Day 16 Spring Training Report

Per @DodgersUSA, we find out that today, on March 4, 1912, Dodgers owner Charles Ebbets broke ground in Brooklyn to build his Ebbets Field.

Tonights lineup against the Giants:1) Jamey Carroll SS; 2) Dioner Navarro C; 3) Andre Ethier RF; 4) Matt Kemp CF; 5) Marcus Thames DH; 6) James Loney 1B; 7) Jamie Hoffmann LF; 8) Ivan de Jesus 2B; 9) Justin Sellers 3B; Jon Garland SP.

Ely, Broxton, Guerrier, Mahay and Schlichting are expected to pitch in relief.

Below is a rundown of todays Spring Training Notes brought to you by the Dodgers.

• THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS: The Dodgers and Giants meet for the second time this spring after San Francisco defeated Los Angeles 8-3 on Saturday in Scottsdale. The two clubs will face off two more times this spring, both at Scottsdale Stadium, before their Opening Night showdown on March 31 at Dodger Stadium.

(Pic Link:twitpic: SF_Giants)

(This has been floating around twitter all day)

• ON THE HILL: Dodger right-hander Jon Garland will make his first start of the spring tonight against the Giants after signing with the Dodgers this winter as a free agent. Last year, the Granada Hills native set career-bests with a 3.47 ERA and 136 strikeouts in 33 starts with the Padres, tying for the team lead with 14 wins while tossing 200.0 or more innings for the sixth time in his career. Garland will be followed by Jonathan Broxton, Matt Guerrier, Ron Mahay, Travis Schlichting, Javy Guerra and John Ely. Left-hander Barry Zito will get the start for the Giants.
• LET’S TURN IT AROUND: The Dodgers fell 3-1 at the hands of the Reds last night in Goodyear. Jerry Sands went 2-for-2 and drove in Los Angeles’ only run with an RBI single in the fifth inning to plate Xavier Paul, who doubled to lead off the frame. Hiroki Kuroda allowed two runs on six hits over 2.1 innings in his second Spring Training start, and through seven games, Dodger starters have posted a 1.10 ERA (2 ER/16.1 IP).

(Pic Link: TwitPic: Big_Teets)

• SOMETHING IN THE AIR TONIGHT: The Dodgers would like to welcome Spanish-language broadcaster and Dodger legend Fernando Valenzuela to Camelback Ranch. Valenzuela will kick off his ninth season in the broadcast booth along with Hall of Famer Jaime Jarrín and Pepe Yňiguez tomorrow as the trio will call the Dodgers-Reds game from Camelback Ranch. The broadcast can be heard on the Dodgers’ new Spanish-language broadcast partner, KTNQ 1020, which is part of the Univision Radio Group.

• BIENVENIDOS: For the next few days, the Dodgers will welcome a contingent of Mexican media members to Camelback Ranch, including representatives from Sintesis TV, Azteca America, Puro Beisbol, ZETA, El Vigia de Ensenada and Notimex. This will be the third year that the club has hosted members of the Mexican media in Glendale with the group meeting the Dodgers’ Spanish-language broadcast team and players during their visit.

• HAPPY HAPPY: The Dodgers would like to wish a happy 22^nd birthday to right-hander Rubby De La Rosa. Last night, the Dodgers’ 2010 Minor League Pitcher of the Year allowed just one hit (and then promptly picked the runner off second base) and struck out three in 2.0 scoreless innings against the Reds.

• 30 CLUBS IN 30 DAYS: MLB Network and host Matt Vasgersian will be at Camelback Ranch today and tomorrow gathering material for the network’s 30 Clubs in 30 Days tour. Don Mattingly will be interviewed live on the network tomorrow with the entire Dodgers episode debuting on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. ET.

• TOGETHER IN TUCSON: It was announced today that the Dodgers and Diamondbacks will play a Spring Training game on Friday, March 25 at 1:05 p.m. in Tucson with proceeds benefitting the Tucson Together Fund. The fund provides financial assistance to the victims, witnesses and their families for expenses associated with the January 8^th tragedy. The contest will be played at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium (formerly known as TEP) with tickets available at Dodgers.com/Spring.

(Pic Link: TwitPic TommyLasorda)

(Pee Wee received the call today in 1984 about his election into the Baseball Hall of Fame)

• A LOOK BACK: On March 4, 1984, Pee Wee Reese was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The 10-time National League All-Star appeared in more games at shortstop (2,014) than any player in franchise history and is the club’s all-time leader in runs scored (1,338) and walks (1,210). Also on this day in 1912, groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the construction of Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.

• THE LEFTY’S STILL GOT IT: Tomorrow morning, Dodger Hall of Fame Manager Tommy Lasorda will throw out the first pitch at the Ahwatukee Little League’s Opening Day ceremonies in Phoenix.

• A LITTLE SHIFTY: Tonight, former Dodger second baseman Steve Sax will throw out the ceremonial first pitch on “Fireworks Night” at Camelback Ranch and will be at the facility this weekend to promote his new book, SHIFT: Change Your Mindset And You Change Your World. Tomorrow, Sax will be signing copies of SHIFT outside the Team Store in the Center Field Courtyard from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sax won the NL Rookie of the Year in 1982, the Silver Slugger in 1986 and was a five-time All Star for the Dodgers (1982-83, ’86) and Yankees (1989-90).

