Daily Clips

April 4, 2016

LOS ANGELES DODGERS DAILY CLIPS

MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2016

LA TIMES: Voice of Dodgers announcer Vin Scully is sweet music to the ears- Chris Erskine Dodgers' Joc Pederson aims to make baseball a contact sport again after second-half struggles last year- Andy McCullough Dodgers preview: Dodgers went with depth, and they will need it- Andy McCullough OC REGISTER: Dodgers set season-opening roster, load DL with 10 players- Bill Plunkett 'Well-rounded' Roberts' people skills draw rave reviews- Bill Plunkett On deck: Dodgers at Padres, Monday, 4 p.m. SNLA- Bill Plunkett LA DAILY NEWS: LA Dodgers: Five burning questions heading into 2016 season- JP Hoornstra ESPN LA: Impressive array of talent on Dodgers' disabled list- Doug Padilla DODGER INSIDER: Dishing on Dodger road openers- Jon Weisman TRUEBLUELA.COM: Opening day 2016: Dodgers turn to Clayton Kershaw to start off on right foot- Eric Stephen Dodgers vs. Padres opening day schedule, TV times & starting pitchers- Eric Stephen Dodgers 2016 opening day payroll is $236 million- Eric Stephen USA TODAY: Vin Scully: A final season for the voice of baseball FOX LA: What will Vin Scully miss most about being voice of the Dodgers? 'that roar'- Jeffrey Thomas DeSocio LA TIMES: Dodgers Dugout: Opening day is finally here- Houston Mitchell

LOS ANGELES DODGERS DAILY CLIPS

MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2016

LA TIMES Voice of Dodgers announcer Vin Scully is sweet music to the ears By Chris Erskine Tonally, he's a tenor. Spiritually, he's Frank Sinatra. Across seven decades, Vin Scully has bewitched baseball fans with That Voice — full of swing, moxie, and sonic opulence. He uses it like a horn, to serenade an antebellum sport that is too slow by half and make musical the specter of grown men mostly standing around for three hours. In short, the kid can really sing. "I hear boogie-woogie," says Chris Sampson, vice dean for contemporary music at USC's Thornton School. Indeed, two USC music professors, asked by The Times to analyze the musicality of Scully's famous purr, found that the Dodgers broadcaster brings to mind the same cadences and rhythmic hooks heard in great songs. After studying audio clips of Scully's calls, the professors found that his play by play involves rhythm, dynamics, build — all the traits of irresistible music. "It's swinging," Sampson says of Scully's voice. "In every instance that I've heard, he's always had swing to it." The crooner's lyricism can probably be traced to the big-band era of his youth. Scully says he has always had a love for the greats he grew up with: Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and, of course, Sinatra. “Voices are comprised of brilliance and depth, a dark quality and a light, and he's got great balance of that.”— Jeffrey Allen, assistant professor of voice at USC "I also love Broadway musicals to this day," he says. At Fordham, the school's center fielder was also a member of the Shaving Mugs, a barbershop quartet. But Scully scoffs at the idea that he has much in the way of musical gifts. "Good grief, I must be the only [person] who is off key while speaking," he says with typical self-deprecation. The music professors disagree. "It's just amazing how he stays in cadence," says Sampson, who studied several of Scully's calls for rhythm, key signatures, tonality.

"He's not only giving color analysis, he's giving a concert," says Jeffrey Allen, an assistant professor of voice. :: In a music building at USC, Sampson snaps his fingers as he locks on to the rhythms of several of Scully's famous calls. Of a clip of Jackie Robinson stealing home in the 1955 World Series, he zeroes in on Scully's phrase, "He dances down on third." Sampson says it's the sort of alliteration you'd find in a pop song. In fact, he finds the musical progression reminiscent of "Ain't Misbehavin'," a 1929 swing hit. "He basically kept the same pulse, the same tempo, all through the piece," Sampson says. Once he found the pulse to the snippet, Sampson was able to super-impose Scully's call over a boogie-woogie piano beat. The enhanced audio clip made Scully's call of Robinson stealing home sound like the lyrics to a song. Allen explains Scully's vocal abilities this way: "The cords compress the air in a very natural fashion … there's no muscling of the instrument. It's just organic. It just flows through him. "You're dealing with a virtuoso instrument." Sampson's analysis included another clip of a game-winning home run that preserved a Fernando Valenzuela victory during the height of Fernandomania. "It's gone, Fernando, it's gone," Scully says as the crowd roars, a phrasing Sampson says came in three-quarter time, like a waltz ... 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3. "The reason we songwriters use a pattern is to make a song memorable," Sampson says. "I think people remember these game moments because of Vin's musicality." At his computer, Sampson runs clip after clip of Scully's calls. On the last out of Sandy Koufax's perfect game, Scully warbles, "two and two to Harvey Kuenn, one strike away." Again, Sampson snaps his fingers at the rhythm. To be satisfying, music, like architecture and like movies, relies on structure. Sampson describes a typical Scully progression this way: "He starts with a dominant chord, and the dominant chord inherently has some tension to it that's leading to a resolution. And so this tension is leading up to something big." Over and over, the music professors marvel at how Scully can anticipate a game's pivot point, and the way he uses his voice, like the swell of an orchestra, to make the moment cinematic.

