Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Pitchers & Catchers Workout #2

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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(Roberts and Grandal, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016)

WE’VE ONLY JUST BEGUN: Dodger pitchers and catchers held their second official workout of Spring Training today, with PFPs, bullpen sessions and batting practice in preparation for Opening Day, April 4 at San Diego. Position players report on Feb. 24 and the first full-squad workout will take place the following day, Thursday, Feb. 25. Los Angeles, in its eighth season training in Arizona, kicks off Cactus League play on Thursday, March 3 against the White Sox.

THE WAITING ROOM: Dodger reliever Josh Ravin missed his second consecutive day due to flu-like symptoms and non-roster right-handed reliever Caleb Dirks will be down a few days with a stiff lower back. Right-handed Brooks Brown, who was claimed off waivers from the Rockies on Oct. 14, 2015, is also being held back from throwing due to right shoulder soreness.

(Charlie Hough, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016)

WHEN DOES YAISEL MEET YASIEL?: This morning, the Dodgers announced the signing of 24-year-old Cuban reliever Yaisel Sierra, who is expected to join camp sometime in the next few days. The right-hander pitched five seasons in Cuba’s Serie Nacional with Holguin (2010-14) and Sancti Spiritus (2012), going 16-21 with 25 saves and a 4.23 ERA in 131 games (25 starts). Sierra, who was ranked No. 13 on Baseball America’s Top 20 Cuban prospects list, pitched for the country’s gold-medal winning national team at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games. To create room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers placed right-handed pitcher Frankie Montas (rib resection surgery) on the 60-day disabled list.

NEW IN BLUE: While plenty of the familiar faces of the Dodger players are back from last year’s division title, the coaching staff is almost entirely new, with the exception of 11-year pitching coach Rick Honeycutt. The new first base coach in Los Angeles is George Lombard, who spent part of the 2008 season in the Dodger organization as a non-roster invitee and at Triple-A. Lombard spent six seasons coaching in Boston’s minor league system, including the last three as Boston’s minor league outfield and baserunning coordinator after two years (2011-12) managing the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Red Sox. He joined the coaching ranks in 2010 as the hitting coach for Single-A Lowell. Welcome George!

(Kenta Maeda, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016)

(Scott Kazmir, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016)

ON THE MOUND: The second crew of Dodgers threw their first official bullpens today, including Japanese right-hander Kenta Maeda, who took the mound in front of about three dozen media and another dozen staffers. Maeda was caught by Yasmani Grandal as he took another step on the way to his first Major League start. The 27-year-old was signed to an eight-year contract on Jan. 7 following   eight professional seasons with Hiroshima (2008-15) in which he compiled a 97-67 record with a 2.39 ERA in 218 games (217 starts). During the course of his Japanese career, Maeda won two Sawamura Awards (2010, 2015), given to the league’s best pitcher. The new hurler will become the eighth Japanese player in Dodger history, joining Hideo Nomo (1995-98, 2002-04), Kazuhisa Ishii (2002-04), Masao Kida (2003-04), Norihiro Nakamura (2005), Dave Roberts (2002-04), Takashi Saito (2006-07) and Hiroki Kuroda (2008-11). 

• Joining Maeda in throwing bullpens today were Scott Kazmir, Pedro Baez, Julio Urias, Jose De Leon, Alex Wood, Chris Anderson, Jharel Cotton, Mike Bolsinger, Brandon Beachy, Ian Thomas and Jacob Rhame.

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