Yesterday was the start of something new for the Dodgers. They've got a new skipper at the helm and a renewed optimism that will hopefully push them over the hump that has gotten in the way the past few years. Whatever issues and problems that ailed them has surely been washed away.
As you know, it was the first official spring game of the new season, and the good guys walked away with win. Not that it's all that important. After all, spring is for working out the kinks, not for checking the standings. Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider:
“There were a lot of good things (today),” Dave Roberts said. “We talk a lot about winning baseball games, but it’s about winning the right way. Today, we look at the pitching, the defense, the at-bats we put out there, the baserunning, that’s how we (want to) play.”Featured in the photo above is new Dodger skipper Dave Roberts with former Dodger and current White Sox manager Robin Ventura, via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016. Go here to check out more pics from Jon from yesterday. Below are more links to check out:
- Frick'n Doctors! Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider on twitter:
Farhan Zaidi says doctors told Dodgers chance of recurrence of disc injury for Brett Anderson was less than 10 percent.— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) March 3, 2016
- Jon writes further about the impact of Anderson's injury at Dodger Insider, here.
“It’s always tough to acquire pitching,” (Farhan Zaidi) said. “I think we had some of these same conversations about pitching depth last spring, and the early part of the spring in particular is when teams are taking stock of what they have and not necessarily looking outward to trade from surplus or anything like that.
“You never want to have to tap into (your) depth this early, but this is sort of the benefit of having that sort of depth. As soon as something like this happens, you hope you can backfill and create some more options for yourself, but we’re also in position where we have a lot of options and we certainly don’t need to do that.”
At least Brett Anderson is in good spirits, via his twitter:
Fingers crossed I'm not noticeably shorter after my second discectomy.— Brett Anderson (@BrettAnderson35) March 3, 2016
- Baseball Prospectus shares their 20160Top-10 Dodgers prospect list. (Link Here)
- Via Jeff Sullivan at FanGraphs, "Alex Wood and Self-Recovery."
There’s plenty to look for, here, as spring training gets going and the season approaches. Wood has made some mechanical adjustments he intends to carry into competitive games. When he’s going well, he’s a legitimate No. 2 starter, which is something the Dodgers presently lack. So while I don’t want to just declare that Wood is fixed after having read a few articles, I like the potential significance of this. And though people love to point out how Wood’s velocity has dropped from when he was a rookie, he was pretty damn good in 2014 when his fastball was around 89 – 90. That’s about where he was pitching a year ago before hurting his foot, so Wood shouldn’t need to get back everything he’s lost. He’s proven he can be good with reduced velocity. Now he just needs to prove he can throw like himself.
- Via Doug Padilla at ESPN, "'Hyper-focused' Dave Roberts shrugs off first spring game."
“I probably should have taken it in a little more, but I realize I have a job to do,” Roberts said, almost apologetically. “I’m just really hyper-focused on doing my job. But I probably should have taken a little time to enjoy the moment.”
- Via Harold Uhlman at Think Blue LA, "New Quakes manager Drew Saylor has simple message – ‘Know Thyself’"
“I’m a very laid-back, players’ manager,” he said. “The only thing I get upset about is players disrespecting themselves or our game or their family, and that includes their teammates. If they do any of those things, that’s when they’re going to have me jump their butts and embarrass them.”
Part of his methodology not only includes going all out all of the time but but gives also gives young players a safeguard if they make mistakes.
“On the field I want them to try different things and not be afraid to make mistakes,”Saylor said. “I want them to get dirty. I want them to be giving 100 percent effort.”
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