"I think Vin has an instinct to know that something's about to happen … so he uses his musicality to build toward that moment," Allen says. "He almost kicks it into gear." Invariably, the voice professor says, Scully's emotional inflection is "perfectly in tune and tunefully spot-on to the moment he's describing." :: That Voice is part of the fabric of Southern California. To hear it, is to know summer is almost on the stove, that everything will be all right for the next few hours. Meanwhile, athletes come and go, their prime usually lasting a decade at most. Movie stars are much the same way, and recently there seems a dearth of old Hollywood royalty. Of all people, a humble baseball announcer conquers Hollywood like no one else? It is the long shot of long shots, and something to ponder as he takes his last, bittersweet lap after 67 years with the Dodgers. "He's the biggest star in this town," says Paul Bloch, a veteran publicist who has repped such stars as John Travolta and Bruce Willis. "He's a modest man, who walks among giants. But he's the biggest giant." What's makes a folk hero? Presence. Authenticity. Bloch mentions the tone Scully sets as a reason for the announcer's longevity. There is a sagacious Irish verve. Wit meets wisdom. Here and there, some good old-fashioned schmaltz. Longtime Grammy producer Ken Ehrlich has seen his share of star power come and go. He attributes Scully's longevity in part to his eloquence and voice quality, but also to a sense of elegance. "He always looks like he stepped out of the pages of GQ," Ehrlich says. "Granted a GQ from the '50s, but there is seldom a hair out of place. "The other thing is there's the humility, and it's true humility," Ehrlich says. "It comes from a much deeper and honest place. "For me, that's what it is." :: Back at USC, the music professors are analyzing That Voice. "Voices are comprised of brilliance and depth, a dark quality and a light, and he's got great balance of that," Allen says. "I call it the 'claw mark,' " the voice professor says. "When you hear one note, you can tell it's that person. McCartney. Elton John. He's got that same sort of claw mark. It can only be him." Though flattered, Scully himself is skeptical of all the academic analysis.

"Too clever for me," he says after seeing the clips and the musical overlays that Sampson added. Overthinking it? Perhaps. But that's what baseball fans do. Besides, it's all there in the musical transcription on Sampson's sheet music: "Two and two to Harvey Kuenn, one strike away." "In all of these clips, something jumped out as musical," Sampson says. Dodgers' Joc Pederson aims to make baseball a contact sport again after second-half struggles last year By Andy McCullough Joc Pederson does not want this to sound complicated. "I'm just trying to hit the ball hard," he said inside the clubhouse at Dodger Stadium, a weekend away from his sophomore season as the team's center fielder. "Put the ball on the barrel. Gotta strike out less." These are all noble goals, ones that the Dodgers will study with great interest as the 2016 season begins. The team spent little on free-agent hitters over the winter. Instead they chose to rely on revivals from players like Yasiel Puig, Yasmani Grandal and Pederson. In 2015, his first full season in the majors, Pederson completed one of the most polarizing seasons in recent memory. He was an All-Star in the first half and an offensive liability in the second. He bashed 20 homers before the break and finished second in the home run derby. Upon his return from the midsummer showcase, he fell apart. When Dave Roberts interviewed for the Dodgers' managerial opening this winter, members of the front office asked how he would have handled Pederson's case. He told his prospective employers he would have recommended a demotion. The Dodgers can only hope their decision to stick with Pederson will lead to a more consistent campaign in 2016. In the winter, Pederson sought to shave the extraneous movement from his swing. In the spring, he huddled with new hitting coach Turner Ward to sharpen his daily routine. This coming summer will determine whether he can learn how to counter the pitchers who solved him last season. "I made some adjustments, and I like where I'm at," Pederson said. A survey of rival talent evaluators who saw Pederson this spring raised doubt. He hit .288 in 21 exhibition games, but struck out in 40% of his at-bats. Scouts continue to question his ability to adapt. A lack of deftness in that area doomed him last season. "Those hot-zones things that they were putting on ESPN's 'Baseball Tonight' when he was hitting all those home runs? The other pitchers had those, too," one National League evaluator said. "And they stopped throwing it there, and he got himself out a little more often."

Pederson struggled to handle inside pitches or those in the upper third of the strike zone. Pitchers stopped feeding him fastballs over the middle, where he could extend his arms and unleash his power. His collapse manifested in a curious way. Pederson did not become more prone to strikeouts. He punched out in more than 25% of his at-bats even at triple A in 2014, and in the second half of 2015, his strikeout-to-walk ratio mirrored his ratio from the first half. But he ceased making solid contact. Pederson ranked 10th in the majors in the first half with a .257 isolated slugging percentage, which calculates a player's ability to produce extra-base hits. That number fell to .122 in the second half. His hitting coach was Mark McGwire, now the bench coach in San Diego. In his new role, competing against the Dodgers within the same division, McGwire felt uncomfortable discussing Pederson's case at length. "Any hitter has to make adjustments year to year," McGwire said. "That's just the way it is. I did. The best players in the game did. When all is said and done, this game as a hitter, it's all about the strike zone. Understanding your strike zone." He added, "I love the kid. I wish him well. I truly believe he'll bounce back. I truly believe that. That's how much I believe in him." In January, Pederson called his longtime minor league coach Johnny Washington. He has hit with Washington in the past few off-seasons, and Washington threw to him during the home run derby. They met in Pasadena to prepare for this season. As a prospect, Pederson impressed Washington with the utility of his hands. They were quick and forceful, capable of launching baseballs a prodigious distance. He did not require a sizable leg kick to generate power. "Get the body in the position so that the hands do the rest of the work," said Washington, now a hitting coach for San Diego's double-A affiliate. "Take the body out of the swing. If you watch the video, there's a lot of body in last year's second-half swing. There was a lot of body involved. You watch good, good hitters, they're using their hands a little bit more." Pederson also ventured to Dodger Stadium to meet Ward, who counseled him on the value of time management and developing a reliable, repeatable daily routine. He emphasized the importance of studying opponents and thinking ahead. In Ward's view, a consistent approach stems from consistent habits. "That's what I really like to focus on with all hitters," Ward said. "Hey, what's your plan? What's your approach? Doing different stuff for different pitchers. Not doing the same old, same old for every guy. Learning from the day before, too. Like, 'How would you face him next time?' All those things are part of the learning process." The latest round of tests starts Monday in San Diego. Pederson elevated expectations to a spectacular level in the first four months of 2015, then cast doubt upon his future with his performance during the rest of the season. Those who know him well still believe.

