Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Full-Squad Workout #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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(Puig and Maeda, pic via Jon SooHoo on the Dodgers twitter)

GOING LIVE: The Dodgers held their third full-squad workout of Spring Training today, with PFP and bullpen sessions, along with their first live batting practice of the spring in preparation for Opening Day, April 4 at San Diego. Los Angeles, in its eighth season training in Arizona, kicks off Cactus League play on Thursday, March 3 against the White Sox.

• Pitchers who faced live hitters today were Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen, Chris Hatcher, Yimi Garcia, Joe Blanton, J.P. Howell, Luis Avilan, Carlos Frias, Matt West and Adam Liberatore
• Brett Anderson, Zach Lee, Ross Stripling, Chase De Jong and Josh Ravin all threw regular bullpens.

(Kershaw on Photo Day, pic via Dodgers on twitter)

SAY CHEESE: The Dodgers held their annual Photo Day this morning, with players showing off their pearly whites for the Dodger team photographers, SNLA, MLB Photos, MLB.com, MLB International, ESPN the Magazine, Topps, USA Today, Getty Images, Baseball Magazine Sha, the LA Times, the Associated Press and ICON Sportswire.

ONE MORE TURNER: 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 hitting coach in Los Angeles is Turner Ward, who spent the past eight seasons in the Arizona organization, including three years on the Diamondbacks’ Major League staff as hitting coach (2014-15) and assistant hitting coach (2013). Under Ward’s coaching, last season, Arizona produced two Silver Sluggers (first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and center fielder A.J. Pollock) and led the NL in hits (1,494), while ranking among the Major League best in runs (720, 2nd), extra-base hits (491, 2nd), batting average (.264, 3rd), on-base percentage (.324, 3rd) and slugging percentage (.414, 2nd). Ward began his coaching career with two seasons in the Pirates’ organization in 2006-07 and has compiled a 216-190 record (.532) during four seasons managing in the minors: 2006 (Rookie-level GCL Pirates), 2007 (Single-A State College) and 2011-12, when he led Double-A Mobile to back-to-back Southern League championships and was named the league’s 2011 Manager of the Year. Welcome Turner!

(Turner posing for Topps on photo day, pic via Topps on twitter)

AUTHOGRAPH SESH: During the past two days, Dodger players have signed hundreds of bats, balls, photos and jerseys, primarily for the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. The signed items will be used for fundraising purposes organized by the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and the money raised will be donated to over 200 non-profit organizations and schools in the greater Los Angeles area. For more information, please visit www.dodgers.com/ladf or www.dodgers.com/donations.

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Blog Kiosk: 2/27/2016 - Dodgers Links - Utley, AJ and Vin Scully

This is hilarious.  Featured above is a pic by Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016 of Dodgers prospect Jose De Leon gleefully struggling over a team prescribed geography assignment during the clubs Friday morning team meeting.  No doubt he's searching for some tiny little island on the wrong part of the map.

I can't wait for them to force the rookies to do some sort of skit or routine 'cause you know there will be plenty of photos online to share. 

Below are more links to check out:

• Via AM570 LA Sports, "Vin Scully receives Lifetime Achievement Award." He received the award from the Los Angeles Sports Council  on Thursday evening.  This link shares some audio from his speech.  Via ABC7.com:

"We all can't be heroes. Most of us have to stand at the curb and cheer as they go by, and for 67 years, thank God, that's what I've been blessed to be. I've been that man on the curb applauding as the heroes went by," Scully said while accepting his award, which was presented by former Dodgers President Peter O'Malley.

• Via Doug Padilla at ESPN, "A.J. Ellis makes no secret of desire to catch Clayton Kershaw."

"To be a part of that is something that is a thrill for me, and I will relish and cherish every opportunity I can to be out there for him," Ellis said, as Kershaw stood within earshot. "I think we have a good relationship and we really work well together, although he probably doesn’t need me back there because he can probably throw to you behind the plate. But there are those games, those situations, where he’s told me that I make a difference and that’s what makes our partnership work so well."

• Video: Go behind the scenes as Kenta Maeda joins the Dodgers and prepares for the 2016 MLB season. New episodes every Thursday on SportsNet LA. (Link Here)
• Boo!  Puig's helicopter dreams appear to be over.  Via a tweet from LA Times reporter Andy McCullough:

The Dodgers have told Yasiel Puig he can not, theoretically, fly a helicopter to Dodger Stadium. Federal law prohibits it, the FAA says.

— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) February 26, 2016

• Via Bill Plunkett at the OC Register, "Baseball cracks down on hard slides such as the one by Dodgers' Chase Utley in playoffs vs. Mets."

“It’s kind of been all I’ve known for awhile so it’ll probably be a bit of an adjustment – not only for middle infielders but also the baserunners.” Utley said. “Probably umpires as well, trying to get on the same page, like with the home plate rule and the batter’s box rule. It kind of took a little time to get comfortable with it, but eventually we’ll get there.”

• Awesome!  Via Baseball History Comes Alive, they share a vintage 1903 photograph of the Negro League team the Cuban Giants playing a ballgame in the Catskills.
• This sounds fantastic.  Via Blowout Buzz, "California-based illustrator readies for ‘card show’ of his own in March."

So far, the Texas-born artist (Cuyler Smith) has produced limited-edition prints for Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez from The Sandlot, George Constanza from Seinfeld and Jimmy Dugan from A League of Their Own. An Adam Banks from The Mighty Ducks is presently still available for $15 via the gallery that is hosting his upcoming “card show.” Only 100 copies of that one were made.

His show called “Trading Cards” will open with a reception on March 11 at 7 p.m. and run through March 26 at Gallery 1988 (East) in Los Angeles.

• Panini's 20165 Donruss Baseball card set comes out next week so they shared some preview pics on their blog yesterday.  Check them all out here.  Below are three different Seager cards and an Kershaw.

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