LOS ANGELES DODGERS CLIPSFRIDAY, MARCH 21, 2014

LA TIMES

Dodgers in Australia: Just a step in MLB's plan for world domination

By Dylan Hernandez

SYDNEY, Australia — On the morning the Dodgers landed in Australia, there was a vague reference to their upcoming season-opening series on the cover of the Sydney Morning Herald.

There was a small box that included a picture of basketball star LeBron James and the words, "Are the NBA and NFL coming to Sydney?" directing readers to a hopeful back-page article.

The gist of the story: That large crowds at the upcoming two-game baseball series between the Dodgers and Diamondbacks might one day lead to Australia hosting NBA and NFL regular-season games.

The implication was clear: Australians care about basketball and football, but not baseball.

Australia ranks No. 1 outside the U.S. in NBA League Pass subscriptions, but the country's interest in baseball is minimal. When the Dodgers faced an Australian all-star team Thursday in an exhibition, the 40,000-seat Sydney Cricket Ground was largely empty.

About as much as known here about Clayton Kershaw as is known in the United States about cricket star Mitchell Johnson.

The Dodgers' nearly sold-out regular-season games against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday and Sunday — Saturday at 1 a.m. and 7 p.m. PDT — won't suddenly change that. Major League Baseball knows that, said Paul Archey, the league's vice president of international business operations.

"We're not going to know the benefits of this game on Sunday night," Archey said. "It's long term. It can be generational."

MLB was paid by a promoter to open its season in Sydney, but Archey said that wasn't the league's motive for coming. "This is not about money," he said. "This is about the future. It's about developing the market for bigger business and it's about developing the market for more players."

MLB has opened regular seasons in Mexico, Japan and Puerto Rico. What makes Australia different is that baseball doesn't have a large fan base.

The Dodgers were also involved in MLB's last venture into a nontraditional market. That was in 2008, when the Dodgers and the San Diego Padres played a two-game exhibition series in China.

Archey views that trip as a success. MLB now has 11 television partners in China, where it funds three youth academies and a 60-school intercollegiate league.

"None of this existed prior to that game," Archey said.

The intercollegiate program illustrates MLB's long-view approach to expanding the game's reach. MLB doesn't expect to find future All-Stars there right away, but Archey said, "Those are young people who are going to go into the workforce.

They're going to know the game. They'll have kids, introduce the game to them. They're going to become teachers, maybe become physical education teachers. Now, they can introduce baseball."

Whereas MLB started from scratch in China, it already had a foundation in Australia.

Baseball here is believed to date to the mid-19th century, brought by American miners during the Victorian gold rush.

Baseball is a niche sport, but enough of it is played that the country has produced 28 Australian-born major leaguers, many of whom are still playing. The most notable is All-Star closer Grant Balfour of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Ian Chappell, a cricketer who was captain of Australia's national team in the early 1970s, was also a baseball player.

Chappell grew fond of baseball in the 1950s listening to New York Yankees games on American naval radio broadcasts. He was on Australia's national baseball team from 1964-1966 and said he might have pursued a career in baseball had an avenue to do so existed.

"It would have been a tough decision," said Chappell, who will call the Australian national broadcast of the series between the Dodgers and Diamondbacks.

Chappell's younger brother Greg offered a similar sentiment. A former shortstop in baseball, Greg became the greatest Australian batsman of his generation as a cricketer.

Baseball continues to lose Australia's top athletes to other sports, particularly Australian-rules football, rugby and cricket. But in a country where only a handful of athletes earn more than $1 million annually, Archey is hopeful that baseball's salaries can entice top talent. To convey Kershaw's stature to a largely novice audience, Australian newspapers have written at length about the left-hander's new seven-year, $215-million contract.

"When you see the salaries, it helps," Archey said.

Since Australia's defunct baseball league relaunched in 2010 with MLB's backing — MLB owns a 75% stake in the league — youth participation in baseball has increased 33%, according to Archey.

However, the Dodgers don't view themselves as baseball missionaries. Provided they do what they're supposed to do, they say the sport should sell itself.

Said catcher A.J. Ellis: "If we play good, clean baseball and show these guys how great this game is, these fans here will gravitate toward it."

Yasiel Puig to bat leadoff for Dodgers on opening day

By Dylan Hernandez

SYDNEY, Australia -- With left-hander Wade Miley pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks on opening day, Justin Turner will start in place of Dee Gordon at second base for the Dodgers on Saturday at Sydney Cricket Ground.

Turner bats right-handed and Gordon left-handed.

Right fielder Yasiel Puig will bat leadoff, according to Manager Don Mattingly. Puig will be followed, in order, by Turner, shortstop Hanley Ramirez, Gonzalez, left fielder Scott Van Slyke, third baseman Juan Uribe, center fielder Andre Ethier, catcher A.J. Ellis and pitcher Clayton Kershaw.

Mattingly said Friday he expected Adrian Gonzalez to be able to play Saturday, even though Gonzalez was removed early from an exhibition game Thursday because of tightness in his back.

“I’m expecting him to go tomorrow,” Mattingly said.

Gonzalez didn’t take batting practice on the field with his teammates Friday.

Gonzalez played in a team-high 157 games last season.

Most Dodger fans to be shut out from viewing games on opening day

By Joe Flint

Richard Magnuson has been rooting for the Dodgers since 1959 and hasn't missed an opening day on television since 1970.

That streak is likely to come to an end Saturday when the Dodgers start the 2014 regular season with a pair of games against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Sydney, Australia.

Magnuson, a retired architect living in Manhattan Beach, is not alone. About 70% of the Los Angeles television market won't be able to see Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw pitch the first game of the season on the team's new channel, SportsNet LA.

Fans are caught in a rundown. On one side are the Dodgers and Time Warner Cable, which is handling distribution of SportsNet LA. On the other side are area pay-TV distributors, which are balking at the price for carrying the channel.

"I'm angry with the Dodgers management," said Magnuson, a customer of Verizon FiOS. "There are so many fans that won't get to see them anymore."

This disagreement amounts to a virtual shutout. Besides FiOS, other area pay-TV providers that are not carrying SportsNet LA include satellite broadcasters DirecTV and Dish Network, cable companies Cox and Charter and AT&T's U-Verse.

The only operators carrying SportsNet Los Angeles are Time Warner Cable and Bakersfield's Bright House Networks, which has ties to Time Warner Cable.

Until this season, the Dodgers sold the rights to their games to Fox's Prime Ticket and the local television station KCAL-TV Channel 9. That meant about 50 games were still on free TV for fans without a cable subscription.

But the team's new owners, Guggenheim Baseball, wanted to control their own television destiny. When the Prime Ticket and KCAL deals were up, Time Warner Cable agreed to an $8.35-billion, 25-year deal to run SportsNet LA, according to a valuation by the Dodgers and Major League Baseball.

Last year, KCAL and Prime Ticket paid a total of about $50 million for Dodgers' rights.

The new deal has been valued at $210 million for the first season, a rate that escalates each year through the life of the contract.

That increase in fees means increased costs to distributors that agree to carry the channel — and inevitably to consumers.

Prime Ticket currently charges distributors close to $3 per subscriber a month, according to SNL Kagan, an industry consulting firm. Time Warner Cable is seeking more than $4 per subscriber, according to people familiar with the matter, and those fees will escalate, distribution executives say.

Some Dodger loyalists are making the switch. Laura Stegman is dropping Dish Network, her current provider, for Time Warner Cable because she can't bear the thought of not being able to watch Vin Scully call games.

"Without Vin, life has very little meaning," she said.

Stegman, who lives on the Westside, is exercising an option that is not open to all Los Angeles-area residents, many of whom don't have the choice of a different provider. Some of them are mad at the Dodgers for leaving them in the lurch.

"I don't even have that option to go to Time Warner Cable. I'm stuck with Charter," grumbled David Thornton of Azusa Canyon, adding that both Time Warner Cable and the Dodgers "didn't look out for the fans" when making their deal.

Time Warner Cable Executive Vice President Melinda Witmer said the company is having "meaningful and creative" conversations with distributors and is confident that once the season really gets going, deals will happen.

"It is no surprise to me that deals are not concluded at this point," she said.