"When you have raw talent like that, your career isn't made in half a season," McGwire said. "He's got 15 years, or more, if he wants to play." Dodgers preview: Dodgers went with depth, and they will need it By Andy McCullough On March 19, the day after he fouled a ball off his right leg, Andre Ethier limped into the Dodgers clubhouse on crutches. An initial X-ray had not revealed a fracture, so the extent of the damage was unknown. A smoke screen engulfed the organization. That same morning, Manager Dave Roberts pronounced himself relieved. A reporter asked whether Ethier would require any additional testing. "I don't, because I think when you're talking bone, the X-ray was pretty definitive that there was no fracture," Roberts said. "So I think we're in the clear." The coming days offered an education for Roberts, a first-time manager, in the cruelties of his profession. Still unable to walk two days later, Ethier underwent a bone scan. The follow-up examination showed a fractured tibia, with a suggested rehabilitation period of 10 to 14 weeks. It was that sort of spring for Roberts, one in which he attempted to balance his message of unity and optimism in the face of a relentless surge of injuries. How the team recovers will depend upon the strategy Andrew Friedman deployed this past winter: the obsessive accumulation of depth. As a theoretical concept, depth lacks visceral appeal. It does not sell tickets. It does not excite the casual fan. It does not erase the sting of the winter's most disquieting moment, when Zack Greinke bolted into the welcoming arms of the Arizona Diamondbacks for $206 million. But Friedman, the president of baseball operations, believes the Dodgers' depth, their insistence on stocking nearly every position on the roster with a series of capable replacements, can sustain the team as it attempts to end a 28-year championship drought. The stockpile can aid the club in a variety of ways, either in deployment on the field or in bundling as assets for a trade. If either Miami starter Jose Fernandez or Oakland starter Sonny Gray becomes available at the trade deadline, the Dodgers could assemble a package capable of making a deal. Of course, the team possessed the pieces to trade for either Cole Hamels or David Price and declined to acquire either ace. Barring a blockbuster, the Dodgers will use their farm system to patch the holes created by an injury-laden spring. Alex Wood entered camp as a candidate either for the bullpen or a rotation spot in triple-A Oklahoma City. He exited Camelback Ranch as the team's No. 4 starter, thanks to attrition. Brett Anderson underwent back surgery that will sideline him for three to five months. Hyun-Jin Ryu lagged behind as he recovered from shoulder surgery.

The casualties forced Mike Bolsinger into the fifth spot in the rotation — a place he held for less than 30 minutes. Shortly after the team optioned Zach Lee to the minors, effectively declaring Bolsinger as the fifth starter, Bolsinger strained an oblique while warming up for a start. The Dodgers on Friday named rookie Ross Stripling their fifth starter. The emergence of Stripling, who is working his way back after arm ligament replacement surgery, represented the first arrival in a possible wave of minor league talent. The Dodgers could receive contributions from top pitching prospects such as left-hander Julio Urias and right-hander Jose De Leon this season. Or the two could be dangled in trades. When the Dodgers signed Howie Kendrick in February, Chase Utley looked like a redundant piece. But he will be a valuable performer, at least at the start of the season, as Kendrick recovers from tightness in his calf. The Dodgers did not need to panic when Yasmani Grandal injured his forearm. The team felt confident the duo of veteran A.J. Ellis and rookie Austin Barnes could handle the load. When Ethier broke his leg, the team slid versatile rookie Trayce Thompson into the outfield mix. This is the value of depth. It also creates a challenge for Roberts, who must communicate messages from Friedman's front office while maintaining the confidence of his players. It is a difficult dance in any situation, and only more so given the expectations in Los Angeles. The 2016 season thus serves as a test of Roberts' mettle, Friedman's philosophy and the resilience of the organizational stockpile.

OC REGISTER Dodgers set season-opening roster, load DL with 10 players By Bill Plunkett LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers have boasted of their uncommon depth heading into the 2016 season. Their disabled list is certainly deep, alright. The Dodgers officially set their season-opening roster Sunday, sending 10 players to the DL to start the season. According to Major League Baseball, that is the highest DL total to start a season since at least 2002, as far back as records are readily available. "We've talked a lot about depth and depth is one of those things that during the off-season is not sexy," Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said late in spring training as the injuries piled up. "It's only sexy when you have to draw from that depth and it's helping you win games. So someone gets hurt. Somebody else comes up and they get a hit to help you win a gmae. Then the depth becomes more apparent. "Unfortunately, we're going to showcase that depth a little sooner than we'd like to." The season-opening DL list includes two players recovering from surgery who were not expected to be ready for the season (Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu) and another who underwent back surgery early in spring training (Brett Anderson).

