Spring Training Review: Setbacks Mar Week 3
It was a rough week for the Dodgers in Spring Training. The Blue Crew went 2-6, dropping its overall spring record to 8-12. Zack Greinke also experienced elbow soreness, and it now appears unlikely that he will be ready to go on Opening Day.
Although there weren’t many positives for the Dodgers this week, they did have an 8-1 victory over Kansas City that saw Yasiel Puig continue to impress with a two-run homerun, and an 11-1 win over Milwaukee that saw Matt Kemp hit his first home run of the spring.
Brewers 3, Dodgers 2; Monday, March 11
Hyun-Jin Ryu pitched 4.2 innings, giving up three runs, with three strikeouts and two walks.
Yasiel Puig continued to impress in Spring Training going 2-for-2 and scoring a run.
The Dodgers left ten runners on base in this game.
Zack Greinke was scheduled to start, but was scratched with elbow soreness. After being sent back to L.A. for an MRI, he received a platelet-rich plasma injection, and is on the road to recovery.
Roster cuts are starting to be made as pitchers Matt Magill and Steven Ames were assigned to Triple-A Albuquerque.
Reds 6, Dodgers 2; Tuesday, March 12
Josh Beckett continued his impressive spring, pitching 4.1 innings of one-run ball, with five strikeouts and one walk.
Ted Lilly, vying for a rotation spot, would not fare as well. Lilly surrendered five runs, only one earned, in 2.2 innings of work, striking out two and walking two, surrendering a double to Devin Mesoraco and a triple to Donald Lutz.
Brian Barden, Jeremy Moore, and Omar Luna were all reassigned to the minors.
Cubs 8, Dodgers 1; Thursday, March 14
The Dodgers offense was held to only four hits, and Chris Capuano struggled in his bid for a rotation spot. Capuano surrendered five runs in 4.1 innings of work, striking out four, and walking one.
The Dodgers also committed two errors which led to three unearned runs.
Don Mattingly said the team played with no energy.
The Dodgers lone run came on an RBI double by Juan Uribe in the ninth inning. Uribe is hitting .344 with a home run and five RBI this spring in his bid for a roster spot.
Carl Crawford began play in minor-league games after he experienced soreness in his surgically repaired elbow. Kenley Jansen was selected to join the Netherlands in the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic.
Padres 8, Dodgers 7; Friday, March 15
The Dodgers offense finally got going, scoring seven runs, including five in the eighth inning, led by a triple from C.J. Retherford.
Aaron Harang struggled in his bid for a rotation spot. Harang pitched four innings giving up five runs, four earned, with only one strikeout.
The Dodgers did get four shutout innings from Shawn Tolleson, Juan Abreu and Rob Rasmussen. However, Fabio Castro, gave up three runs in the bottom of the ninth, logging just one out.
Dodgers 8, Royals 1; Friday, March 15
Yasiel Puig and Juan Uribe paced a 14-hit attack. Puig went 3-for-3 with his second home run of the spring and a stolen base, raising his Spring Training average to .459, best on the Dodgers.
With his unreal combination of power and speed, and stacked frame, Puig is drawing comparisons to Bo Jackson.
Meanwhile, Uribe went 4-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored.
Stephen Fife pitched four scoreless innings for the Dodgers, Paco Rodriguez added 1.1 scoreless innings as well to improve his spring ERA to 1.50.
Despite his impressive showing in Spring, it remains unlikely Puig will start the year with the big league club. Expect to see a platoon of Skip Schumaker and Jerry Hairston, Jr. in left field for Carl Crawford.
Rangers 4, Dodgers 0; Saturday, March 16
Clayton Kershaw looks like he is ready to go for the regular season after pitching six innings of shutout ball, allowing only two hits, with six strikeouts and no walks.
Brandon League would get hit hard for four runs in the seventh inning, including a home run by David Murphy. League would record only one out.
Dodgers 11, Brewers 1; Sunday, March 17
This might have been the Dodgers best game of the Spring. Adrian Gonzalez homered twice, Hyun-Jin Ryn had his best outing of the spring, pitching 5.2 innings of one-run ball, striking out six with two walks, and Carl Crawford made his first appearance as a Dodger, although he went 0-for-3.
Mark Ellis went 3-for-3 with a home run and Andre Ethier went 3-for-4. In a surprising move, the Dodgers sent Javy Guerra down to the minor leagues.
Diamondbacks 9, Dodgers 1; Sunday, March 17
It was another rough outing for Ted Lilly, who gave up five runs in only two innings of work, striking out two, and walking three.
However, Matt Kemp hit his first home run of the Spring, and Yasiel Puig stole two bases, steals of second and third.
The Dodgers will have five home games at Camelback Ranch this week including matchups with the Diamondbacks, A’s, and Reds. No games are scheduled for broadcast this week.
