. old" rift.  Basically, his frustrations were never personal (or about one person(s), were sparked by losing, and... most importantly... are now water under the bridge.  But should any issues bubble to the surface this season with Kent (or any player, for that matter), he'll be airing said grievances to Torre, whose already making his presence felt in ways that don't simply involve Joe Beimel's locks.  When you're essentially a rock star minus the axe, it becomes easier to throw the proverbial weight about (although as last season proved, it doesn't turn the game itself into a cake walk).

The Blue have a pretty solid history in minority hiring, especially relative to the often disappointing standards set by much of the competition across baseball.  It's no real surprise, then, to see them add another female exec to the crew.  Ellen Harrigan has been named Director, Baseball Administration, one of fewer than 10 women (a group that includes Dodgers Assistant GM Kim Ng) to reach that level in a baseball ops position in MLB. Kudos to Harrigan, and the Blue. 

On the other end of things, reading Tony Jackson's blog for the Daily News, I learned about about troyfromwestvirginia, who is, to say the least, a big Joe Beimel fan.  I'm talking the kind of guy who likely writes the folks at Fathead on a regular basis, wondering why they haven't issued a Beimel model yet. Warning: Some of the YouTube clips on his page (linked above) have some coarse language, so I won't link them all here, but man alive, does this guy love Joe Beimel!  Possibly more than Joe Beimel loves Joe Beimel!  Plus, there's some candid analysis of the squad, and some great moments where troyfromwestvirginia paddles deep into the TMI waters.  But the good news is he's heading to Vero to meet his hero. 

Hopefully it's not a SWF sort of deal. 

BK

PROGRAMMING NOTE: Join us today for Purple, Gold, and Blue at 11 am.  We'll be discussing Blue issues with Adrian Garcia of Fox Sports.  Click on the show widget on the side of the page, or go to www.nowlive.com and click the PG&B show icon.)

Don't mean that in a "dude thinks the world revolves around him" kinda way.  I mean, literally, all the local press is about the Dodger shortstop, who saw the beginning of the end of his '07 campaign kick off right around a year ago this time.  An in-game collision between him and Jason Repko resulted in a badly sprained ankle that put Furcal on the D.L. come opening day.  Unfortunately, the rigors of a professional baseball season often doesn't allow the proper time for an injury to truly shore up, meaning Furcal never reached "100%" status.  Because of that, he was unable to pull a repeat of his '06 "catalyst" performances.  Safe to say, said recreation was missed. But some offseason healing and a successful Winter Ball campaign have Furcal feeling good, whether physically and mentally, a cat ready to rock and roll.  But will a dream season serve as a simultaneous swan song in Blue, what with it being a contract year and Chin-lung Hu being groomed?  Furcal would love to remain in L.A., but remains ready for anything.

Save an outside the box approach that moved Andruw Jones to the Dodgers' always tenuous third base, his donning of the blue essentially guaranteed incumbant centerfielder Juan Pierre would be vacating his career-long position.  How's that knowledge sitting with the southpaw?  In and of itself, no worries.  Pierre knows the dude replacing him boasts serious credentials and hardware.  To the victor goes the spoils, and if left field is the consolation prize, so be it... assuming it's no part-time prize.  Even acknowledging areas in need of spicing, a new job title of "Outfielder #4" might not sit right.  Pierre's also not one to hang out where unwanted, so if part-time work is all Joe Torre can offer (especially considering Andre Ethier's qualifications for a full-time gig), the Louisiana native is cool with the notion of relocating. 

For those of you looking to relive the Legend of Tommy, have we got a treat for you!  Turns out he'll steer the domestic Blue while Joe Torre takes his delegation to China.  Eight games in total.  Should be fun, or at the very least, delicious. 

Yesterday, we mentioned Russell Martin could get a little more rest this year.  Maybe.  Lucas May is hoping one day to be the guy who lets him rest once a week or so. 

BK

The big reason we all thought Mike Lieberthal had the greatest gig in the history of organized sports- free shorts, meal money, very comfortable salary, first class travel, very little physical exertion, etc.- was because Russell Martin not only played basically every day, but thought he could and should play everyday.  Fortunately, it seems that Martin may finally be softening on this issue.  Sort of.  Basically, he's going to defer to Joe Torre, who says he'll have to avoid the temptation of playing Martin into the ground.  But just in case, Martin plans on taking better care of himself. 