Distributors have said they would be willing to carry SportsNet LA if they could offer it to consumers on an a la carte basis, so customers who aren't sports fans don't have to pick up the bill.

substantially higher than the true value, it is only fair to permit only the fans who want to pay for it to have the option and not tax everyone else, which is the vast majority of consumers," said Dan York, chief content officer for DirecTV, which has around 1.2 million subscribers in the region.

CRITICS' PICKS: What to watch, where to go, what to eat

Witmer countered, "We are comfortable that what we are offering is fair and at reasonable market terms."

As for selling the channel on an a la carte basis, she noted that no one else does that either — including DirecTV, which owns sports channels in Seattle and Pittsburgh.

Feuds between content providers and content distributors have become commonplace in the media industry. Most are eventually settled amicably, albeit typically with customers seeing bigger bills.

In 2012, Time Warner Cable was in a similar situation with SportsNet, a channel it launched after it acquired the television rights for the Lakers. Many distributors resisted carrying it until after the season started. But then when the idea of not having the Lakers seemed a bigger risk than raising prices, agreements were reached.

In some cases, though, the rising costs to carry sports have led distributors to push back. In Houston, a regional sports network co-owned by cable giant Comcast Corp. and the Astros and Rockets filed for bankruptcy after other distributors balked at the high fees to carry the channel.

"I think the industry has come to tipping point on sports costs," said Andy Albert, senior vice president of content acquisitions for Cox Communications.

In Los Angeles, where there are already five regional sports channels, customers pay as much as $20 for these channels and ESPN whether they watch them or not.

The Dodgers are optimistic that in the end the channel will get wide distribution.

"We've watched this in city after city. Invariably it gets worked out," said Dodger President Stan Kasten, speaking by phone from Australia. "We know there's strong demand for Dodger baseball."

As for the lack of games on free television hurting financially strapped fans, Kasten said most people now consume television via pay TV. "It is just a part of modern business."

That doesn't wash with all the fans.

"I don't care if the Dodgers start with a 25-0 record, I'm not going to call DirecTV and ask that they please carry the station," said George Newberry of San Pedro, who has been following the team since 1958. "I see this as nothing but greed from Time Warner Cable, and the Dodgers are contributing to it."

The long-term implications of all these deals have some observers worried that sports — once a common denominator that cut across economic status — will become too expensive for many people.

"Many fans have been priced out of the venue and onto their couches," said David Carter, executive director of USC's Sports Business Institute. "Now some of them are being priced out of their couches."

In the meantime, fans such as Magnuson are digging out their old radios, where they can still listen to the Dodgers play."It's hard to get used to again," he said.

OC REGISTER

Dodgers set for opening day, in the middle of the night

By Bill Plunkett

Shortly before many Southern Californians hear the cry “Last call” on Friday night, the Dodgers will hear “Play ball!” as they open the 2014 season 7,500 miles away with the first of two games against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Sydney, Australia.

DODGERS vs. DIAMONDBACKS(Diamondbacks are the home team for both games)

GAME 1Pacific time: 1 a.m. Saturday | Sydney time: 7 p.m. Saturday

GAME 2Pacific time: 7 p.m. Saturday | Sydney time: 1 p.m. SundayWhere: Sydney Cricket Ground. The baseball field carved out of the cricket grounds features fencing 328 feet down each line, 370 feet in the alleys and 400 feet to straightaway center field.

TV: Both games are on SportsNet LA (Time Warner and Bright House Networks cable providers only) with Vin Scully on play-by-play; also available on MLB Network but blacked out in Dodgers and Diamondbacks markets.

Last time they played: The Dodgers went swimming, drawing the Diamondbacks' ire for partying in the Chase Field pool after clinching the NL West division title with a victory there Sept. 19. The teams also brawled on the field during a June series at Dodger Stadium – an incident that helped “galvanize” the Dodgers, according to GM Ned Colletti, as they went from worst to first in the West.

Diamondbacks report: Building around “grit” last season produced the Diamondbacks’ second consecutive .500 record. This year, they tried to address two big issues with offseason moves. They hit just 130 home runs last season (26th in the majors), despite getting 36 from MVP runner-up Paul Goldschmidt, so they added Mark Trumbo in a trade with the Angels. And they led the majors with 29 blown saves in 2013, so they acquired a new closer, Addison Reed, from the Chicago White Sox. However, the loss of Patrick Corbin to an elbow injury is a big blow to their hopes of challenging the Dodgers in the NL West.

Player to watch: Goldschmidt had an MVP-caliber season in 2013 and might have won it had the Diamondbacks been more of a factor in the playoff race. Instead, he finished second to Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen despite leading the National League in home runs (36), RBI (125), slugging (.551) and OPS (.952). Goldschmidt has been a thorn in the Dodgers' side with a career average of .344 against them, a .980 OPS, nine home runs and 32 RBI in 43 games.

Did you know: Originally used as a city dump, the Sydney Cricket Ground site has been used for cricket and rugby since the 1850s, with the stands first constructed in 1882. This is not the first time the venerable facility has hosted baseball. A touring Chicago White Sox team played there in 1888; the Sox brought along the New York Giants for an exhibition in January 1914; and the baseball competition in the 2000 Summer Olympics was partially staged there.

Rosters: The Dodgers and Diamondbacks each brought 30 players for the trip and left three “exempt” players back in Arizona. But only 25 players will be active, with normal roster rules applying.

Number to know: 13-to-2 – Dodgers’ odds to win the 2014 World Series, according to one online betting service that pegs them as the favorites.

GAME 1 PITCHERS LHP CLAYTON KERSHAW (16-9, 1.83)The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner (for the second time in three years), Kershaw had a rough spring with a 9.20 ERA after four starts. This is Kershaw's fourth consecutive opening day start for the Dodgers and he has yet to give up a run in 19 total innings. In three previous openers, Kershaw has allowed just 10 hits and two walks while striking out 19. The Dodgers won all three.

vs. Diamondbacks: 7-6, 2.22 ERA Loves to face: Paul Goldschmidt, 2 for 20 (.100), nine strikeouts Hates to face: Cody Ross, 8 for 23 (.348), three doubles

LHP WADE MILEY (10-10, 3.55)Miley was expected to be one of the Diamondbacks’ three “exempt” players left behind in Arizona until Corbin suffered an elbow injury in his final Cactus League start. Miley goes into the opener with just three spring starts, but he did pitch well – a 1.29 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 14 innings.

vs. Dodgers: 3-1, 3.59 ERA Loves to face: Juan Uribe, 1 for 9 (.111) Hates to face: Adrian Gonzalez, 3 for 5 (.600), 1 home run, 3 walks

GAME 2 PITCHERS

LHP HYUN-JIN RYU (14-8, 3.00)Ryu enters his sophomore season after a successful debut in 2013. His 14 wins tied Kaz Ishii (14-10 in 2002) for second-most by an L.A. rookie and his 154 strikeouts were the fifth-most by an L.A. rookie.

vs. Diamondbacks: 1-2, 4.65 ERA Loves to face: Cliff Pennington, 1 for 7 (.143), two strikeouts Hates to face: Aaron Hill, 5 for 8 (.625), one HR

RHP TREVOR CAHILL (8-10, 3.99)An All-Star and 18-game winner with the Oakland A's in 2010, Cahill has not pitched at that level since being traded to the Diamondbacks before the 2012 season. He struggled with his mechanics after a hip injury last season. But he has

dominated the Dodgers, going 6-0 in 10 career starts against them. Nine of those starts have come in the past two seasons with the Diamondbacks.

vs. Dodgers: 6-0, 2.01 ERA Loves to face: Uribe, 1 for 10 (.100), two strikeouts Hates to face: Gonzalez, 9 for 20 (.450), two doubles, one HR

Dodgers set lineup for Aussie opener

By Bill Plunkett

One of the questions of the Dodgers' preseason seems to be settled by the starting lineup announced for their first game in Australia against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

That lineup has Justin Turner starting at second base against Diamondbacks left-hander Wade Miley -- not Alex Guerrero or Dee Gordon. The decision all but punches Guerrero's ticket to Triple-A Albuquerque when the Dodgers finalize their 25-man roster before the 1 a.m. first pitch Saturday in the Pacific Time Zone.

