The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes won’t be eating as well tomorrow as they have the past two days. That much is certain.
As for when rehabbing shortstop Hanley Ramirez — who foot the bill on the Quakes’ clubhouse spread this weekend — will return to the Dodgers, that’s less certain. It might come as early as tomorrow, when the Dodgers host the Colorado Rockies.
“I think anything’s possible, the way he looked last night,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.
Hanley Ramirez will play his first rehabilitation game tomorrow with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, the Dodgers’ Single-A affiliate, the Dodgers’ shortstop confirmed on Twitter this afternoon.
Yesss, I’ll be in Rancho tomorrow,,,I can’t wait…..
— Hanley Ramirez (@HanleyRamirez) April 27, 2013
The assignment was contingent on Ramirez emerging healthy from a pregame routine that included taking ground balls at shortstop, playing catch in the outfield from approximately 100 feet — the longest he’s thrown since having surgery to repair a torn ligament in his thumb March 22 — and taking part in a round of batting practice.
Apparently, Ramirez made it out OK.
Speaking earlier today on “Ripken Baseball,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly told Cal and Billy Ripken on SiriusXM that Hanley Ramirez will play this weekend.
Ramirez has been taking ground balls and swinging a bat already, but hasn’t seen live game action since he tore a ligament in his right thumb in March. On Thursday, Ramirez indicated on his Twitter account that he would begin his rehabilitation assignment with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.
Here’s the entirety of Mattingly’s quote:
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It’s not every Opening Day that a Single-A baseball team gets an 80-game winner to start its first game of the season.
That will be the case Thursday, when Chad Billingsley takes the hill for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.
Billingsley, one of four players on the Dodgers’ disabled list to start the season, said he hasn’t been given an innings limit for the start. That may still come, but the right-hander said he isn’t restricted in any way two weeks after he bruised the index finger on his right hand doing a bunting drill.
We know what will happen. Barring something unforeseen, Yasiel Puig will be wearing a Chattanooga Lookouts uniform to begin the season.
But what should happen?
We’ve explored the pros and cons throughout spring training (examples here, here and here). Now it’s your turn to weigh in.
Not long after being released by the organization, former Dodgers third-round draft pick Austin Gallagher was suspended 50 games Friday for violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
Gallagher, 24, tested positive for Methylhexaneamine, a substance used as an ingredient in nasal decongestants and banned by MLB and the World Anti-Doping Agency as a stimulant. His suspension will be effective immediately upon his signing with another organization.
In 2012, his fourth season in the High-A California League, Gallagher batted .283 with 15 home runs and 74 RBIs for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. Gallagher was chosen in the third round of a 2007 Dodgers draft class that included first-rounder Chris Withrow, 22nd-rounder Matt Wallach and 27th-rounder Rob Rasmussen (out of high school).
After breaking into the Cal League at age 19, Gallagher showed he could hit for average (.290 over four seasons) but not power (.447 SLG%) in a league known for its hitter-friendly fences. He hasn’t reached the Double-A level in six professional seasons.
Gallagher was released prior to being suspended, and his release was unrelated to the positive test.
(Will Lester/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)
The Dodgers and their Single-A affiliate, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, formally announced they’ll play an exhibition game on March 28 at the Epicenter.
The game will begin at 6 p.m. and last seven innings. The Dodgers are playing another split-squad game that day in Anaheim to kick off the Freeway Series. Tommy Lasorda will manage the Dodgers in Rancho and Don Mattingly (presumably) will manage in Anaheim.
“As an organization, we are excited about strengthening our relationship with the Quakes and the Quakes’ fan base,” the Dodgers’ vice president of player development De Jon Watson, said in a statement. “In this game, the fans will have an opportunity to see not only our Major League players but some of our young rising stars at the best facility in the California League.”
The Dodgers formally announced their 2013 minor-league coaching staff Monday. It’s a long list with mostly familiar names: