Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Full-Squad Workout #1

Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.  See what they've written below.

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(Hanley Ramirez, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

GO TIME: Today marked the first full-squad workout of the 2014 season and Dodger Manager Don Mattingly, along with President and CEO Stan Kasten, General Manager Ned Colletti, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Lon Rosen, Director of Publicity Joe Jareck and Director of Team Travel Scott Akasaki addressed the team for the first time.

(Dodgers spring clubhouse, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

NRI SPOTLIGHT: Veteran infielder Chone Figgins enters his first camp with the Dodgers as a non-roster invitee. Figgins owns a career .277 career batting average with 1,285 hits, 337 stolen bases, 35 home runs and 402 RBI in 11 big league seasons with the Angels (2002-09) and Mariners (2010-12). In his career, the 36-year-old ranks sixth in the Majors with 337 steals since 2002 and stole 30 or more bases in seven consecutive seasons from 2004-10. In the field, Figgins has .969 career fielding percentage, while appearing in games at third base (630 G), outfield (349 G), second base (274 G) and shortstop (27 G). Figgins, a member of the 2002 World Champion Anaheim Angels, hails from Plant City, FL.

WILL YOU BE MY VALENTIN?: Today, Hitting Coach Mark McGwire and Assistant Hitting Coach John Valentin were able to work with position players for the first time this season. Valentin enters his second season as the assistant hitting coach after serving as a minor league coach in the Dodgers’ organization since 2008 following an 11-year Major League career with Boston (1992-2001) and New York-NL (2002). Under the direction of McGwire and Valentin in 2013, the Dodgers offense ranked third in the National League in batting average (.264).

(Running drills, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

ALL DODGERS, ALL THE TIME: We’re just 11 days away from the launch of SportsNet LA on February 25, the new 24-hour-a-day network of the Dodgers. SNLA will televise all of this year’s Dodger Cactus League games, with the exception of two split-squad games, giving fans more Spring Training coverage than ever before. In addition to airing games during Spring Training, SportsNet LA will also air a nightly show, “Access SportsNet: Dodgers,” at 7:00 p.m. PT.

• Today, SNLA announced its additional programming with “Access SportsNet: Dodgers,” “Leadoff LA,” “Dodgers Clubhouse,” “Connected With,” “Talkin’ Blue,” “Dodgermentary,” “Timeless Dodgers” and “Dodgers Squeeze Play” all set to air starting Feb. 25. For more information, please visit www.ineedmydodgers.com.

  

  (pic tweeted by @SportsNet LA)

THE SKIPPER: On Sunday, February 16, at USC’s Dedeaux Field, Hall of Fame Manager and Special Advisor to the Chairman Tommy Lasorda will be on hand for an unveiling of a statue of legendary college baseball coach Rod Dedeaux. Lasorda, along with former USC pitcher Randy Johnson, will speak at the event.

AMATEUR HOUR: College baseball took center stage at Camelback Ranch-Glendale today when Seth Rosin’s Minnesota Golden Gophers faced Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti’s alma mater, the Northern Illinois Huskies, in the first game of a three-game series to open their 2014 seasons. The Gophers and Huskies met in the Camelback Ranch main stadium at 1:00 p.m. today and will also play tomorrow and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Admission is free and food and beverages will be available for purchase during workouts and the college games.

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