Dodgers Spring Training: Kershaw, Others Throw First Bullpen Session
While Thursday marked the official start of Spring Training for the Los Angeles Dodgers as pitchers and catchers reported, their first workout didn’t come until Friday morning at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz.
Clayton Kershaw was among the pitchers who completed their first bullpen session with others scheduled to hold theirs on Saturday. According to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times, Kershaw threw to A.J. Ellis:
Ellis will catch Kershaw's bullpen session.
— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) February 20, 2015
Bill Plunkett of the OC Register caught this photo of Kershaw mid-delivery with Brandon McCarthy standing in the background:
The reigning NL MVP and Cy Young award winner #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/BYDuyv7vvp
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) February 20, 2015
As other pitchers completed their bullpen, the reigning NL MVP unsurprisingly continued throwing, according to Ron Cervenka of Think Blue LA:
You'll never guess who threw the longest bullpen session in the first group. #GoFigure pic.twitter.com/w8xU4na1wP
— ThinkBlueLA (@Think_BlueLA) February 20, 2015
While Ellis caught Kershaw’s first bullpen session, it should be given little stock when considering how the situation will unfold for the remainder of Spring Training and into the regular season.
Kershaw didn’t offer a definitive answer when asked Thursday if he would like Ellis to be his personal catcher, and manager Don Mattingly is on the record as saying he doesn’t like the idea of a pitcher solely being tied to one backstop.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman implied Thursday a platoon of sorts with Ellis and Yasmani Grandal would be utilized and dependent on the opposing pitcher. To their credit, both Ellis and Grandal have been clear their focus is on the team’s success and not their “position battle.”
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