It also includes two pitchers who were not expected to make the major-league roster to start the season -- Frankie Montas who had a rib removed in January and Josh Ravin who broke his left arm in a car accident during training camp. Another player, third baseman Alex Guerrero, was placed on the DL with a nebulous knee injury. The knee issue conveniently allows the Dodgers to postpone a decision on Guerrero who doesn't fit into their plans but also cannot be sent to the minors without his consent. The rest of the DL includes Andre Ethier (fractured tibia), Mike Bolsinger (strained oblique), Howie Kendrick (strained calf) and Yasmani Grandal (forearm soreness). Kendrick and Grandal are expected back for the Dodgers' home opener on April 12. Here is the complete active roster: Pitchers (12) -- Pedro Baez, Joe Blanton, Louis Coleman, Yimi Garcia, Chris Hatcher, J.P. Howell, Kenley Jansen, Clayton Kershaw, Scott Kazmir, Kenta Maeda, Ross Stripling, Alex Wood Catchers (2) -- Austin Barnes, A.J. Ellis Infielders 6) -- Charlie Culberson, Justin Turner, Chase Utley, Kike' Hernandez, Adrian Gonzalez, Corey Seager Outfielders (5) -- Carl Crawford, Joc Pederson, Yasiel Puig, Scott Van Slyke, Trayce Thompson 'Well-rounded' Roberts' people skills draw rave reviews By Bill Plunkett Dave Roberts will make his debut as a major-league manager when he hands over the Dodgers lineup card Monday at Petco Park. But he already knows the golden rule of managing in the big leagues. “You know what makes good managers?” he said. “Good players. “It’s always been that way.” But Roberts also recognizes that the job description for a modern-day manager has changed. No longer is it “a dictatorship and players just did what the manager told them,” Roberts recognizes. Today’s players “ask a lot of questions, there’s data to manage.” Communication is job one for managers, he said. “The fortunate thing for me is that I was with managers that were maybe you could say ahead of their time in a sense: Bruce Bochy, Terry Francona, Jim Tracy, Buddy Black who I worked for,” Roberts said. “They were very good communicators. That’s been my No. 1 focus and will continue to be – with coaches, with players, with the media. Whereas if you look back in other decades, there wasn’t much communication. Players didn’t ask as many questions. It was more of ‘This is what we’re going to do and

that’s it.’ Where now it’s individuality and talking to players. Fortunately for me, the guys I was around were good at that.” Black worked closely with Roberts as his bench coach for Black’s final two seasons as the San Diego Padres manager. He sees Roberts as ideally suited for success as a new-age manager. “I think he’s very well-rounded. And I think the modern-day manager has to be well-rounded,” Black said. “He has the ability to connect with people. By that I mean he’ll connect with the players, he’ll connect with the front office, he’ll connect with the media. Those things he will handle.” He connected quickly with the players. The same buzzwords come up over and over again when players are asked about the change from Don Mattingly to Roberts. “He reminds me a lot of Joe Maddon – a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of positivity,” said Dodgers outfielder Carl Crawford who played for Maddon in Tampa. “I don’t know if that’s because it’s his first year of managing or what. But right now, everything’s real positive. There’s a lot of enthusiasm.” Reluctant to say anything that might be interpreted as a criticism of Mattingly and the departed coaches, Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw said things are “just different” with Doc – Roberts’ nickname (his initials are DR) – in charge this spring. “I think ‘different’ is the best word,” Kershaw said. “I love Donnie. I love Wally (bench coach Tim Wallach, also in Miami with Mattingly). I love all those guys. I’m going to miss them not being around every day. But Doc, everybody says it just because it’s the truth. The personality, the positivity – it’s infectious, for sure. “All the other coaching staff takes its cue from Doc. They are a very energetic group, younger guys that just finished playing a few years ago – other than Bob (Geren, bench coach) and Honey (pitching coach Rick Honeycutt)." As a rookie manager who never did a minor-league apprenticeship, Roberts will no doubt lean on Geren and defer to Honeycutt for many pitching decisions. But Black has no worries about his former bench coach’s ability to handle a major-league game from the dugout. “I think on the pure baseball side I think his mind works the right way when it comes to competition, when it comes to players, when it comes to learning. The total game – I think he has a lot of the boxes checked,” Black said. “I think he’ll be a quick study when it comes to pitching. I know that’s something that he and I talked about a lot. He picked my brain a lot, asking my thoughts on bullpen usage and all those things, pitcher’s mindsets and stuff. He’ll be a quick study on those things that he might have to learn in a hurry. He’ll learn them because managers need to. “He’s got empathy. He’s got compassion for players which is important. I’ve said this before, I would never mistake kindness for a lack of toughness. He’s a tough guy. When you look back at what he’s accomplished as a player – he was an undersized high school quarterback who ran the veer in San Diego North County which is tough football. He walked on at UCLA, nobody gave him a chance but he made that team. He wasn’t a prospect out of UCLA, got drafted late, made it to the major leagues. Once he got to the majors he forged out a nice career. There’s a mental toughness to him that has been proven since he was an amateur player which is something that will rub off on his players.”