And Gordon might have won only a portion of the second-base job. The left-handed hitting Gordon might find himself in a platoon with Turner at second base for the time being. The Diamondbacks will start a right-handed pitcher (Trevor Cahill) in the second game of the historic series at Sydney Cricket Ground.

Here is the Dodgers' full lineup for the season opener Down Under:

RF Yasiel Puig

2B Justin Turner

SS Hanley Ramirez

1B Adrian Gonzalez (expected to start despite a minor back issue)

LF Scott Van Slyke

3B Juan Uribe

CF Andre Ethier

C A.J. Ellis

LHP Clayton Kershaw

The game will be televised on SportsNet LA (available only to Time Warner and Bright House cable subscribers) and MLB Network (blacked out in the Dodgers and Diamondbacks markets).

Beckett tests injured thumb vs. minor-leaguers

By Bill Plunkett

Josh Beckett's bid to fill the fifth spot in the Dodgers' starting rotation appears to be back on track.

The right-hander tested his injured thumb by pitching four innings against a Triple-A team from the Cincinnati Reds' organization at Camelback Ranch on Thursday ay and reported no problems after throwing 52 pitches -- including curveballs, something he avoided in a Cactus League start after injuring his thumb last week.

Beckett allowed one run on six hits and a walk while striking out four in his four innings. Thirty-nine of his 52 pitches were strikes.

Beckett is likely to open the season on the DL since the Dodgers can put off using a fifth starter until mid-April. More serious than the sprained thumb, Beckett is trying to return from surgery last year to address thoracic outlet syndrome.

Meanwhile, outfielders Matt Kemp and Carl Crawford also played in the Triple-A game against the Reds. Kemp was hitless in five at-bats, striking out three times. Crawford was 3 for 3 with a home run and a pair of singles. Crawford played five innings in left field after missing a day with the flu.

In a game against the Reds' Double-A team, right-hander Brandon League threw 18 pitches over 1 1/3 innings, giving up a home run but nothing else.

DODGERS.COM

Dodgers, D-backs get season started Down Under

By Doug Miller

SYDNEY -- After a long fall, winter and spring of waiting, the time has come. The Arizona Diamondbacks, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Major League Baseball and fans across the globe can all celebrate together, because the season is finally here.

The quest for the 110th World Series opens on Saturday in Sydney, where the National League West rival D-backs and Dodgers lift the lid on the Opening Series at the hallowed Sydney Cricket Ground. A sellout crowd of close to 45,000 is expected Down Under for the game, which is slated to begin at 7 p.m. Sydney time, or 4 a.m. ET and 1 a.m. PT/MST if you're scoring at home back in the States.

The pitching matchup pits two left-handers against one another, with reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw getting the ball for Los Angeles. Arizona's Wade Miley was pressed into duty when the D-backs got the unfortunate news prior to their 15-hour flight to Australia that staff ace Patrick Corbin had suffered an elbow injury that will likely knock him out for the year.

So here it is, after four days in Oz that have seen players cavorting near the waves on Bondi Beach, climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, taking in the splendor of the famed Opera House, checking out kangaroos at the Taronga Zoo and generally soaking in the warm weather and friendly vibes of one of the world's great cities.

With those life experiences in the rear-view mirror, both teams are now looking at what's in front of them, and their goals are clear: The Dodgers want to take the next step after falling two wins short of the World Series in a six-game loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Championship Series. The D-backs want to return to contention after two seasons of .500 ball.

It all starts when Miley pitches to Dodgers leadoff hitter Yasiel Puig, and it's safe to say that both teams are glad that these games count.

"I think guys are excited to get going," said D-backs first baseman and 2013 NL MVP runner-up Paul Goldschmidt. "Guys have been working hard, and now it's kind of up to the players to go out there and play and take advantage of the opportunity that's in front of us."

For the D-backs, it will be a slightly different group. Arizona traded for slugger Mark Trumbo in the offseason, signed veteran starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo and added closer Addison Reed.

The loss of Corbin will hurt, but the team has young alternatives in Randall Delgado and possibly Archie Bradley, a 21-year-old top prospect who could be with the D-backs at some point in 2014.

"It's an angry group that knows we want to win this year," Arizona pitcher Brandon McCarthy said. "Nobody wants to be sitting at home in October again and watching other teams. It gets old when you do it."

The Dodgers weren't sitting home for much of last October, but they weren't around for the ultimate seven-game series. They have plans on getting over that hump this time around, and they've attempted to fortify their roster in an attempt to do so, bringing in veteran right-hander Dan Haren and lefty Paul Maholm for starting depth, adding Chris Perez to a deep bullpen, and signing veteran utility man Chone Figgins while returning the main nucleus of their division-winning club.

"We feel like we're tough," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "We were down 10 games in the division and ended up winning by 10 or 11. To me, we went through a lot. We're not afraid of the field."

And now the Dodgers and D-backs meet on this field, in the middle of an iconic cricket stadium halfway around the world. They've brushed aside the jet lag, gotten used to the novelty of a foreign country and a converted cricket pitch, and they're ready.

Dodgers: Kershaw the obvious pick

Kershaw will start in his fourth consecutive season opener, the most for a Dodgers pitcher since Ramon Martinez. He has won Cy Young Awards in two of the last three seasons (2011 and '13) and led MLB with a 1.83 ERA last year. He's also the proud owner of a new $215 million contract. But Kershaw says he won't rest on those laurels.

"It's not even a thought, really," Kershaw said. "I realize baseball is a gift. So, if all I'm doing is playing to make the most money possible, I could see it leading to complacency. That's not why I play. I don't take the contract for granted. But it's not why I play the game. I play to win and you can't be complacent and win."

• Justin Turner made the Dodgers as a non-roster invitee and now finds himself as the Opening Day second baseman. Turner, who bats right-handed, is in to face the lefty Miley. Dee Gordon, a left-handed hitter, could make the start at second in Sunday's game against D-backs righty Trevor Cahill.

D-backs: Miley up for the challenge

Miley is not happy about the manner in which he received the Opening Day assignment, but he said he's eager to get his team started in 2014.

"There's going to be some excitement, some jitters tomorrow night when you're warming up," Miley said Friday. "But after you throw a couple of pitches, it's just baseball."

Miley is, however, a bit uneasy about one thing.

"Now, I'm starting to get nervous about the flight back," he said, admitting to a lifelong fear of flying. "I kind of want to stay here. I don't want to go back home."

• Reed, who came to Arizona after saving 69 games over the last two years for the Chicago White Sox, was announced as the closer on Thursday, beating out veteran J.J. Putz.

"I love the competition," Reed said. "If I'm in the league for 10 years and I'm closing all 10 years I want to come into that 11th season fighting for that ninth-inning job. I don't ever want it given to me. I want to bring it every single time when I go out there. I want to earn it every single year."

Worth noting

• Miley and Kershaw will face each other for the third time. The southpaws squared off twice last season. On May 8, Miley got the win after allowing two runs in 7 2/3 innings in a 3-2 D-backs victory at Dodger Stadium. Kershaw gave up two runs (one earned) in seven innings. On June 10, both got no-decisions in a game the D-backs won, 5-4, with a four-run ninth inning. Kershaw pitched seven innings and gave up one run. Miley allowed three runs in six innings.

• The D-backs and Dodgers played 19 times last year, with Arizona winning 10, although the Dodgers outscored the D-backs, 83-77.

Dodgers' rich international history on display in Sydney

By Doug Miller

SYDNEY -- Two snapshots from the United States' last baseball gold medal in the Olympics are still vivid almost 14 years later: Doug Mientkiewicz's walk-off home run in the semifinals to beat Korea and Ben Sheets' three-hit shutout over favored Cuba to win the gold.

But to fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers, there's one more, and it comes to mind now that the Dodgers are back in Sydney, the site of the 2000 Summer Games.

It was 72-year-old Tommy Lasorda, four years removed from a sterling career at the helm of his beloved Dodgers, bleeding not just blue but also red and white, as the skipper of the victorious American squad.

"Winning a World Series was great, but when you win the World Series, the Dodger fans are happy, but the Cincinnati fans aren't happy and the Giants fans aren't happy," Lasorda said. "But you win that gold medal, and all of America's happy. That's how big it was for me."

And it was just another example of the rich history that the Dodgers have in international baseball, which is on display again as they prepare for Opening Series 2014 in historic Sydney Cricket Ground.

It started when the Brooklyn Dodgers, owned by Walter O'Malley, took part in a tour of Japan following the 1956 season, and it continued after the team moved to Los Angeles, with visits throughout the 1960s. Lasorda, then a scout, conducted a clinic in Tokyo in 1965, and the following year the Dodgers were given a two-ton, 10-foot-tall stone lantern as a gift of friendship from Japanese Hall of Famer Sotaro Suzuki.

In 1980, the Dodgers began a relationship with the China Baseball Association to help the development of baseball in China, and six years later Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley, Walter's son, helped build a practice field in Beijing and paid for the construction of a stadium in Tianjin. The Dodgers' long-standing ties to China continued in 2008 with a Spring Training series against the Padres in Beijing.

The team also branched out to Chinese Taipei beginning in 1993 and continuing into 2010, when the Dodgers visited Taiwan for exhibitions against a team from the Chinese Professional Baseball League.

The bond with Japan continued with more clinics and occasional exhibition games until Feb. 8, 1995, when the Dodgers signed pitcher Hideo Nomo, who would become the second Japanese player to make it to the Major Leagues.

Nomo debuted on May 2 of that year in San Francisco, where he promptly pitched five innings of one-hit, shutout ball, striking out seven. He would soon dominate the National League, kicking off "Nomomania" in Los Angeles that rivaled the "Fernandomania" of 1981, when rookie Fernando Valenzuela was thrilling fans in Chavez Ravine. Nomo threw a two-hitter, a one-hitter, routinely struck out more than 10 batters in a game, pitched in the All-Star Game, and won the NL Rookie of the Year Award after posting a 13-6 record, 2.54 ERA and 236 strikeouts.

Nomo would go on to pitch 12 seasons in the Majors, throw two no-hitters, win 123 games and strike out 1,918 batters. But he did a lot more than that.

"Nomo paved the way for all the great Japanese players we're seeing in the game today," then-Dodgers general manager Fred Claire said. "And I don't think he gets enough credit for it. He really put himself on the line. He wanted to test himself against the best players in the world, because he wanted to be the best. And that's really what it's all about."

Nomo wasn't the only Dodgers' pioneer. Chan Ho Park became the first Korean to play in the Major Leagues in 1994, and Craig Shipley was the first Australian to make it to the bigs in the modern era.

Shipley was 16 when Dodgers team president Peter O'Malley sent Los Angeles coaches Red Adams and Monty Basgall to Australia as guest instructors of the Australian Baseball Federation.

Shipley was working in a bank at the time, having dropped out of high school after 10th grade, which was his legal right at the time. Once American universities came calling after the infielder, though, Shipley realized he'd better finish high school. He did so by playing rugby and eventually ended up on the University of Alabama baseball team.

He was signed by the Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1984, made Minor League stops in Vero Beach, Fla., and Albuquerque, and debuted in the Major Leagues on June 22, 1986, going 1-for-4 with a single and an RBI against Padres pitcher Mark Thurmond at Dodger Stadium.

"Baseball's played all over the world," said Shipley, who is on hand at the Cricket Ground in his current role as special assistant to the general manager of the Diamondbacks. "If you have the resources and the manpower, you should scout the countries that have played baseball for a long time. Australia is one of those countries."

And now the always-global-minded Dodgers are here, with Yasiel Puig from Cuba, Kenley Jansen from Curacao, Hyun-Jin Ryu from Korea, Hanley Ramirez and Juan Uribe from the Dominican Republic and Clayton Kershaw from Dallas among the biggest names on their roster.

"The O'Malleys wanted the Dodgers to be well-liked all over the world, and Peter inherited that same attitude and made sure that everything we did was representing the Dodgers in a high-class way," Lasorda said.

"That's why there are so many Dodger fans all over the world."

Mattingly expects Adrian to start Aussie opener

By Ken Gurnick

SYDNEY -- Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said he expects Adrian Gonzalez to be in the starting lineup in Saturday night's season opener against the D-backs despite the tight lower back that forced his removal from Thursday night's exhibition game.

"For sure. No doubt about it," said Gonzalez, who took himself out of Thursday's game with a tight lower back.Gonzalez spent Friday receiving treatment and did not take any swings or participate in the club's short workout at Sydney Cricket Ground.

"Adrian is good," Mattingly said Friday. "He won't hit today on the field. We're expecting him to go tomorrow. He won't be out [on the field] today. It's a pretty light day anyway. He hit in the cage. He feels all right. … He feels something there ... he's not 100 percent."

Gonzalez said he thought extensive sightseeing walking led to his stiff back and also believed he would be fine by Saturday night.

Mattingly has Gonzalez batting fourth in Saturday night's lineup.

Complacency never an option for determined Kershaw

By Ken Gurnick

SYDNEY -- Clayton Kershaw can win multiple Cy Young Awards like Sandy Koufax. He can win three consecutive ERA titles like Greg Maddux, post sub-2.00 ERAs like Pedro Martinez and Dwight Gooden.

Comparisons to past greats, though, don't impress Kershaw. And he has something that can't be compared to any pitcher -- a new $215 million contract.

Whatever you do, don't compare Kershaw to any player that fell prey to the temptations of sudden wealth and suddenly weren't the same player anymore.

"The biggest insult to me is if somebody says, 'You've changed,'" said Kershaw, who takes the ball at the fabled Sydney Cricket Ground Saturday night for the Opening Series against Arizona.

"People say it half-joking, but if anybody said it about me for real it would be the biggest insult of all."

Kershaw becomes the first Dodger since Ramon Martinez to pitch four consecutive season openers. He will try to restore order after a Spring Training that had its traditional timing disrupted by this ambitious international foray.

As with everything else in his life, Kershaw walks the walk. He didn't show up at Spring Training overweight or in a chartered 787. He drives the same car, and it's not a Rolls or Bentley. He doesn't even blow off the media. He leaves the clubhouse diva role to others.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Projected Opening Day lineup

1 RF Yasiel Puig

2 2B Justin Turner

3 SS Hanley Ramirez

4 1B Adrian Gonzalez

5 LF Scott Van Slyke

6 3B Jose Uribe

7 CF Andre Ethier

8 C A.J. Ellis

9 SP Clayton Kershaw

Projected rotation

Projected Opening Day lineup

1 LHP Clayton Kershaw

2 LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu

3 RHP Zack Greinke

4 RHP Dan Haren

5 RHP Josh BeckettFull active roster | Depth chart

He's the face of the franchise and a clubhouse leader, rare for a starting pitcher. He hasn't had the best of Spring Trainings (9.20 ERA). He's reacted to each outing with the same frustration he did last year, when he also didn't have the best Spring Training and then went on to win his second Cy Young Award. If you're looking for complacency, look elsewhere.

"It's not even a thought, really," he said. "I realize baseball is a gift. So, if all I'm doing is playing to make the most money possible, I could see it leading to complacency. That's not why I play. I don't take the contract for granted. But it's not why I play the game. I play to win and you can't be complacent and win."

Rick Honeycutt has been the Dodgers' pitching coach for nine years, long enough to remember seeing Kershaw's first bullpen session with the Major League team at Dodgertown in Vero Beach. Honeycutt doesn't see any change for the worse in the lefty, only the desire and work ethic to continually improve.

"He's taken his game to a different level," said Honeycutt. "He keeps getting better in a lot of aspects. The person inside wants to keep getting better. The work ethic, the mental approach, day in and day out. He's a very rare person, on and off the field. He has his priorities in order. He wants to be the best he can be and help the team. He's a very special man."

When Kershaw received his Cy Young Award over the winter in New York, he invited Honeycutt to join him. Another guest of honor at the dinner was retiring Yankees closer Mariano Rivera.

"You get out what you put in. Clayton's all in," said Honeycutt. "At the banquet, Mariano said a lot of Yankees fans want him to come out of retirement, but he said he left everything he had on the field and he's done. Clayton is that kind of guy. Very few really back it up. It's human nature to be satisfied when you get to a point. What separates the great ones is they're never satisfied. It's what Sandy had, that inner fire. They'll never be defeated by a lack of preparation or lack of work."

