Off-day notes: Will Ferrell, Brett Anderson, Chad Gaudin, links.

Will Ferrell Dodgers

Got a text from a scout this morning wondering who the Dodgers’ closer will be until Jansen returns. Statistically speaking, I’d have to go with the Ferrell kid.

With a couple exceptions the Dodgers are enjoying a day off today — the only day off on their Cactus League schedule. Brett Anderson is starting a Triple-A game on a back field at Camelback Ranch. If you’re in the area, the game is free to attend, though seating is typically limited to standing room only. Chad Gaudin is throwing a bullpen session, his first time off a mound since he felt a “tweak” in his right biceps Saturday.

Here are a few things I’ve been reading this morning:

1. Time Warner Cable could take a $1 billion hit on its deal to acquire the Dodgers’ television rights, reports the New York Post. Here’s the quote I found interesting, and it relates to the proposed merger between Time Warner and Comcast: “Unless the deal closes, there will not be another [Dodgers] season shown outside of Time Warner Cable. I don’t believe they’ll get carriage,” a source told The Post. This is consistent with what I reported last month, that the proposed merger is essential to the Dodgers’ strategy for increasing its television footprint in Southern California.

2. Via TheHardballTimes.com: “It is apparent that overall more pitchers returned to pitch at the major league level for longer periods of time when they had their [Tommy John] surgery last century than in the 2000s.”

3. Jimmy Rollins did a sprawling Q-and-A with FoxSports.com, and I’m not sure what the big takeaway is. Here’s a small takeaway. One secret to Rollins’ remarkable durability — he’s averaged 148 games a year since 2001 — is probably no secret at all to Phillies fans. He conserves his energy on the field.

4. FanGraphs.com issued its second base power rankings. Read it if you want to feel better about swapping out Dee Gordon for Howie Kendrick.

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About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.