On deck: Dodgers at Padres, Monday, 4 p.m. SNLA By Bill Plunkett Where: Petco Park TV: SNLA, 4 p.m. Did you know: Clayton Kershaw will be making his sixth consecutive opening-day start for the Dodgers, one short of Don Sutton’s franchise record. THE PITCHERS LHP CLAYTON KERSHAW (16-7, 2.13 ERA in 2015) Vs. Padres: 12-6, 2.25 ERA At Petco Park: 4-2, 2.13 ERA Hates to face: Alexei Ramirez, 5 for 8 (.625), 1 double Loves to face: Wil Myers, 0 for 8, 5 strikeouts RHP TYSON ROSS (10-12, 3.26 ERA) Vs. Dodgers: 0-6, 2.67 ERA. At Petco Park: 12-16, 2.61 ERA Hates to face: Carl Crawford, 9 for 18 (.500), 4 doubles Loves to face: A.J. Ellis, 1 for 11 (.091), 7 strikeouts UPCOMING MATCHUPS Tuesday: Dodgers LHP Scott Kazmir (7-11, 3.10 ERA) at Padres RHP James Shields (13-7, 3.91 ERA), 7:10 p.m., SNLA Wednesday: Dodgers RHP Kenta Maeda (MLB debut) at Padres RHP Andrew Cashner (6-16, 4.34 ERA), 6:10 p.m., SNLA

LA DAILY NEWS

LA Dodgers: Five burning questions heading into 2016 season By JP Hoornstra 1. Can the starting rotation hold up? Even before Brett Anderson, Mike Bolsinger and Brandon Beachy joined the disabled list (and before Hyun-Jin Ryu’s constant setbacks in his shoulder rehab), the Dodgers were fighting an uphill battle to replace Zack Greinke’s production. Kenta Maeda, Scott Kazmir, Alex Wood and Ross Stripling will be counted on early to shoulder the burden behind Clayton Kershaw. 2. What will the lineup look like without Andre Ethier? Carl Crawford is slated to begin the season as the Dodgers’ everyday left fielder against right-handed pitchers until Ethier returns from his fractured right leg. That’s at least two months without Ethier’s .852 OPS – a number that Crawford, who doesn’t have much power, will be hard-pressed to duplicate. The Dodgers might resemble more of a small-ball offense early in the season by default. 3. What will the bullpen look like at the end of the season? The Dodgers almost traded for Aroldis Chapman last December, then didn’t when he was reported to be involved in an alleged domestic violence incident. There weren’t any other 100-mph-throwing lefties on the market, so the bridge to closer Kenley Jansen will take on a different look. Newcomers Louis Coleman and Joe Blanton have a chance to step into prominent roles. 4. Who will hit leadoff? It was probably going to be Kiké Hernandez against left-handed starters, and Ethier against righties, before Ethier got hurt. Now Crawford will get a look at the top of the lineup and maybe others as well. This could be an open audition that lasts into September. 5. Has manager Dave Roberts already faced his toughest test? Re-shuffling the Dodgers’ depth chart to the degree Roberts has within his first four months on the job is no easy task. But what will he do when the established veterans return from the disabled list? The players’ performance will dictate playing time more than the manager, but a long DL won’t always be there to make the manager’s daily decisions easier. Probably.

ESPN LA Impressive array of talent on Dodgers' disabled list By Doug Padilla SAN DIEGO -- The 2016 Los Angeles Dodgers are as much about who is not on the Opening Day roster as who is on it, as the team has a number of key players nursing injuries.

The pessimist would say the disappointment is starting early, while the optimist can see the talent that eventually will join the squad as the season unfolds. The Dodgers have just about every position covered by the disabled list. There are infielders Alex Guerrero (left knee contusion) and Howie Kendrick (strained left calf), an outfielder in Andre Ethier (broken right tibia), and even a catcher in Yasmani Grandal (right forearm soreness). But it’s on the pitching side where the Dodgers’ injuries really cause concern. Brett Anderson (herniated disc surgery), Mike Bolsinger (left oblique strain), Brandon McCarthy (right UCL surgery), Frankie Montas (rib resection surgery), Josh Ravin (left radius fracture) and Hyun-Jin Ryu (left shoulder surgery) all could end up helping the team before the season ends, but getting healthy again will be the first priority. And this list doesn’t even include Brandon Beachy (elbow soreness), who was reassigned to minor-league camp in advance of the Freeway Series. And it could have been worse, as rookie shortstop Corey Seager (left knee sprain) just made it back in time to play in the Freeway Series. Justin Turner, who had microfracture knee surgery in the offseason, didn't even start playing in games until midway through the Cactus League schedule. Alex Wood had a spring start skipped because of forearm soreness, Scott Kazmir had a scare with an abdominal issue that turned out to be cramping because of dehydration, and Adrian Gonzalez and Yasiel Puig had minor issues that caused each player to miss a few days this spring. Grandal could be the first to return. He and Kendrick are not expected to be out very long, with both of their DL stints retroactive to March 25, the furthest they could be backdated. It gives both the chance of returning before the home opener on April 12 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Bolsinger could also be back before the opening month is complete, although oblique injuries are tricky in that even when the player is pain free he still needs to be on a cautious recovery schedule. Ryu’s return looks more like later May or early June, while McCarthy has a goal of two starts before the All-Star break. McCarthy admits it is an optimistic goal, but it is based on a best-case-scenario recovery schedule. Anderson could be a second-half addition.

DODGERS INSIDER

Dishing on Dodger road openers By Jon Weisman Since 1988, the Dodgers are 8-6 when they’ve opened the season on the road, including their farthest trip, which delivered a 3-1 victory over the designated host Arizona Diamondbacks in Sydney on March 22, 2014. In San Diego, where the Dodgers begin the 2016 season Monday, the Dodgers won season-opening games at San Diego in 2009 (behind Hiroki Kuroda) and 2012, with Josh Lindblom getting the win after illness forced Clayton Kershaw from the game after three innings.