Conversation's of Kershaw's ceiling inevitably return to that other special lefty. Joe Torre drew the comparison to Koufax after Kershaw's first Spring Training game and Kershaw has only validated it with each succeeding season.

Kershaw won't be throwing 27 complete games a year like Koufax did in each of his final two seasons, but Honeycutt isn't convinced he's seen the best of Kershaw, who turned 26 on Wednesday and celebrated by taking his wife to the zoo.

"I just see him continue to make adjustments in the game," he said. "For me, that's the other part, to see him making adjustments, which is what we're seeing now. Plenty of times you hear him say he didn't have his fastball and you look and he's gone seven innings and given up one run on four hits. His strength of mind is a separator. It's not just straight power. It's the use of the slider, other off-speed pitches, using both sides of the plate."

Honeycutt said Kershaw won't "change" because of "his perception on life, his willingness to help others and his desire to win. The talk of an extension didn't affect him last year. He keeps everything simple."

Catcher A.J. Ellis, perhaps Kershaw's closest teammate, is one observer with a slightly different take, referring to the Zambian orphanage that Clayton and Ellen Kershaw built as the real benefactor of the contract.

"It will absolutely change him," said Ellis. "It will change in the amount of people Clayton and his wife can impact and affect with the charitable personality he has."

Ellis takes it further, offering proof that Kershaw isn't playing for the money.

"He genuinely strives for perfection," Ellis said. "Clayton's said that until the Dodgers win every start he makes and he hoists a World Series trophy, it's not a perfect season. Obviously, those goals are extremely hard to obtain, but he'll keep pursuing that."

Inbox: Beat reporters break down Aussie series

By Steve Gilbert

G'day mates from Sydney. With Opening Day fast approaching I sat down with my colleague, Dodgers beat reporter Ken Gurnick, to answer some questions we've received from fans. We took the most asked ones and turned them into an Inbox. Some are about the Opening Series while others deal with each team.

Why do teams have 28-man rosters for the series?

MLB.com: Because the teams only need two starting pitchers for this series, it did not make sense to bring their entire rotations to Sydney. The three pitchers on each team who are not starting stayed back in Arizona and will continue to prepare for the regular season by pitching in Minor League games. They are considered part of the roster and will be paid and accrue Major League service time accordingly.

When the two teams go from 28 down to 25-man rosters for the March 30 and 31 openers, do they have to choose from the 28-man rosters, or can they bring up other players?

MLB.com: The 28-man rosters are only for the Opening Series. Teams are free after that to recall players from the Minor Leagues to reshuffle their 25-man roster for the reopening of the season.

What will the Dodgers do when they have four healthy outfielders?

Ken Gurnick: Celebrate. But they aren't holding their breath. This so-called problem is heading into its second season and hasn't been a fact yet. There is no guarantee that Matt Kemp will ever be the player he was. He thinks he will, the club hopes he will, but even once he returns it could take months or longer for him to prove that he's 100 percent healthy and that he's back to being Matt Kemp. Don't underestimate the seriousness of that left ankle injury. Then there's Carl Crawford, who can play only left field and hasn't exactly shown he's an ironman either. Yasiel Puig's batting average dropped 400 points from one Spring Training to the next. That doesn't mean he's not Puig anymore, but it's hardly a reassuring sign. Andre Ethier has become the unexpected Mr. Dependable, although his power numbers are in decline. In other words, having four healthy outfielders at the top of their game would be a very welcome situation compared to what they had last year.

Who is going to be the D-backs' starting shortstop?

Steve Gilbert: Chris Owings and Didi Gregorius will each start one of the games during the series against the Dodgers, but the shortstop battle has not been settled -- at least officially. While Owings seemed to be the favorite going into camp and hasn't done anything to play his way out of that spot, the D-backs will not make an official decision until after the series with the Dodgers. Even at that point, both could be on the roster when they reopen the season March 31 against the Giants, because outfielder Cody Ross will start the year on the disabled list.

Who is the Dodgers' fifth starter?

Gurnick: Another good problem. When the Dodgers need one, it will be either Josh Beckett or Paul Maholm, and that shouldn't be until mid-April. Beckett hasn't been able to stay healthy, which is why they signed Maholm as Spring Training opened. Both are former Opening Day starters, so whichever one gets the ball, the Dodgers should match up well to most club's fifth starters. Then there's Chad Billingsley, on schedule for a May return from Tommy John surgery, although those usually take two seasons for the player to fully return to his pre-injury form.

How will the D-backs handle the playing time in the outfield when Ross comes back?

Gilbert: Those kinds of questions are always difficult, because playing time has a way of always seeming to work itself out. Assuming Ross comes back right after the season starts, I think that D-backs manager Kirk Gibson will move him around to all three outfield spots as a way of resting each of his outfielders. Remember, Gerardo Parra seemed to wear down a bit last year so they will be careful with him this year.

When will Corey Seager reach the big leagues?

Gurnick: Unless he's the next Alex Rodriguez, not this year. Seager will be 20 next month, the age Rodriguez won a batting title, and Seager hasn't played above Class A. He also hasn't played third base, even though his body says he will. The Dodgers also just signed Cuban shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena for $25 million, so they must finally think Seager isn't necessarily keeping the position. And if they re-sign Hanley Ramirez to play third base, hard to figure just where Seager's future is.

When can we expect to see Archie Bradley in the big leagues?

Gilbert: The D-backs already have one spot open in the rotation with the injury to Patrick Corbin. It seems like the D-backs will shift Randall Delgado into Corbin's spot, but they have not said that yet. If Bronson Arroyo is not able to start the season due to his back, that would lead to another opening and it could be Bradley or Bo Schultz. Ideally, the D-backs would let Bradley get a little more experience in the Minors and then call him up in June, but we'll see which direction they go.

When will Julio Urias reach the big leagues?

Gurnick: Later than Seager. Urias is only 17. He throws so hard while so young that management is terrified he will blow out. That's why his innings are artificially held down. Hard to hold down innings and rush a prospect at the same time. With all of the long-term guaranteed money the Dodgers have committed to starting pitching -- Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu -- the club can afford to be patient with Urias and seems determined to be.

Do you expect there to be any fights during the Opening Series with the Dodgers?

Gilbert: I doubt it. You never know what could happen if a batter gets hit or someone takes a player out hard at second base, but I really don't think it will result in fisticuffs.

DAILY NEWS

MLB relaxes rules for Dodgers, Diamondbacks for Opening Day

By JP Hoornstra

Because their season begins Saturday, the Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks had shorter spring trainings than every other major-league team. MLB allowed each team some wiggle room with their Opening Day rosters for their troubles. Here are the rules:

1. 30 players can go to Sydney, but only 25 make the Opening Day roster.

That sounds straightforward, but there’s a twist. The Dodgers brought 26 players who have major-league contracts plus pitchers Zach Lee and Red Patterson, infielder Miguel Rojas and outfielder Joc Pederson. Assuming the quartet of minor leaguers begin the regular season in the minors (rosters are due Friday), they might only see action in the exhibition game Thursday against the Australian National team. Then one more player needs to go before Opening Day, likely via a minor-league option. Stay tuned.

2. Of the five not on the Opening Day roster, two can be activated during the trip.Think of this as a safety net. For example, let’s say pitcher Chris Withrow is optioned to Triple-A today. If Jose Dominguez hurts his arm on Opening Day, the Dodgers can activate Withrow before Game 2.

3. Three other players who didn’t go to Sydney are granted exemptionsBrandon League and Dan Haren are healthy, but were left behind in Arizona. Don’t worry – they’re not off the team. The Dodgers can designate three players as “exempt” from the Sydney trip, then activate the the three players when the regular season resumes March 30 in San Diego.

4. The disabled list began WednesdayMatt Kemp is making progress in his ankle rehab in minor-league spring training games. Zack Greinke is trying to build up innings after straining his calf in February. Josh Beckett has a contusion on his right thumb. Each would only have to miss a minimum of five games, since DL stints can be backdated to March 19.

