Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 5/Home Game 3

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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(Some congratulations for Mike Baxter, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

SUNDAY FUNDAY: The Dodgers host the Padres today for the first of two meetings in Cactus League play, with the other coming in a split-squad game at Camelback Ranch on March 15. The Dodgers open up their “North American” regular season slate against the Padres in San Diego on March 30. In case you’re counting down the days, the Dodgers are just 20 days away from Opening Day in Sydney, Australia vs. the Diamondbacks!

• The Dodgers rally fell just short yesterday and the club lost, 6-5, against the Brewers at Maryvale Baseball Park. After hitting a home run against the White Sox on Friday, non-roster invitee Clint Robinson had another big game yesterday, going 3-for-3 with a run scored after replacing Scott Van Slyke in the sixth inning.
• First-year Dodger and Southern California native Dan Haren allowed three hits and one earned run in two innings of work in his first Cactus League start of spring. Non-roster invitee LHP Chris Reed allowed four earned runs in 2.0 innings of work.

(Dan Haren, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

HILLTOPPERS: Right-hander Josh Beckett will make his Dodgers debut this afternoon after going 0-5 with a 5.19 ERA in eight starts last season before undergoing season-ending surgery to relieve pressure on his nerves caused by Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. Also appearing in the game today:

• LHP Paul Maholm will make his Dodger debut after posting a 10-11 record with a 4.41 ERA in 26 starts with the Braves last season.
• RHP Stephen Fife will make his Cactus League debut after appearing in 12 games (10 starts) in three stints with the team last year.
• Non- roster invitees RHP Sam Demel and LHP Daniel Moskos will be making their second appearances of the spring. Demel and Moskos both tossed a scoreless innings of relief on Thursday in the Dodgers spring home opener against the Diamondbacks. Demel saw action in parts of three seasons with the Diamondbacks from 2010-2012 and Moskos appeared in 31 games with the Pirates in 2011.
• San Diego will counter with LHP Robbie Erlin, RHP Jesse Hahn, RHP Kevin Quackenbush, RHP Leonel Campos, RHP Blaine Boyer and LHP Patrick Schuster.

(Foul ball, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

NOTHING MINOR ABOUT IT: The Dodgers will have seven minor leaguers joining the club vs. the Padres today, with pitchers LHP Fu-Ti Ni (#84),  RHP Justin Souza (#88) and RHP Steve Smith (#91), infielders Darnell Sweeney (#87) and Aaron Bates (#97) and outfielder Jon Garcia (#90) all making the trek across the Camelback grounds.

PLAYING IT SAFE: According to Manager Don Mattingly, Dodger right-hander Zack Greinke will have another light day and hold off on throwing his next bullpen session.  In addition, right-hander Ross Stripling is meeting with doctors this afternoon to go over the results of his MRI. Stripling experienced elbow pain last week that worsened with his outing on Wednesday.

PLEASE SIGN HERE: Today the Dodgers agreed to terms with the following players for the 2014 season: Pedro Baez, Nick Buss, Jose Dominguez, Tim Federowicz, Stephen Fife, Onelki Garcia, Yimi Garcia, Javy Guerra,  Matt Magill, Jarrett Martin, Paco Rodriguez, Seth Rosin, Dee Gordon, Scott Van Skyke and Chris Withrow. 

ROSTER MOVE: This morning the Dodgers dealt infielder Justin Sellers to the Cleveland Indians for cash considerations. Sellers was designated for assignment on Feb. 22 to make room on the roster for Cuban infielder Erisbel Arruebarrena.

(The Diamond at Sydney Cricket Ground, pic via @JPMLBPR on twitter)

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE:  We are just two weeks away from making an early exit from Arizona as the Dodgers will depart the Valley of the Sun on March 16 for Sydney, Australia. Once Down Under, Los Angeles will battle the D-backs on March 22-23 in Major League Baseball’s Opening Series, which will mark MLB’s first regular-season games ever to be staged in Australia. The Dodgers will return stateside and play three exhibitions against the Angels in the Freeway Series before opening the “North American” portion of their schedule March 30 at San Diego on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball.

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