Dodgers Notes from Spring Training- Freeway Series, Game 32

(pic via LA Observed cartoonist Steve Greenberg)

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

LOS ANGELES DODGERS (14-13-4) at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (17-11-2)

Monday, April 2, 2012 – 7:05 p.m., Angel Stadium

RHP Jamey Wright vs. RHP Dan Haren

Spring Game 32/Road Game 17

Todays Starting Lineup:

Dodgers: Gordon SS, Ellis 2B, Kemp CF, Ethier RF, Rivera LF, Loney 1B, Uribe 3B, Ellis C, Kennedy DH
Angels: Aybar 6, Kendrick 4, Pujols 3, Morales dh, Hunter 9, Wells 7, Trumbo 3, Iannetta 2, Bourjos 8, haren.

Upcoming Spring Training Schedule:

(piv via twitter @Dodgers)

• FREEWAY OF LOVE: The Dodgers take off south on the I-5 and head to Anaheim for a night game against the Angels this evening. The two clubs met twice during Cactus League action with the Dodgers winning big in Tempe on March 12 and the squads tying, 1-1 on March 18 at Camelback Ranch – Glendale. Following this three-game Freeway Series, the Dodgers and Angels will meet six times during the regular season, beginning June 11 at Dodger Stadium.

  The Dodgers have not beaten the Angels during their Freeway Series exhibition games since 2009, having dropped both contests in 2010 and 2011. This year will mark the first three-game Freeway Series since the Angels took two of three from the Dodgers in 2007. That year was also the last time the Fresco Thompson and Lefty Phillips Awards were handed out. These awards honor the MVP and most outstanding pitcher of the Freeway Series, respectively. In 2007, Orlando Cabrera took home the Fresco Thompson Award and Chad Billingsley won the Lefty Phillips Award.

• BULLPEN DAY: RHP Jamey Wright will get the start tonight and is expected to pitch 2.0 innings. Wright is 0-1 with a 5.23 ERA (6 ER/10.1 IP) this spring and his appearance tonight will tie him for the team lead with 10 games pitched. Following Wright to the mound will be several relievers, including Kenley Jansen, Javy Guerra, Scott Elbert, Todd Coffey and Mike MacDougal.

(On 4/15 fans will get Jackie Robinson Sweatbands, via twitter @Dodgers)

• SEE YOU IN 2013!: Yesterday, the Dodgers played their final game of 2012 at Camelback Ranch – Glendale and lost to the Diamondbacks, 6-2. This year, 121,769 fans showed up to watch Dodger baseball, including the two largest crowds in Cactus League history on March 17 vs. the Giants (13,655) and March 18 vs. the Angels (13,648). The total numbers of fans at Camelback Ranch this season represents a more than fifteen percent increase over 2011.

  During the game, most of the regulars left early to get a jump on their travel plans, but James Loney’s RBI double and Tim Federowicz’s run-scoring single gave Los Angeles its runs. Loney is hitting .294 with five doubles this spring. The first baseman’s nine RBI are tied with Justin Sellers for fourth on the team.

  With Saturday’s win, the Dodgers clinched their first winning Cactus League campaign since joining the league in 2009. At 14-13 with three exhibition games left, the club is seeking its first winning Spring Training since going 17-16-1 in 2007.

• THE BIG WINNER: The Dodgers would like to wish a very happy 67^th birthday to the winningest pitcher in franchise history, Don Sutton. Sutton won 230 games with Los Angeles from 1966-80 and added on three more in 1988. The native of Alabama won his 300^th career game in 1986 as a member of the California Angels and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998. That same year, the Dodgers retired his No. 20 on Aug. 14. The right-hander also leads the franchise in games pitched (550), innings pitched (3,814), strikeouts (2,696) and shutouts (52).

• ROSTER UPDATE: Following Saturday’s game, the Dodgers optioned OF Trent Oeltjen to minor league camp. Thirty-six players remain in Major League camp, including RHP Blake Hawksworth and RHP Rubby De La Rosa, who will start the season on the disabled list.