Jason Schmidt isn't all the way back, but things look good so far, evidenced by his 36 pitch session off a mound in Vero.  Schmidt threw everything in the repertoire, and felt fine when it was done.  All good signs.  While Schmidt is under pressure to return to form, Derek Lowe says he's not feeling any heading into a contract year. 

TJ Simers doesn't like Joe Torre's choice of words.  Try not to roll your eyes too hard, as it could strain the muscles in there.  Bill Plaschke takes another look at Matt Kemp, and finds a lot of growth.  Another good sign, for sure.  But I'll write now what I wrote last year and over the summer:  He's a kid, and attitudinally speaking will have high points and low points, even as there's an overall trend towards maturity.  There's still no reason to expect him to be fully formed as a player or a person at 23 years old. 

BK

Dylan Hernandez takes a look at new CF Andruw Jones, who is looking for a big bounce back season after a disastrous '07 in Atlanta.  Jones hopes to find some security here in the form of an extension that goes beyond the two year deal he signed this winter, but knows it'll take a good showing to make that happen.  He wants it, the Dodgers need it, as they're relying on Jones to help fill a power vacuum that has hurt them over the last few seasons. 

BK

Turns out he's kind of a big deal. And until the newness of his presence wears off, the Dodgers have a full-on celebrity manager, who will have his every move and word carefully documented.  It's nothing they haven't had before- very few managers had the massive personality (and love for attention) of Tommy Lasorda- but the first for the Blue in today's hyperactive media environment.  Fortunately, coming from New York, none of this will bother Torre, who on Friday sucked in his surroundings and addressed the team as the Dodgers got into the swing of things in Vero. 

One guy who needed no introduction was Scott Proctor, who with the Yankees was a workhorse under Torre, and the same for L.A. after coming in the Wilson Betemit deal.  He's a righty with a safe spot on the roster.  The role of second lefty in the pen, something Torre likes to have, could be an interesting one, notes Ken Gurnick:

"Torre said he prefers to keep two left-handed relievers, pretty well outlining one of the few spring decisions to be made. Joe Beimel will be one. Competition for the second spot will focus on non-roster invitees Mike Myers (who pitched for Torre in New York) and former Dodger Tom Martin, but a 40-man roster candidate could be Kuo, coming off his fourth elbow operation and out of options.

Other left-handers on the 40-man roster are Eric Stults and Greg Miller, while non-roster possibilities include Matt Riley and Brian Shackleford."

Hiroki Kuroda's first work in Blue was a piece of cake.

And by we, the Dodgers mean "Andruw Jones, Matt Kemp, Nomar and a bunch of dudes the locals won't even sort of recognize, most likely."  There will be an Asian presence ont he trip (Park, Hu, Kuo), but neither Hiroki Kuroda nor Takashi Saito will be using their passports for this one.  The list of players making the trek for the exhibition games is low on big time names, in part because the vets ain't dying to shlep their gear across an ocean.  And Joe Torre is simpatico with the game's experienced members, which leads one to think Juan Pierre and Mr. Mia Hamm could have a leg up in their positional battles come opening day.  But inside tracks remain speculation, in part because Pierre didn't reveal any discussions between him and his new skip.   A new skip that's walked into a situation made even better by one heck of an offseason.

(Note: Turns out the failed test was in 2000, not 2001.  Not that it changes much in the way of opinion, but good to know.)

I'm starting to suspect Bonds' life would be considerably simpler these days if he had just copped to some shenanigans from the start and called it a day, as opposed to allowing himself to get mired in a legal mess that's got him starting down jail time. 

But it's probably just me.

AK

Camp Vero is underway, as pitchers and catchers have reported to Spring Training to kick off the 2008 season.  The Blue have already made some news, signing Takashi Saito to a one year, $2 million deal, with the possibility of another 200K in incentives.  No shock there, for sure.  And relatively speaking, it's not a massive pile of cash given how good he's been over the last two seasons, but it's worth noting that given the context of the whole deal, the Dodgers forked over more than they needed to.  That said, had they nickeled and dimed the guy, that would have been an atrocious move by management.  The bullpen looks to be strong heading into camp, but questions about the back end of the rotation, particularly Jason Schmidt, remain.  The Dodgers will likely be conservative with him notes our own Dylan Hernandez in an interview with our friends at Dodger Thoughts, and it remains to be seen when he'll be truly healthy enough to join the rotation.