Before that, believe it or not, the only time the Dodgers opened a regular season in San Diego was 1973, when a three-run eighth lifted the Padres over Don Sutton, 4-2. Sutton got revenge the following year, winning 8-0 at Dodger Stadium over the Padres on Opening Day 1974. The Dodgers’ most recent loss in a road Opening Day came the last time Kershaw didn’t pitch, when the host Pirates walloped Vicente Padilla and Los Angeles, 11-5 on April 5, 2010. Technically, the last time the Dodgers swept a road series to open the season was their two-game set in Australia. Stateside, it last happened in that three-game Padres series four years ago. In 1978, Los Angeles matched a 59-year-old franchise record by winning its first four road games — three at Atlanta plus one at Houston — outscoring opponents, 31-12. Kershaw is pitching his sixth Opening Day and third on the road, following those 2012 and 2014 games. In 9 2/3 innings in road openers, Kershaw has allowed one run on seven hits and two walks while striking out 10. Hideo Nomo has the only Opening Day road shutout in Los Angeles Dodgers history, an 8-0 victory over Randy Johnson and the Diamondbacks on March 31, 2003 at Arizona. Guy by the name of Dave Roberts scored two runs in that game.

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Opening day 2016: Dodgers turn to Clayton Kershaw to start off on right foot By Eric Stephen SAN DIEGO -- The Dodgers ended their spring training on a five-game losing streak, but rather than let exhibition results darken their season, since games now count the club will turn to its biggest luminary in Clayton Kershaw on opening day against the Padres at Petco Park. After taunting the baseball gods by throwing away a perfectly good tie last Monday with a two-out hit in the ninth inning, the Dodgers dropped their final five games of the preseason, including getting outscored by the Angels 15-3 in a three-game sweep of the Freeway Series. "When you lose four or five straight at the end, there is just a little bit of that sour taste," manager Dave Roberts said on Saturday. "Winning is always better than losing." Enter Kershaw, who has started each of the last five opening days for the Dodgers, helping to get the season off to a 1-0 start each time. "He's Clayton, and we're excited to get him, and we'll take him any day of the week," Roberts said. "Guys rally around him and perform their best. I expect our guys to go out there with a lot of effort and win a baseball game."

The Dodgers have won five straight opening days for the first time in their history, though that comes with a caveat. The franchise had a pair of four-game opening day winning streaks (1919-22, 1924-27) interrupted by a tie on opening day in 1923. This was before lights and in the case of a tied game called after it became a full game, that game would end as a tie, with full stats counting for the game, and another played in its place at a later date. On opening day in 1923, the Dodgers and Phillies were tied 5-5 after 14 innings when the game was called. The Dodgers won the next day, so they technically won their first decision of the year for nine straight seasons, but just looking at opening day results this current streak of five wins is the best in franchise history. Those wins have been largely because of Kershaw, with his 1.14 ERA on opening day — with three of his four total runs allowed in 2015, to the Padres — with 35 strikeouts and five walks in 31⅔ innings. One of those five opening day starts for Kershaw came at Petco Park, in 2012, when the stomach flu literally floored him between innings, but Kershaw was still able to literally gut through three scoreless innings. Kershaw in his career has a 2.13 ERA at Petco Park, and has only allowed more than two runs once in 10 starts there, though he has only started once in San Diego in the last two seasons. Kershaw will be making his sixth consecutive start on opening day, the second-longest streak in baseball to Felix Hernandez. Kershaw is one shy of tying Don Sutton for most consecutive opening day start by a Dodger, as well as most opening day starts overall, the latter also tied with Don Drysdale. The Dodgers will have to face Tyson Ross and his great slider — profiled here by MLB.com Padres beat writer AJ Cassavell — in his first opening day start. Since joining the Padres in 2013 Ross has a 3.07 ERA and 3.13 FIP, and in his two seasons as a full-time starter the right-hander has a 3.03 ERA and 3.11 FIP with more strikeouts (407) than innings pitched (391⅔). At Petco Park, Ross has a 2.61 ERA, understandable since it is a pitcher's paradise, and that even includes last year's weird 3.70 mark at home. Ross has a 2.67 career ERA against the Dodgers in 10 games, including eight starts, but has suffered the hardest of hard luck, with an 0-6 record. The Padres have lose six of the eight starts thanks to scoring two or fewer runs six times. The Dodgers have won the season series against the Padres in each of the last five years, including winning more games both at home and in San Diego in each of those seasons. In 2015 the Dodgers were 14-5, including 7-3 at Petco Park. Since the start of 2011, the Dodgers are 61-32 (.656) against the Padres, including 30-17 (.638) in San Diego. At Petco Park during that span the Dodgers have won 12 series, tied two and lost only once. Game info Location: Petco Park Time: 4:05 p.m. PT TV: SportsNet LA, ESPN (ESPN blacked out in LA market) Radio: 570 AM Sports Radio LA

