Dodgers Notes from Spring Training- Day 9

Steve Lyons hanging out with Don Mattingly, via twitter @SteveLyons12.

Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.

(Loney Signing for fans, via twitter @Dodgers)

• MARCH MADNESS: Chris Capuano, Mike MacDougal, Matt Guerrier, Todd Coffey, Javy Guerra, Scott Elbert, Kenley Jansen, Stephen Fife, Will Savage, John Grabow, Matt Chico and Alberto Castillo threw live BP to Dodger hitters today on the third day of full-squad workouts at Camelback Ranch – Glendale. With the calendar flipping to March, the Dodgers’ Cactus League opener is just four days away with the club taking on the White Sox on Monday at Camelback Ranch. The club’s home opener is the following day, on March 6, with Los Angeles taking on the Giants at 1:05 p.m.
• ON THE DIAL: Tonight, The Spring Training Baseball Show with Kevin Kennedy & David Vassegh debuts on the Dodgers’ new radio partner AM 570 Fox Sports L.A.. The show will air immediately following the UCLA-Washington State basketball game from approximately 10:30-11:30 p.m. PT and tomorrow night from 9:00-10:00 p.m., but the hour-long show will normally air six days a week (excluding Sunday) at 7:00 p.m.
• #THEHAWK: The Dodgers would like to wish right-handed reliever Blake Hawksworth a very happy 29^th birthday today. Hawksworth ranked fourth on the team last season with 49 appearances and 53.0 innings pitched as a reliever, going 2-5 with a 4.08 ERA and limiting opposing hitters to a .225 batting average in his first season with Los Angeles. Be sure to follow Blake and wish him a happy birthday on Twitter, @BlakeHawk425.

(A Sea of Dodgers, via twitter @SteveLyons12)

• GREEN BLUE EGGS WITH HAM: As a part of the 2012 Read Across America celebration, Dodger catcher A.J. Ellis and White Sox pitcher Addison Reed visited the Velma Teague Library in Glendale to read to local school children. Ellis, who also participated in the event last year, is poised to take over as the Dodgers’ starting catcher in 2012 after batting .271 with two home runs and 11 RBI in 31 games with Los Angeles a year ago. Back in Los Angeles, members of the Dodger Alumni Association will visit 10 local schools this weekend to read to kids and speak to them about the importance of literacy.
• SAY CHEESE: The media flurry has started at Dodger Spring Training with ESPN, FOX and PRIME TICKET interviewing players on site today and the club’s annual Photo Day taking place tomorrow morning at Camelback Ranch – Glendale. This year, a bevy of entities will be taking part in Photo Day, including the Associated Press, Getty Images, Dodger radio partner AM 570 Fox Sports Radio L.A., MLB International, MLB Photos, Baseball Magazine Sha, Dodger broadcast partner KCAL 9, Topps and MLB.com.

(Pic from Baseball tryouts at Spring Training, via twitter @Dodgers)

• DREAM A LITTLE DREAM: Earlier today, the Dodgers held their annual open tryout at Camelback Ranch – Glendale with candidates competing for a minor contract. One of the 125 hopefuls was 22-year-old Francisco “Chico” Herrera, who has worked the past four seasons as a batboy in the Dodger clubhouse. Herrera, an infielder, has already made several highlight-reel catches at Dodger Stadium with his exploits as a ballboy being showcased on ESPN’s SportsCenter.