A sound Schmidt would likely push Esteban Loaiza to the pen, somewhere he'd rather not go.  Between that, an inflated ERA, and some flashes of solid excuse making ability shown in '07, he really is reminding some of Brett Tomko.  That's not a compliment. 

Joe Sheehan of the great Baseball Prospectus- really, it's worth the subscription- previews the NL West and the Blue heading into ST.  Click below the jump for an excerpt.

BK

We're not down in Florida, but that doesn't mean we can't bring you verbiage.  Courtesy of Dodgers PR, here is a partial transcript of Joe Torre's first press conference at Dodgertown.  He was all mellow-like and relaxed, but just because he's not in pinstripes anymore doesn't mean questions about pinstripes didn't come up.  That, some Blue, some Clemens, and a partridge in a pear tree. 

Click below the jump for the fun. 

BK

Pitchers and catchers report Thursday to Vero, kicking off what is sure to be a busy Spring Training for the Blue.  But for all the big questions that need answering, it's always fun to see the random names that appear in camp, generally as non-roster invitees.  There's always great drama when one or two play really well and push for a roster spot, whether one really exists or not (as is the case for the Dodgers this year, who assuming good health don't have much wiggle room in their 25 man roster). 

Here's a PDF file with the 2008 non-roster Cinderellas, all of whom are likely to be disappointed. (Download 2008_spring_training_roster.pdf)  Some of the more prominent names:

• Pitchers: Brian Falkenborg, long time D-Back righty Mike Koplove, sidearming lefty reliever Mike Myers, former Dodgers Chan Ho Park and Tom Martin, Jason Johnson, former Yankee (and Devil Ray!) Tanyon Sturtze.
• Infielders: Ramon Martinez (should ring a bell), Terry Tiffee (more fun to say than about 97% of names in professional sports). 
• OF: John-Ford Griffin.

Get out your glass slippers, folks!

BK

One year, 600K (with incentives that could push the deal's value to $900,000, solid left-handed bat off the bench.  Non-guaranteed until he makes the roster.  Works for me. 

Andrew at TrueBlueLA, however, has a different perspective, mostly working with the theory that with Nomar cemented to the 40 man roster (despite questionable productivity) and a bench basically set, Sweeney's addition/retention creates more headaches than it solves:
 

In the new ESPN the Magazine, they're running a pic heavy feature entitled "First Crush," which includes Brad Penny talking about horses.

Sounds awkward, sure, but it'll make more sense if you click the link.

BK

Sweeney, Mark: An oft murderous pinch hitter.  And one that appears on the verge of rejoining the Dodgers.  Another season with the Blue won't likely allow him to catch Lenny Harris and become baseball's all-time off-the-pine-hitter.  But it could allow me to enjoy some of my favorite at-bat music on this Dodger squad, which I hope Sweeney keeps using.

More to come as news develops.

AK

Dodgertown is a longstanding institution that sends people back to the charming, wistful days of baseball yore. The kind of time capsule stuff represented by the picture on the left.  For some, those days are even more significant, given the sorts of stories that tend to dominate baseball headlines these days.  No question, the facility has a ton of history attached that can't be ignored by any fan of the team, or really any fan of the game, much of it grand, some of it ugly. Regardless, this will be the last year the Dodgers host their Spring Training at the Vero Beach landmark.  To call next year's digs in Arizona "modern" by comparison is an understatement.  We're talking Audi R8 vs. the Model T.  Despite the tug of the past, it's a move that makes a lot of sense in today's baseball environment.  I can tell you without question, Vero is no longer a popular spot for players or journalists alike. 