5. Carl Crawford is eligible for paternity leaveHis fiancee, television personality Evelyn Lozada, is due to give birth any day now. MLB allowed the Dodgers to put Crawford on the paternity leave list, even though the baby hasn’t arrived and the first game isn’t until Saturday. Crawford would have to be activated April 1 at the latest.

Dodgers projections: Pitching matchups and probable lineups for Diamondbacks games

By JP Hoornstra

PITCHING MATCHUPSGame 1: Dodgers (Clayton Kershaw) vs. Diamondbacks (Wade Miley), 1 a.m. PST Saturday. TV: SportsNet L.A. (Time Warner Cable).Game 2: Dodgers (Hyun-Jin Ryu) vs. Diamondbacks (Trevor Cahill), 7 p.m. PST Saturday. TV: SportsNet L.A. (Time Warner Cable).PROBABLE LINEUPSDodgersYasiel Puig RFAndre Ethier CFHanley Ramirez SSAdrian Gonzalez 1BJuan Uribe 3BScott Van Slyke LFA.J. Ellis CDee Gordon 2BDiamondbacksA.J. Pollock CFAaron Hill 2BPaul Goldschmidt 1BMark Trumbo LFMartin Prado 3B

Miguel Montero CGerardo Parra RFDidi Gregorious SS

ESPNLA.COM

Dodgers-Diamondbacks feud over?

By Mark Saxon

SYDNEY -- They wouldn’t rumble Down Under, would they?

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks were chosen to be the 2014 ambassadors of Major League Baseball. They’re in Australia’s largest city preparing for their Opening Series games Saturday and Sunday. This is just the sixth time MLB has opened its season abroad and Australia is viewed as ripe territory to grow the game globally.

But there’s this nagging little worry out there, a potential embarrassment for the league: What if the teams fight?

“I think it’d be really bad for baseball if something were to spill over from last year, especially out here,” Arizona reliever J.J. Putz told reporters. “This country has welcomed everybody with open arms.”

“ It's over until something happens, you know what I mean?” -- Dodgers reliever J.P. Howell It seems like a long shot, of course, for good reason. Both managers have spoken in conciliatory terms. Both teams say the bad blood of 2013 is in the past, that their conflicting World Series aspirations are the only reason for animosity. They’ve turned the page, they say.

But teams don’t typically spill their true feelings about one another through the media and, according to sources, there is some thought among the Dodgers that the Diamondbacks might, at some point, seek retribution for the little dip the Dodgers took in their pool when they clinched the NL West last September.

“It’s over until something happens, you know what I mean?,” Dodgers reliever J.P. Howell said. “You don’t anticipate anything, but hey, there’s obviously ... I don’t know how they feel. I don’t know what’s going on in their team, but over here we’re trying to win ballgames. If something happens, we’re definitely going to defend ourselves.”

The culmination of the teams’ dislike for each other was the ugly brawl at Dodger Stadium last June 11, just hours after Major League Baseball had announced the teams would open the 2014 season in Australia. The brawl erupted amid a beanball war sparked when Ian Kennedy grazed Yasiel Puig's nose with a 92-mph fastball. The brawl resulted in suspensions for eight players. Miguel Montero and Zack Greinke also were hit by pitches in that game.

“No, it’s not over yet, not at all,” Dodgers reliever Ronald Belisario said at the time. “I don’t think anybody thinks it’s over.”

The teams never left their benches again the rest of last season, but several Diamondbacks -- and Arizona Sen. John McCain -- blasted the Dodgers for celebrating their NL West title with a dip in the Chase Field swimming pool beyond the outfield wall. The Diamondbacks' management had asked the Dodgers to confine their celebration to the visiting clubhouse.

Hostilities between the teams stretch back to a 2011 incident that included a yelling match between Clayton Kershaw and Gerardo Parra, who had admired a home run off another Dodgers pitcher. The next game, Kershaw hit Parra with a

pitch. Kershaw is the starting pitcher for the Dodgers Saturday night.

“I’m just going to play baseball. I don’t know what their sentiment is behind it,” Kershaw said. “For us, it’s just a new season. We’re just going to play the game. I don’t really know what could or would happen.”

The teams, who arrived in Australia on Tuesday, haven’t pretended they like one another. They’ve only said they’ll confine the competition to pitching, hitting and fielding. Some of the combatants from last June’s brawl, including Kennedy and Belisario, are now on other teams.

“When you play somebody 19 times in the course of the season, you get tired of seeing them. It’s pretty much as simple as that,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “Like [Kirk Gibson] said, we’re going to try to break up two. We’ve got to pitch inside, they’ve got to pitch inside. It’s just going to be baseball. Sometimes, it just gets a little heated.”

Diamondbacks management took several verbal shots at the Dodgers over the offseason. The team has emphasized toughness under Gibson and general manager Kevin Towers. Just last week, Diamondbacks pitcher Wade Miley -- who starts Saturday’s game -- plunked Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in the calf with a pitch. Colorado manager Walt Weiss said at the time he thought the pitch was intentional.

In separate interviews back in November and before spring training, Towers said he wanted his pitchers to strike more fear in opposing teams.

“I think, come spring training, it’s going to be duly noted that it’s going to be an eye for an eye and we’re going to protect one another,” Towers said.

Said Howell, “We know the difference between an accident and on purpose.”

Mattingly unveils his Opening Day lineup

By Mark Saxon

SYDNEY -- So, this is where it begins.

It might be happening 7,500 miles from Los Angeles and televised at 1 a.m. on the West Coast. It might be taking place in a cricket stadium in front of fans who are a little hazy on the rules of the game. But it’s still Opening Day, and the Dodgers were beginning to get the familiar butterflies in anticipation of their Saturday opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The teams have been in Sydney since Tuesday.

“I don’t think it has anything to do with where it’s at. You just know that it counts, it’s part of what we’re starting up,” manager Don Mattingly said at his team’s final workout before Opening Day. “I think guys will have the same feeling [Saturday] as they would have anywhere else.”

The Arizona Diamondbacks have one more exhibition game left, against Team Australia, before the teams meet in baseball’s Opening Series Sydney this weekend.

Mattingly announced his Opening Day lineup, which includes Yasiel Puig at leadoff and Justin Turner at second base.

The Dodgers are facing left-hander Wade Miley on Saturday. Dee Gordon likely will start Sunday’s game at second against right-hander Trevor Cahill.

Here is the rest of the Dodgers’ Opening Day lineup:

Yasiel Puig, RF Justin Turner, 2B Hanley Ramirez, SS Adrian Gonzalez, 1B Scott Van Slyke, LF Juan Uribe, 3B Andre Ethier, CF A.J. Ellis, C Clayton Kershaw, LHPPuig gets jolt of confidence as spring wanesBy Mark SaxonSYDNEY – Don Mattingly has taken to calling this a “year of transition” for Yasiel Puig, which, at first blush, hints at trouble. Puig batted .517 in spring training last year and an electrifying .319 in the regular season. Who would want to transition from those numbers?

A .122 batting average without a home run this spring, though, didn’t exactly suggest Puig was having a smooth time of things.

But Mattingly was referring to the evolution of how to pitch Puig and whether Puig can, over the long run, adjust in step with the scouting reports.

“We’ll see how he handles it, in terms of teams making adjustments to him and seeing if he can come back,” Mattingly said. “He showed last year that he could, but it’s going to continue, so we’ll see.”

Puig showed some of his old flash when the lights came on in Australia. He belted a two-run home run and threw out a runner at the plate Thursday in the Dodgers’ 4-2 win over Team Australia in an exhibition game, the first baseball played at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 100 years.

Puig admitted he was feeling “a little bad” this spring, though coaches encouraged him not to worry about his numbers. He also acknowledged that hitting that home run, off red-bearded Australia pitcher Matthew Williams, felt good, “because I haven’t hit one in a while.”

Team Australia manager Jon Deeble was a bit upset at Williams for giving Puig a pitch to hit with Chone Figgins and Mike Baxter coming up behind him. For the Dodgers, it was probably the best thing that could have happened, because the last thing they wanted was for Puig to go into the regular season with a crisis of confidence because of his dismal spring.

The next time the Dodgers play, here Saturday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks, it will impact the NL West standings. The Dodgers needed Puig to make a move, and, for the first time all spring, he kind of did.

