Dodgers Blue Heaven: Blog Kiosk: 2/10/2014 - Dodgers Links

Spring Training has finally begun. As you know, pitchers and catchers reported on Saturday. Pic above features youngsters Onelki Garcia, Jose Dominguez, Pedro Baez, Carlos Frias and Yimi Garcia; via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014.

Carson Cistulli at FanGraphs shares his interview with Dodger Insider, Jon Weisman.
Ken Gurnick at MLB.com has a whole bevy of reports worth reading. Check out "Billingsley: 'I feel like I have a whole new arm'"

"My arm hasn't felt this good in a few years. I feel like I have a whole new arm," Billingsley said on reporting day for Spring Training. "They keep telling me, don't throw 95 [mph] yet."

Then, read this: "Greinke weighs in on Kershaw's record deal"

"He's been so good, anything he gets you'd probably say he's worth. Maybe he got a little more than I thought, maybe a million a year more. The opt-out is big -- he'll only be 28 [actually 30]. That's the main reason you might say it will be better [for Kershaw]. I think it's pretty fair all the way around."

Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Dodgers Australia trip looms large as spring camp opens"

"He said when you come back that's the hardest part, trying to get ready for the season. It's not an ideal situation, travel-wise. But you just have to make it work," Kershaw said. "I want to go there and see the country, go over there and see Sydney. I'd love to go there on vacation. I don't really want to go pitch there, but that's what we're signed up to do so we're going to have to get ready to do it."

Eric Stephen also tells us that AJ Ellis has lost 15 lbs.

"It's good to trim up and try to take some stress off my lower body. I want to catch 120-125 games this year and I want to be physically ready to do that," Ellis said. "You can't do that if you're not in great shape and able to withstand the physical grind of the position."

BTW, according to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times on twitter, both Kershaw and Greinke are expected to be the starts for the Dodgers in Australia.

#Dodgers plan to start Kershaw and Greinke in Australia games.
— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) February 8, 2014

Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Appendectomy delays Elbert's elbow surgery rehab".
Mark Langill at Dodger Insider tells us about a vintage Dodger Stadium give-away you wouldn't expect.
Panini America is releasing a new Baseball card set, and it's something many of you old-tyme colelctors may remember. In a couple of weeks they will release 2014's edition of Donruss. Go here to see some preview pics. Below are the Dodger cards.