Less than a week until pitchers and catchers report to Vero to kick off the 2008 season, on Valentine's Day, no less, and excitement is beginning to percolate.  Most of the loose ends have been tied up, the roster basically set aside perhaps from a surprise or two at the end of the bench or pen.  We all know third base will be a battle between Andy LaRoche and Nomar Garciaparra.  We all know the four outfielders/three outfield spots thing is a festering question.  Andre Ethier, for one, could accept a platoon, but like all players wants to be in the lineup every day.  I like what the Dodgers did this winter, especially given what was available.  I've written all offseason that I think the Dodgers are in position to, with the ever present caveat of good health in mind, compete to win a very competitive division.  Arizona has improved, Colorado is still good, San Diego, if they can score, will be very good, too.  Four good but flawed teams.  The Dodgers won't enter the season as everyone's favorite, but I think they've assembled a solid group that is capable of very good things.  Which leads to today's similarly themed questions:

Is there something the Dodgers forgot this offseason?  Obviously the OF is a huge question, but did they miss the boat somewhere else?  Is there anything that didn't happen after the curtain went down on the '07 season that you find disappointing?  What T's didn't get crossed, or I's dotted?

BK

With the season about to start up again, it's only fitting that the media would look to do a head count and check which blue cloaked ducks are in their proper row.  For starters, Matt Kemp, who was at the center of both last season's clubhouse rift and offseason trade rumors coming in by the oodles.  The young right fielder heard plenty o' news about his potential relocation during the winter and spring, but is plenty happy that his L.A. based phone calls were just folks calling to say, "what up?"  It's unlikely any of those conversations involved crusty vet (and reported "nemesis") Jeff Kent, whom everyone knew would return this season.  But is the grumpy one interested in a return go with baseball once his contract is done?  Predictably, Kent offered little insight as to what lies ahead.  But to some degree, that's more about Kent's place in baseball lore than the Dodgers, since the likely HOF'er is on borrowed time as it is.  Should Fantasy Kahuna Russell Martin ever bolt, however, that would be a gi-normous deal.  And while  that theoretical day is more than a ways away, it did raise some eyebrows that Team Russ opted not to engage in arbitration-avoiding extension talks.  Again, nothing to really worry about (the odds of this kid not attracting a legit offer feel remote), but certainly worth noting.   In any event, Takashi Saito ain't going no place, which is certainly a good thing for this squad's already solid bullpen.   

In totally unrelated news, The Rocket maintains that his launch patterns have always been kosher.   

Today I was watching the film version, about a plucky, undersized lad from Notre Dame who defies the odds and gets some run with the Fighting Irish.  Appropriate, then, that today the Dodgers resign their own plucky Rudy, in Rudy Seanez.  He's not undersized, but it's fair to say that in the eyes of most, Seanez has defied the odds by staying in the league as long as he has.  The contract, a one year deal, could be worth up to $1.3 million. 

Good for Rudy, solid move for the Blue.  He was a quality part of the pen last season, and it was worth bringing him back at this very reasonable price. 

BK

UPDATE:  The Blue and Joe Beimel avoided arbitration today, with the lefty signing a one year deal.

The Dodgers introduced their two new Japanese pitchers today at the Ravine.  First, Robert Boothe, the amateur signed out of Asia University, and then the $34 million man, Hiroki Kuroda, late of the Hiroshima Carp.  Truly fearsome creatures, those carp.  Among the most formidable you'll find anywhere in the agua.  The goal today was to provide the first ever video clips on Blue Notes.  Unfortunately, I managed to erase all the clips without downloading them.  Debut, interrupted.  But here's what you would have seen:

• Footage of Boothe and Kuroda jogging along the warning track, then about 40 members of the Japanese media watching Boothe and Kuroda jogging along the warning track. (Locals included me, Dylan Hernandez of the Times, and a couple other dudes I recognized.)
• Footage of Boothe and Kuroda stretching, then about 40 members of the Japanese media watching Boothe and Kuroda stretching. 
• Boothe and Kuroda playing catch (not with each other) under the watchful eye of the Japanese media. 
• A four minute clip of Kuroda talking to the English speaking media, via an interpreter.  The Japanese media, I believe, were behind us at the time.

Fair to say the days events will make a bigger impact overseas than here.  But that doesn't mean there wasn't anything interesting that came out of it.

Lest you think I'm totally inept from a tech standpoint, that photo you see?  Taken by yours truly... while holding the MP3 recorder you see in the bottom left.  I'm like Ansel Adams, only better because I can multitask.

For some audio, click below. 

BK