“We know Yasiel can hit, and there have been a few games lately where I felt he was swinging the bat OK,” Mattingly said.

Step by step, the Dodgers are working on getting back the 2013 version of their star outfielder.

Despite perception, Dodgers enjoying trip

By Mark Saxon

SYDNEY -- Clayton Kershaw's wife, Ellen, surprised him on his 26th birthday. She arranged to have a handler deliver a kangaroo to a park near the Dodgers' team hotel. Kershaw got to hold and pet the baby marsupial.

That counts as enjoying Australia, doesn’t it?

“That was something I’ll probably never get to do again -- pretty cool,” Kershaw said.

The Dodgers continue to be cast as the bad guys here, in part because of a perceived lack of interest in visiting Australia and in part because of their massively well-paid players. They’d like to clear one thing up, however: They’re just as happy to be here -- now that they are here -- as the Diamondbacks are.

“I’ve enjoyed getting to know the city,” said Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who brought his parents along.

Catcher A.J. Ellis is on his second tour of Sydney. He was here in November as part of an advance party. Here’s what he said he has taken from the trip: “Just the beauty of Sydney, the hospitality of the people, their love of sport and their excitement for this event.”

It’s not entirely surprising that the Dodgers have had to wear the black hat here. They were painted in a similar way in the playoffs when they faced the St. Louis Cardinals, who were viewed as scrappy overachievers.

“We talked about it last year,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “It’s something you knew coming in. When you get a lot of big names and you get a big payroll, you end up being the bad guy, no matter what.”

USA TODAY

Clayton Kershaw's approach is gold for Dodgers

By Gabe Lacques

PHOENIX - On the list of baseball's highest-paid players of all time, it's impossible for Clayton Kershaw to hide.

The seven-year, $215 million contract he signed in January puts him in a slugger's penthouse, perched below former MVPs Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols and Joey Votto, and just above the $214 million guaranteed Prince Fielder, a five-time All-Star who, like clockwork, will play 162 games and knock in 100 runs.

Kershaw will never do that. As the only pitcher on baseball's list of 10 biggest deals ever, his job is to climb the mound every five days for the Los Angeles Dodgers, a task for which he'll be paid nearly $1 million per start.

But being among the game's highest-paid players — even as one of seven Dodgers who will make at least $15 million in 2014 — doesn't always equate to leadership. Often, the separate lives of pitchers and position players make it difficult for a pitcher to emerge as a team's voice.

Kershaw, current and former Dodgers say, challenges that paradigm: His equity earned across the clubhouse stands out from most starting pitchers.

"If he has something to say, or questions you about how guys are doing stuff, you're probably going to listen," says Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier. "Because he's been able to walk the walk the whole time. There's pitchers who are natural leaders in a clubhouse. But that's not given to anyone. You've really got to earn that.

"Everyone listens when he has something to say."

Certainly, Kershaw is not the first starting pitcher with gravitas. Oakland Athletics infielder Nick Punto compares his former teammate with Chris Carpenter, the former St. Louis Cardinals ace whose intensity helped set a tone for two World Series-winning teams, along with Carpenter's successor, Adam Wainwright.

DODGERS: Inside spring camp

But Kershaw's combination of youth, dominance and an understated but assertive presence is rare.

Wednesday, Kershaw celebrated his 26th birthday in Australia, where the Dodgers are playing two season-opening games against the Arizona Diamondbacks. As most of the USA sleeps early Saturday morning, Kershaw will start the Dodgers' opener (4 a.m. ET, MLB Network) as he builds upon a resume that already includes two Cy Young Awards (and a runner-up finish) and three consecutive years leading the National League in ERA.

Kershaw signed his contract at 25, the same age Rodriguez became baseball's highest-paid player when he landed his landmark 10-year, $252 million deal with the Texas Rangers in 2000.

Rodriguez — asked to not only produce but also, in essence, create a new Rangers brand — was in hindsight a poor fit for the task; his relationship with owner Tom Hicks also didn't boost his standing as a clubhouse man of the people.Kershaw figures to have no such issues.

"It takes a certain presence for someone to hold that role," says Milwaukee Brewers general manager Doug Melvin, the GM in Texas when Rodriguez signed his deal. "Sometimes, it takes years. Kershaw is so highly respected in the game, in the industry. I've heard nothing but the highest evaluations of Clayton Kershaw.

"He is such a talent physically, and it's not just how you perform — it's how you carry yourself, how you compete."

Kershaw can't ignore his newfound riches. Yet he also sounds convincing when he says he'll be able to compartmentalize his wealth, knowing it suddenly won't give his fastball any greater zip, nor make his devastating curveball — which elicits comparisons to Dodgers legend and Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax — dance any more than it already does.

"I've been given a tremendous blessing to throw a baseball," he told USA TODAY Sports. "I know that. I didn't do much to deserve it. You just try to work at it as best you can, and have a ton of fun doing it."

Indeed, it is both the "work" and the "fun" portion that burnish his stature among teammates.'Seen him grow up'

Kershaw plays in an era where performance centers and personal trainers ensure almost every player is in peak condition year-round. Yet his fervor for the weight room — and his outsize presence on days he pitches — seems to set him apart.

"I've played with a lot of hard workers, but it's the intensity that he goes about it — that's hard to maintain that throughout the season," says catcher A.J. Ellis. "I'm sure every team has a guy like that. For our team, it also happens to be our best player."

A well-paid star in his prime performance years is a combination hard to come by within baseball's salary structure, which grants players free agency after six seasons. Pujols was 32 when he started a 10-year, $240 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels in 2012 — the same year teammate Mike Trout began his rise to baseball's consensus best player.

Kershaw won't make the highlight reels on a nightly basis by climbing walls or hitting prodigious home runs. Still, he's hard to ignore, if you look closely.

San Diego Padres manager Bud Black noticed this a few years ago, as he'd peer across the field into the Dodger dugout and notice a lanky, shaggy-haired character.

"He's a guy who's on the top step, a guy who's obviously pulling hard for his teammates," says Black, the Padres manager since 2007, one year before Kershaw debuted. "It wouldn't surprise me that his reputation among Dodger teammates is getting out. Tremendous character guy.

"We've seen him grow before our eyes, from the other dugout."

Kershaw insists he wouldn't have it any other way. He's often at the center of the Dodgers' legendary clubhouse ping-pong games, and finds he can't stay away even if the starting pitcher lifestyle dictates he spend a game night down the tunnel from the dugout.

"It is important to me," he says. "I want to be a great teammate. You pitch once every five days, it's probably pretty easy to check out. For me, we kind of have a responsibility to be the team's energy on the bench that day. It's not easy for those guys to play every day.

"You gotta do what you can — be it before the game, making sure people are having a good time, having fun. I don't do that because I have to; I do that because I enjoy it."

LASORDA: A Dodger 'until I die'

Kershaw seems every bit the laid-back and affable Texan his Dallas upbringing suggests. Left fielder Carl Crawford notes that Kershaw's "not an intimidating guy — you hear stories of Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson — that's not the case with him. He gets along with everybody. And he's easy to approach."

That doesn't mean the wheels aren't turning behind the exterior. Reliever J.P. Howell notes Kershaw is "always on the prowl, his eyes are everywhere. He can pick up on tendencies of other people and judge character really well."

Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt puts it more simply.

"Kersh," he says, "is an absorber of information."'Do the right things'

Several teammates close to Kershaw say he watches his finances closely, and he insists his enhanced wealth won't change his mentality toward material goods.

Yet, what of this near quarter-billion dollar windfall?

"I think there comes a lot of expectations with a contract like that — good and bad," says Kershaw. "On the field you're expected to perform. Off the field, I think we have a tremendous responsibility to steward the money the right way and do the right things with it."

He and wife Ellen already work toward that end. Kershaw has made multiple trips to Zambia, where Ellen's encounter with an HIV-positive orphan inspired them to pour funds from his foundation into providing clean drinking water, homes and a school in partnership with Arise Africa. Stateside, he has aided in funding a continuation school in south Los Angeles, and has designs on constructing an inner-city baseball field in Dallas, among other projects.