• PAYING RESPECTS: A private memorial service for Hall of Famer Edwin “Duke” Snider will be held on March 12. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the Fallbrook Union High School Baseball Program c/o Fallbrook Baseball ASB, 2234 S. Stage Coach Lane, Fallbrook, CA 92028.
  

Additional Spring Training Game to Benefit Victims of Tucson Shooting

This is for a good cause and certainly worth your attention if you are in Tucson on Friday, March 25th. From a Dodgers press release:

The Pima County Sports and Tourism Authority announced a second Spring Training game will be played in Tucson this month through a cooperative effort between the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Major League Baseball. The Dodgers and D-backs will play at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium (formerly known as TEP) on Friday, March 25, at 1:05 p.m. Proceeds from the game will benefit the Tucson Together Fund.

...

"The entire Dodger organization has been deeply touched by this terrible tragedy that hit so close to home with the loss of Christina-Taylor Green,” said Dodger Owner and Chairman Frank McCourt. “We are honored to take part in this game to support not only John and Roxana Green and their family, but the families of all of the victims."

“Words cannot describe how saddened our organization has been over this horrific tragedy that took place in our own backyard,” said D-backs President & CEO Derrick Hall. “We lost a member of our baseball family that terrible morning, and completely embrace an opportunity to help the Greens and the countless others who were victimized. We are deeply appreciative of the invitation to play and to bring a special community together in honor of some true heroes.” The Tucson Together Fund provides financial assistance to victims, witnesses and their families for expenses associated with the tragedy. The Tucson Together Fund also assists with expenses related to the shooting incident that are not eligible for financial assistance through the Crime Victim Compensation Program. The Tucson Together Fund will cover a variety of short-term and long-term expenses related to the tragedy, such as travel expenses, food and lodging. Additionally, it may pay for some expenses that are ineligible under the Crime Victim Compensation Program such as loss of wages, funeral and counseling. Any expense related to the victim, witness and families that are not covered fully by another source may be considered.

Home Plate Reserved: $20 per seat Bleacher: $10 per seat

Dugout Reserved: $17 per seat Lawn: $6 per seat

Outfield Lower Level: $14 per seat Upper Mezzanine: $15 per seat

Monday’s game between the D-backs and White Sox at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium will provide proceeds to the Christina-Taylor Green Memorial Fund. The game between the Dodgers and D-backs will expand those charitable proceeds to all of the victims involved.

Provenance Questions Surround Sheen's 1927 World Series Ring

A few days ago I posted a pic provided by Charlie Sheen's twitter account showing him wearing a 1927 World Series ring he owns that once belonged to Babe Ruth. Check it out below.
Well, an article in Deadspin written by memorabilia sleuth Peter Nash, of "Hauls of Shame" fame informs us of the dubious nature of the item. I have a great amount of respect for Mr. Nash's work as he hunts down and exposes some of the more underhanded aspects of the Baseball memorabilia market. It's a interesting read and provides a cautionary tale- be weary when buying vintage memorabilia. Is the ring real? Was it stolen from the Ruth family? Was a Ruth heir hoodwinked into selling or trading it? None of these conclusions would surprise me if true.

Here is an excerpt:

Halper (the famed collector who sold it to Sheen) was known to have visited and made purchases from Claire Ruth while she was still living in an apartment on Riverside Drive in Manhattan. Ruth's granddaughter has heard stories about Halper visiting Claire with bottles of liquor. Says Linda Ruth Tosetti: "I was told he'd get her liquored up and then walk out with some of Babe's stuff." It's not an unreasonable suggestion. In 1999, Halper told The New York Times that he swapped six bottles of J&B Scotch with Lou Gehrig's widow in exchange Lou's "Luckiest Man on Earth" uniform from 1939. Halper said Mrs. Gehrig was happy to get some "hooch."

Blog Kiosk: 3/4/2011

• The Memorial Day game, May 30th, against Colorado will be $1.00 Dodger Dog Day. WooHoo!
  
• City of Santa Clarita: Dodger Day! For Saturday, May 14th. Money generated from this event will help support their schools and non-profit groups! Not only that you can place nominations for who would be the most deserving person to throw out the first pitch. I assume residents of Santa Clarita would be favored.
  
• Sometimes I wish I lived near Cooperstown.

  The national game of England meets America's National Pastime in an historic exploration of the relationship between two of the world's most popular sports, cricket and baseball, in an exclusive American exhibition, opening April 16

• Here is a fun flowchart detailing what team you should be a fan of, via Beyond the Boxscore.
• Let's Go Dodger's has a pic of a very young Charlie Sheen in a Dodgers celebrity "Hollywood Stars" uniform.
  
• Tony Gwynn, Jr. talks a bit about his fathers battle with cancer, at FoxSports.
  
• Agate Type introduces us to a little known murder of Negro Leaguer Walter Claude "Steel Arm" Dickey in 1923.
  
• Via a RT from Eric Stephen's of TrueBlueLA, we see a toothpick holding bobblehead the Reds will be giving out this year of Dusty Baker. That's pretty awesome. (Pic Link: TwitPic Cincinnati Reds)
• This has been making the rounds. It's from the 2010 Valparaiso Cerro Abajo race in Valparaiso, Chile. "Watch out for that dog!"

VCA 2010 RACE RUN from changoman on Vimeo.