Dodgers vs. Padres opening day schedule, TV times & starting pitchers By Eric Stephen SAN DIEGO -- The Dodgers open their 2016 season with three games against the Padres at Petco Park in San Diego. Here is a look at the three-game series with the television schedule and probable pitching matchups. Monday, 4:05 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA, ESPN) Clayton Kershaw hasn't lost to the Padres since June 21, 2013. In seven starts against San Diego since then, Kershaw is 4-0 with a 1.36 ERA, allowing nine runs (seven earned) with 66 strikeouts and 12 walks in 46⅔ innings. Tyson Ross pitched three scoreless innings in relief in that game, and since then has 46 strikeouts and 14 walks in 44 innings over seven starts against Los Angeles, but is somehow 0-5. The ESPN broadcast will feature it's No. 1 crew of Dan Shulman on play-by-play with analysts Aaron Boone and Jessica Mendoza plus reporter Buster Olney. However, the ESPN broadcast will be blacked out in the Los Angeles and San Diego television markets. Tuesday, 7:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA) Scott Kazmir is 7-3 with a 3.64 ERA in 13 starts against National League teams in the last three seasons. The Padres were 19-21 against southpaw starting pitchers. James Shields, who started opening day for the Padres in 2015 at Dodger Stadium, gets the call in Game 2 this season. Shields put up a respectable 3.29 ERA in 16 home starts in his first season in San Diego, but he also allowed a whopping 19 home runs at home, tied for the most ever allowed in one season at Petco Park. The other person to allow 19 was Ian Kennedy, also last year, which made for a rough year on the mound for San Diego. Wednesday, 6:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA) Kenta Maeda had a pretty solid spring trainng, and will make his U.S. regular season debut with several million eyes watching his every move. The last Japanese right-hander the Dodgers got from the Hiroshima Carp also made his major league debut at Petco Park, with Hiroki Kuroda allowing one run in seven strong innings on April 4, 2008. Andrew Cashner has nine quality starts in 10 career starts aganst the Dodgers, dating back to 2013, allowing more than two runs only once during that span. Cashner has a 2.08 ERA in those starts but only a 1-4 record, and the Padres have somehow lost seven of those 10 games. Dodgers 2016 opening day payroll is $236 million By Eric Stephen

LOS ANGELES -- I'm not sure if you heard but the Dodgers didn't re-sign pitcher Zack Greinke this offseason. However, that hasn't stopped them from having the highest payroll in the sport on opening day for a third straight year. I have the 2016 opening day payroll at just under $236 million, which is down from $266 million one year ago which, come to think of it, is a Greinke-sized gap. Though as we'll see below, the difference between 2015 and 2016 is really just a decrease in dead money. My numbers might be a tad different than those tracked by Associated Press or USA Today, for instance, in that I only count the money actually paid out that season. For instance, Alex Guerrero was paid a $10 million signing bonus in 2014 as part of his four-year contract. Since that was already paid, I only count Guerrero's $5 million salary for 2016, while AP and USA Today add the pro-rated portion of that signing bonus ($2.5 million) to his salary, counting Guerrero this year as $7.5 million. I also count $13.4 million extra for Kenta Maeda, the amount of the release fee sent in 2016 to the Hirsohima Carp for the Dodgers winning his rights. It works the other way, too. Both Howie Kendrick and Scott Kazmir have deferred money but for 2016 I only count the money paid this year. We keep track of the payroll all year long, with various changes as roster moves are made. So consider this only a single snapshot in time, one we can compare to recent years. The disabled list this season for the Dodgers is especially robust, with 10 players and a whopping $66.14 million on the shelf. But again, this is just a snapshot, and several of those players and salaries will be assets as well as liabilities in due time.

USA TODAY

Vin Scully: A final season for the voice of baseball Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully, 88, has embarked on his final season with the Dodgers, for whom he’s been broadcasting games since 1950 – when the club was in Brooklyn. Known for his dulcet voice and poetic touch, Scully is the longest-tenured broadcaster – 67 years - with a single club in professional sports history. He’s also lent his voice to iconic moments beyond Brooklyn and Los Angeles, from World Series calls to a dynasty-launching Catch on the gridiron. Throughout 2016, USA TODAY Sports will share some of Scully’s greatest calls. *** Today: An Opening Day to remember: Clayton Kershaw's home run.

Date: April 1, 2013, Dodgers vs. Giants The call: "So here we are, bottom of the eighth inning. "And (Clayton) Kershaw followed by (Carl) Crawford and (A.J.) Ellis. "A high fly ball to center (Giants center fielder Angel) Pagan going back, its over his head. It's over the fence. "Clayton Kershaw has just hit his first major league home run and knocked Los Angeles on its ear."

FOX LA:

What will Vin Scully miss most about being voice of the Dodgers? 'that roar' By Jeffrey Thomas DeSocio LOS ANGELES, Calif. (FOX 11, CNS) - Baseball fans are going to miss hearing Vin Scully. As the broadcaster begins his 67th season as the voice of the Dodgers, he knows he's going to miss hearing them, too. The Hall of Fame broadcaster took time to reflect on his career Friday before working a spring training game against the San Francisco Giants - his only spring game this year. He remembered Kirk Gibson's home run against the Oakland A's in the Dodgers' last World Series championship in 1988. He remembered broadcasting Henry Aaron's record-breaking home run, No. 715, against the Dodgers in a 1974 game in Atlanta. Mostly, though, Scully remembered the fans and what he heard from them. "I'll miss the sounds," the 88-year-old Scully said. He knew he wanted to be broadcaster when he listened to college football games while he was growing up in New York. "The crowd noise would wash over me like water over a shower," he said. "I used to get ecstatic over that roar. "Later, I'd wish I was there. Then, I'd think I'd like to be calling the game. To this day, if there is a very good play in the ballpark and the crowd lets out a roar, I shut up. During that time, I'm 8 years old with my head under the radio. ... When this is over, that will be the first thing I miss." In his farewell season, Scully will hear it again, this time from generations of Dodgers fans showing appreciation for Scully's work behind the mic.