OUTREACH IN AFRICA: Kershaws help out overseas, at home

Kershaw is certainly not the first athlete to helm a charitable foundation. His engagement with it, however, seems to lend a greater air of legitimacy, one that resonates in his workplace.

"To be a leader, you have to approach your life on a consistent basis," says Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti, who spent 10 months hammering out Kershaw's extension. "If you're going to call somebody out, or help somebody adjust to

something, or keep somebody on a straight path, you have to live that way yourself. When you have that type of human resume, people generally listen."

It also doesn't hurt that on a team of stars, in a city that embraces them, Kershaw has youth, health and performance going for him. In 2013, the Dodgers fell two games shy of their first World Series appearance since 1988, and Kershaw says L.A. "would kind of go crazy if we won the World Series again."

He won't allow much beyond that, other than to note he will not take for granted any of his opportunities. That means making every moment count, even when the ball is not in his hand.

"When he does let his voice be heard," says Ellis, "it sets a tone for all of us. And sets a level for us to reach."

SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

Field of dreams: Diamondbacks, Dodgers to fill more than 80,000 seats

By Malcolm Knox

The welcome mat is an immaculate diamond of orange dirt. The new Bradman-Noble Stand is more finished than it was for the Ashes. The centre wicket square is harder and faster than the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks are used to, making the outfielders wary, but they should consider themselves lucky that this is not the old SCG: it will not take turn.

There has been a genuine warmth in Sydney's embrace of the Major League Baseball visit and a curiosity that will have filled more than 80,000 seats by Sunday. The organisers have been quick to remind the public of what this weekend's two games are not. They are not an exhibition - they are the real thing, albeit the first two steps in a 162-game regular season.

MLB has taken its opening day to the world before, to Mexico and Japan. Australia is being rewarded for its strong history of baseball participation - there have been 30 participants in the top American competition since Craig Shipley made his debut for the Dodgers in 1986. Australia has the second-most Little League teams in the world behind the US. The NSW government offered an undisclosed incentive to MLB to stage a baseball festival that it forecast would generate more than $12 million for the state's economy.

Shipley, now an assistant manager at the Diamondbacks, said: ''For the baseball community, and the community in general, MLB going to play an opening series outside of the country is a big deal. This one will be very special.''Advertisement

At least nobody asked Shipley, on arrival, what he thinks of Australia. Nor was it a question for Ryan Rowland-Smith, an Arizona pitcher who comes from Newcastle.

''To play in front of a sell-out crowd in Sydney [is something] I never would have imagined,'' Rowland-Smith said.The Dodgers are one of the glamour teams of MLB, though the last of their six World Series wins was in 1988. The Diamondbacks are one of the league's newest franchises, having been founded in 1998, but they won a World Series in their only appearance in 2001.

Dodgers' catcher Tim Federowicz said he would be happy if he could just see a koala or a kangaroo on his visit. His wish came true for the Dodgers' superstar pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who was able to cuddle a joey this week.

''There's been a lot of enthusiasm around the city - you can tell,'' Kershaw said. ''There are plenty of banners all over the place. ''You can feel that it's a big deal for the people here.''

Opening day of the season is traditionally played with festive trimmings but there is to be no light-heartedness on the diamond.

The Dodgers and Diamondbacks have a recent history of another baseball tradition, the on-field all-in brawl.

The occasion has been deemed serious enough for it to be overseen by the league's commissioner, Bud Selig, who told a lunch in Sydney on Thursday: ''It is our hope that the opening series will allow you a better glimpse into the American sporting soul.''

AJ Ellis: A Day in the life of a Dodger

By Michael Chammas

They might be on massive coin, but Major League Baseballers play 162 games in the regular season and are away from home for half of that. Michael Chammas spent the day with Dodgers catcher AJ Ellis before the game against Team Australia at the SCG to find out just how demanding a day in the life of a baseballer really is.

8.30am: Wake up and shower in team hotel at The Darling at The Star. Ellis spends every morning with his legs in a NormaTec machine that provides compression to limbs compromised by poor circulation. "[It] helps me get freshened up," Ellis says.

9.30am: Ellis leaves the team hotel with wife Cindy and has breakfast at Darling Harbour. His game-day breakfast consists of eggs on sourdough bread and a long black with milk. "When I'm at home I try to do my best to make the mornings about my family. I have three kids, who are five, three and 16 months. The nice thing about being in Los Angeles is that I have a 30-minute drive from my house to the stadium. In that 30 minutes I turn the switch from being a dad and a husband to being a baseballer. But when I'm home I really try and focus on them. I try to make up time that I miss being a dad because of what I do. I just need to know that when I'm with them in the mornings and in the off-season in the winter time, they're my focus and my priority. I'm blessed to have an amazing wife and an amazing mother to my children. She runs the show and lets me chase this dream around."

10.30am: Ellis meets three of his teammates and their partners before catching a water taxi out to Manly beach. "We had a great time out there hanging by the water. We chilled out there for about an hour and a half. It was beautiful."Advertisement

12pm: Water taxi back to The Darling to prepare for the game against Australia at the SCG.

1.45pm: Leaves hotel with superstar pitcher Clayton Kershaw in a taxi to the SCG. Most of his teammates stayed behind to catch a 2.30pm bus to the SCG. "I tend to come early, so I take a cab to a lot of games on the road," he said. "I have a lot of extra things on my plate being the catcher. The pitchers are my priority, so I tend to spend more time with the pitchers helping with the game plan. That pitcher-catcher relationship for me is the most important thing I can do for the team to help them win the game."

2.15pm: Before each game Ellis will review the scouting report. The report is a compilation of stats and video on each of the opposition's batters. The catcher is responsible for making the call for the ball the pitcher will throw to each batter. Some pitchers take no interest in the scouting report and rely solely on the catcher. "We look at the opposing hitter, what pitches they hit better than others and how that matches up with our pitchers we're playing in that night's game," Ellis said. "I try to come up with a plan of attack to be prepared for every situation that arises. I do that for about 45 minutes."

3.15pm: Begin warm-up. Ellis spends time on the bike and throwing a medicine ball to prepare for his session in the batting cages. He also rubs a special cream on his knees to keep them warm given they are an important part of his job.

This is usually the time when media is allowed access, however there have been far stricter rules for the tour Down Under.

3.40pm: Under the new SCG grandstand, batting cages were built for the two teams to practise in. Ellis spends 20 minutes undertaking a number of different exercises to help get his eye in, including a one-handed hit.

4.10pm: Ellis takes me inside the clubhouse for an exclusive look at the Dodgers' locker rooms. Some players are sitting around playing cards, others watching San Antonio against the LA Lakers on ESPN. Ellis changed into his Dodgers uniform, before grabbing a sandwich on his way out on to the field for practice. "I try to make things as light and relaxed as possible before I go out," he said. "This game is serious enough as it is. I want to go out in a good mood, stress-free and know that I'm prepared physically and mentally. I just try and go out there and do what I did as a 12-year-old in the backyard, just go out there and have as much fun as I can. There's too much stress and angst in this game, that if I put anything on myself that will just multiply the problems."

4.30pm: Ellis joins his team-mates for batting practice out on the SCG just before the gates are opened to the fans.

5.30pm: When batting practice finishes, Ellis showers before the game. "I just relax, try to stretch out and have a protein bar or something that satisfies me. My knees are the area I'm most concerned about. There's a lot of squatting as a catcher. I had knee surgery a couple of years ago for a bit of a clean-up. I'll be 33 this season, so I have to keep my fitness as much as I can so that I'm still playing come October. It's a six- or seven-month grind trying to be as fit then as you are now starting the season."

6.20pm: Ellis takes the field again for his individual pre-game preparation, which includes some sprints, drills and throwing practice. "I make sure I wear wristbands so I don't sweat. I also wear a batter's glove underneath my catcher's mitt to help with some of the force of the balls I'm receiving."

6.40pm: Ellis warms up the starting pitcher before going into the bullpen for the pitcher to make his warm-up tosses. "I don't have any superstitions," he said. "The only superstition I have is to make sure I tick off everything on my list. I don't really have a set time or order, but I have to make sure I do everything, but it's not like I'm shaking if I don't do things the right way."

7.08pm: First pitch of the game. