Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.Sunday, March 18, 2012 – 1:05 p.m., Camelback Ranch - Glendale
RHP Dan Haren vs. LHP Chris Capuano
Spring Game 16/Home Game 8
Todays Starting Lineup:
Dodgers:Upcoming Spring Training Schedule:@skinnyswag9 SS, M Ellis 2B, Gwynn LF, Kennedy 1B, Uribe 3B, Oeltjen RF,@AJEllis17 C, Angle CF, Capuano LHP
Angels: Amarista 2B Calhoun LF Pujols 1B Trumbo 3B Conger C Langerhans RF Romine SS Long CF Haren P
SUNDAY FUN DAY: The Dodgers and Angels will collide for the final time during 2012 Cactus League play this afternoon at a sold out Camelback Ranch – Glendale, following the Dodgers’ blowout win at Tempe Diablo Stadium last Monday (9-1). However, the two Southern California squads will meet in an exhibition Freeway Series from April 2-4 and then during the regular season, the Dodgers and Halos will meet six times, starting with a three-game set at Dodger Stadium from June 11-13. In 2011, the Angels won the series, 4-2, taking two of three contests at both Dodger and Angel Stadium last summer.
HURLERS: Left-hander Chris Capuano takes the mound for his third start of the spring season today and is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA (2 ER/4.2 IP) thus far. Capuano last pitched Tuesday vs. Colorado and allowed two runs in 2.2 innings. The Massachusetts native has been especially tough against left-handers over the course of his career, limiting them to a .229 batting average, a .290 on-base percentage and a .341 slugging percentage. Capuano will be followed to the mound by:
● RHP Mike MacDougal last pitched on Thursday vs. Kansas City and took the loss, allowing four earned runs in 0.1 innings. Last season, MacDougal was a key cog in the Dodgers’ bullpen, ranking second on the club with a career-high 69 appearances and posting a 2.05 ERA in 57.0 innings.
● LHP John Grabow tossed 1.2 scoreless innings on Thursday vs. Kansas City. The left-hander is looking to make the club as a non-roster invitee and thus far has fired 3.2 scoreless frames while limiting hitters to a .231 average.
● RHP Angel Guzman tossed 1.0 scoreless inning on Thursday and has yet to give up a run in 4.1 innings of work. The native of Venezuela is limiting the opposition to a .071 batting average this spring.
● LHP Wilfredo Ledezma worked a scoreless frame on Friday vs. Texas, lowering his spring ERA to 2.08 (1 ER/4.1 IP) in four appearances. Batters are hitting just .141 against him.
(Nathan Eovaldi, pic via Jon SooHoo/ LA Dodgers 2012)
MAKING MOVES: Today the Dodgers reassigned LHP Matt Chico, RHP Will Savage and RHP Ryan Tucker to minor league camp. In addition, the club gave LHP Alberto Castillo his outright release.
...AND NEW CHAMPION!: The Dodgers and Giants played to a 3-3 tie last night in front of a Cactus League record crowd of 13,655 fans. The new attendance record marks Camelback Ranch – Glendale’s fifth top-10 crowd since Cactus League’s largest stadium opened in 2009. In addition to last night’s contest, Dodgers’ games hold three of the other spots in the top 10: No. 3 on March 27, 2010 vs. Seattle (13,583), No. 4 on March 20, 2010 vs. San Diego (13,506) and No. 9 on March 18, 2010 vs. the Cubs (13,391).
- On the field, infielder Luis Cruz hit his first home run of the spring, while Jamey Wright, Josh Lindblom, Ramon Troncoso and Ronald Belisario all tossed scoreless innings.
(The Dodgers Press Box, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2012)
HALL OF FAME SUNDAY: For the second consecutive game, Dodger fans can hear Hall of Fame broadcasters Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrín calling games on KCAL 9 and KTNQ, respectively. Scully is entering his 63rd year with the club and Jarrín will be behind the microphone for his 54th season in 2012.
GRAY BEARDS: Believe it or not, the longest tenured Dodgers are first baseman James Loney and right fielder Andre Ethier. Loney made his debut for the Dodgers on Opening Day 2006 and Ethier was called up May 2, 2006. When it comes to service time with the club, All-Star outfielders Ethier (5.153) and Matt Kemp (5.049) as well as starter Chad Billingsley (5.110) all trump Loney (5.012), the club’s first round draft pick in 2002. The old guys aren’t doing so bad this spring as Ethier leads all National Leaguers with six doubles and is tied for seventh with 20 total bases. Ethier’s .474 average (9-for-19) leads the club, but Loney isn’t far behind, batting .353 (6-for-17) in just seven games.
- HOLDING STEADY: The Dodgers enter today’s contest with the second-best Spring Training record among National League clubs at 8-4-3, trailing just the Giants (11-4-3). Los Angeles also owns the third-best team ERA among NL clubs with a 3.41 mark and the second-highest team batting average at .289.