Dodgers cut 10 players from spring training roster.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Dodgers announced their first round of cuts from their major-league camp roster Tuesday.

Pitcher Pedro Baez, outfielder Nick Buss, pitcher Stephen Fife, pitcher Yimi Garcia and pitcher Jarret Martin were optioned to the Dodgers’ minor league camp. Pitchers Sam Demel, Chris Reed and Daniel Moskos, and catchers Griff Erickson and Chris O’Brien were optioned to the minor-league camp.

“Some of our decisions are just based on the length of this camp, and us having to try to get down to a working number, and to prioritize the number of innings and at-bats we have left,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “That’s the biggest reason. It seems early, but for us it’s getting there, toward the 22nd.”

The Dodgers have 46 players on their camp roster, plus Scott Elbert (on the 60-day disabled list) and Erisbel Arruebarrena (who is in the Dominican Republic awaiting a work visa).

Dodgers’ second intrasquad game is in the books; pitchers take the spotlight.

Chris Reed and Dan Haren threw two shutout innings, and the Dodgers’ second spring intrasquad game in as many days ended in a 0-0 tie. Paco Rodriguez and Jamey Wright each threw one inning to complete three-inning scrimmage.

Reed allowed a line-drive single to Joc Pederson on his second pitch, then got the better of Carl Crawford and Yasiel Puig to end the inning. Crawford was jammed on a four-seam fastball and grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, ably turned by Dee Gordon to Chone Figgins to Adrian Gonzalez. Puig struck out swinging on a changeup. “It’s my out pitch,” the left-hander said.

In the second inning, Reed struck out Scott Van Slyke then got A.J. Ellis to fly out in shallow right field. The 23-year-old from Reseda has never pitched above Double-A, but wasn’t ready to bask in his modest achievements.

“I got a taste of it last year in split-squad games,” Reed said, “but anytime you’re out there for the first time in spring it’s big.”

Reed believes he still has some fine-tuning to achieve by the end of spring and is glad he’ll have time to do it.

Haren said the same thing.

“I felt pretty smooth in my mechanics,” Haren said. “The second inning was definitely harder, just because of the sitting down and getting up. That’s the first time I’ve done that. That was a little tough to get used to, but it was good to have that coming into the first (Cactus League) game.”

Some more notes:
Continue reading “Dodgers’ second intrasquad game is in the books; pitchers take the spotlight.” »

Dodgers sign free-agent catcher Miguel Olivo, invite Joc Pederson to spring training.

Miguel Olivo

Miguel Olivo was suspended by the Miami Marlins after leaving the club midway through the 2013 season. (Associated Press photo)


The Dodgers bulked up their major-league spring training roster Tuesday with one veteran and a swarm of prospects.

Free agent catcher Miguel Olivo, 35, signed a minor-league contract with an invitation to major league spring training. Olivo batted .203/.250/.392 for the Miami Marlins last year before leaving the team in June. More recently Olivo batted .198/.289/.314 in 26 games in the Dominican Winter League.
The 12-year major league veteran immediately becomes the most experienced backstop in camp. Only three catchers are currently on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster: A.J. Ellis, Tim Federowicz and Drew Butera.
The Dodgers also re-signed catcher Griff Erickson to a minor-league deal and invited him to spring training, along with eight of the organization’s top prospects: Joc Pederson, Zach Lee, Chris Reed, Ross Stripling, Miguel Rojas, Red Patterson, Carlos Frias and Chris O’Brien.

Continue reading “Dodgers sign free-agent catcher Miguel Olivo, invite Joc Pederson to spring training.” »

Fifteen prospects invade Dodger Stadium starting Sunday.

Nick Buss

Outfielder Nick Buss is one of 15 players scheduled to participate in the Dodgers’ annual prospects development program this week. (Associated Press photo)

The Dodgers’ annual Winter Development Program, designed to help acclimate prospects to the major-league environment, begins Sunday and runs through Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The program is closed to the public.

Outfielder Joc Pederson, rated by Baseball America as the Dodgers’ No. 1 prospect, headlines a list of 15 prospects scheduled to participate. Others include pitchers Seth Rosin, Zach Lee, Ross Stripling, Jose Dominguez, Pedro Baez, Yimi Garcia, Matt Magill, Chris Reed and Jarret Martin; outfielders Nick Buss and Scott Schebler; infielder Miguel Rojas; and catchers Pratt Maynard and Chris O’Brien.

Their schedule includes seminars with Dodger staffers and workouts that focus on fundamentals, strength training and conditioning. Off the field, the program is highlighted by sessions with Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, general manager Ned Colletti, team president Stan Kasten, former manager Tommy Lasorda, and retired players Don Newcombe, Maury Wills, Eric Karros, Shawn Green. There will be social events in the greater Los Angeles area and a community service visit to A Place Called Home, a youth center in South L.A.

Six of the 11 participants in last year’s Winter Development Program played in the Major Leagues in 2013. Since its inception in 2008, 40 participating players have reached the big leagues.

Here’s a bit about what each player did in 2013, not including the winter league season:
Continue reading “Fifteen prospects invade Dodger Stadium starting Sunday.” »

More on Chris Reed.

Double-A Chattanooga starter Chris Reed was pulled after two innings Tuesday because his strict innings limit is becoming even more strict as his first full professional season draws to a close.

The left-hander was the closer at Stanford University a year ago and is slowly being converted to a starter in the Dodgers’ system. In his only three appearances last season at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga,all starts,Reed pitched a total of 7 innings.

In Double-A, Reed has never gone beyond four innings. He’s pitched four innings twice, three innings six times, and less than three innings three times. Yesterday’s outing was predetermined to last two innings. That’s no guarantee that Reed isn’t being talked about as trade bait –a possibility addressed here last night and something the Dodgers have been known to do lately — only that he was not pulled because of a potential trade.

Reed was the Dodgers’ first-round draft pick, 16th overall, in 2011. He is 0-3 with a 4.41 ERA in 32 2/3 innings (spanning 11 appearances and 10 starts) at Chattanooga this season.

On a personal note, I’m off to scout wedding locations for a couple days. The Dodgers and I return home Thursday.