(Camelback Ranch, pic via twitter @DesertDoyer)

• FOLLOW THE LEADERS: Dee Gordon and Andre Ethier have been two of Los Angeles’ hottest hitters this spring as Gordon ranks among the NL leaders in batting average (.390, 3^rd), steals (11, 2^nd), runs (16, 1^st) and on-base percentage (.463, 5^th), while Ethier is tied for second in the league with 43 total bases and 16 RBI and is tied for first with nine doubles. Ethier’s .896 slugging percentage leads the club.

• AND THE MULVEY GOES TO…: Congratulations to Nathan Eovaldi on winning the Dodgers’ 2012 Jim and Dearie Mulvey Award as the top rookie at Spring Training. Eovaldi was selected as the winner in balloting by the club’s coaches and will receive a plaque in recognition of his accomplishment. The 22-year-old went 1-1 with a 1.72 ERA (3 ER/15.2 IP) in five games (four starts) in Cactus League play, while limiting opposing hitters to a .233 batting average. Eovaldi will make his final start of the exhibition season against the Angels on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium. A full list of past Mulvey Award winners, including last year’s winners Jerry Sands and Rubby De La Rosa, can be found on page 368 of the 2012 Dodgers Guide.

Collection: Maury Wills 2001 Fleer Greats

Here is my 2001 Fleer "Greats of the Game" autographed card of Maury Wills from my collection. I've already shared numerous other Wills auto'd cards so I haven't much to add about his legacy as a Dodger.

I will note, though, that there is a Maury Wills Museum. It is located in Fargo, North Dakota at the home field (Newman Outdoor Field) of the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Baseball team. The RedHawks are an Independent League Baseball team in the American Association. It was opened in 2001.

I am sure you're wondering what's his connection with North Dakota?

Well, Maury Wills was a coach and instructor on the team from 1996 to 1997, and worked as a radio color commentator for the RedHawks for many years. I had not realized before today that Maury Wills was on the radio.

Blog Kiosk: 4/2/2012

Topps unveiled a uncut sheet of some of their mini cards (fashioned after the 1987 Topps set) that will be in Series 2 Topps Baseball packs on Twitter. Check out the great looking Sandy Koufax card at the bottom right.

• When LA Icons Converge: Magic Johnson Reaches Out to Vin Scully, via Steve Dilbeck at LA Times.

  “It was interesting,” Scully said. “When the phone rang and I picked it up, I recognized that voice. And as I told him, 'If it’s possible, I can hear your smile.' ”

• Mike Petriello wrote a piece for Rotographs predicting a huge season for Andre Ethier. Time to add him to your roto team.
  
• I don't think I had seen this before. Here is a October 2011 GQ article about Vin Scully as he looks back at his greatest calls, via Daniel Riley. (Hat Tip: Eephus League)
  

  1953 World Series, Game 1 September 30, 1953

  The Call: At age 25, Scully becomes the youngest ever to call a World Series.

  "There was a labor disagreement: Red (Barber) felt that he had done a lot of World Series games and they were still paying—believe it or not—just $200 a game. So Red appealed, and they said, 'No that's what you're gonna get.' So he said, 'I'm not gonna do it.' Well out of the blue I got a phone call saying, 'We want you to do the World Series.' I thought, 'Well, whoa whoa whoa.' So I call Red and I said, 'Look, I've been doing this four years, I don't wanna do a World Series over your labor negotiation.' He said, 'Vinny, what's going on with me, it's not gonna change, and if you don't do it, they'll get somebody else to do it. So I'm giving you my blessing. Do it.'

• The Biz of Baseball explores the Dodgers sale.

  How Does Gueggenheim Partners Fit In?
  This is one of the most important, and least talked about aspects of the sale. Walter is the CEO of Gueggenheim Partners, a privately held, diversified financial services firm. The firm is where the bulk of the money is coming from. With more than $125 billion under management, the Dodgers will become part corporate, part privately owned.

• @Si_Vault on Twitter has a copy of an old scouting report on Nomar Garciaparra.
  
• The Legacy of Al Campanis, via William Weinbaum of ESPN.
  
• Eovaldi wins Mulvey Award for top rookie in Spring Training, via Ken Gurnick.
  
• Zach Hample was in Tokyo for the start of the Baseball season and has pictures to prove it.
• FanGraphs shares the "Important Graph" with its readers. This graph states that a baseball enthusiast’s ability to care for most everything declines considerably as the official start of the season approaches. That sounds about right.