Scully plans to work opening day on April 4 at San Diego and all 81 home games at Dodger Stadium. He also plans to work two games against the Angels in Anaheim on May 18-19 and a three-game, season-closing series at San Francisco on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1-2. Scully's final year coincides with an ongoing stalemate over broadcast rights to Dodgers games. The Dodgers and Time Warner Cable are asking DirectTV to carry games this season, citing the campaign as an historic one with Scully approaching retirement. "It's kind of embarrassing," Scully said. "I'd like to see the fans get the chance see every game. That's what I'm pulling for."

LATIMES Dodgers Dugout: Opening day is finally here By Houston Mitchell Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell, and opening day is always special, because fans of all 30 teams can have the hope and faith that this year their team will win the World Series. Well, except for Padres fans. First up The Dodgers open their season today at San Diego against the Padres. The game starts at 4 p.m. PDT, and here is the amazing thing: It will actually be on TV, on ESPN. You don’t get to hear Vin Scully, but you get to see the Dodgers. With all the injuries, the Dodgers’ 25-man roster looks a little bit different than expected. Here it is: Starting pitchers (5) Clayton Kershaw Scott Kazmir Kenta Maeda Alex Wood Ross Stripling (more on him below) Relievers (7) Pedro Baez Joe Blanton Louis Coleman Yimi Garcia Chris Hatcher J.P. Howell Kenley Jansen Howell is the only left-hander in the bullpen. Catchers (2) Austin Barnes

A.J. Ellis Infielders (6) Charlie Culberson Adrian Gonzalez Kiké Hernandez Corey Seager Justin Turner Chase Utley Hernandez, of course, can also play the outfield. Outfielders (5) Carl Crawford Joc Pederson Yasiel Puig Scott Van Slyke Trayce Thompson The Dodgers also start the season with 10 players on the disabled list: Brett Anderson, Mike Bolsinger, Andre Ethier, Alex Guerrero, Yasmani Grandal, Howie Kendrick, Brandon McCarthy, Frankie Montas, Josh Ravin and Hyun-jin Ryu. Opening day numbers Clayton Kershaw will make his sixth opening day start, tying Fernando Valenzuela and putting him one short of the L.A. Dodgers record of seven, held by Don Drysdale and Don Sutton. The L.A. Dodgers record at the other positions: 1B: Eric Karros (9) 2B: Davey Lopes (7) 3B: Ron Cey (9) SS: Bill Russell (11) LF: Dusty Baker (7) CF: Willie Davis (11) RF: Andre Ethier (6) If you are surprised Steve Garvey isn’t on the list, he started eight times on opening day, from 1975-82. The L.A. Dodgers are 31-27 on opening day, with their record for most runs scored being 16, which they scored in a 16-7 victory over the Houston Astros in 1983. The last pitcher not named Clayton Kershaw to start on opening day for the Dodgers was Vicente Padilla in 2010. And the fifth starter is… Ross Stripling, who wasn’t even a candidate when spring training began, but has pitched his way into the rotation thanks to some injuries.

Stripling missed all of 2014 after Tommy John surgery and was 3-6 with a 3.66 ERA in 14 starts in the minors last season. He has never pitched above double A. How high are the Dodgers on Stripling? Well, not very if this quote from Dave Roberts is any indication: "Where we are as far as the state of our rotation, it's more of a necessity for him to start the season with us." Round up the usual suspects Here are the projected starting lineups the Dodgers and their NL West opponents will be using for the first few days, or until injured players get back: Dodgers Carl Crawford, LF Yasiel Puig, RF Justin Turner, 3B Adrian Gonzalez, 1B Corey Seager, SS Chase Utley, 2B A.J. Ellis, C Joc Pederson, CF Arizona Jean Segura, 2B Jake Lamb, 3B Paul Goldschmidt, 1B David Peralta, RF Wellington Castillo, C Socrates Brito, CF Yasmany Tomas, LF Nick Ahmed, SS Colorado Charlie Blackmon, CF Trevor Story, SS Carlos Gonzalez, RF Nolan Arenado, 3B Gerardo Parra, LF Nick Hundley, C Ben Paulsen, 1B DJ LeMahieu, 2B San Diego Jon Jay, LF Corey Spangenberg, 2B Matt Kemp, RF Wil Myers, 1B

Yangervis Solarte, 3B Derek Norris, C Alexel Ramirez, SS Melvin Upton Jr., CF San Francisco Denard Span, CF Joe Panik, 2B Buster Posey, C Hunter Pence, RF Brandon Belt, 1B Matt Duffy, 3B Brandon Crawford, SS Angel Pagan, LF How will they finish? Here is my prediction as to how the NL West will finish this season: San Francisco Giants, 93-69 Dodgers, 88-74 Arizona, 81-81 Colorado, 74-88 San Diego, 67-95 The Dodgers will win one of the two wild-card spots. Of course, those predictions and $10 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. One major website last season picked Kansas City to finish last in the AL Central, which turned out to be slightly incorrect. And finally The Dodgers haven’t won a World Series, or even been in one, since 1988, when I was 21 years old. My parents always told me that adult life isn’t always as fun as it seems. I see what they mean. Here’s hoping that this year ends that streak and next year on opening day we get to watch the World Series flag being raised in a ceremony hosted by Vin Scully, who has decided to put off retirement for a year because this season was so much fun.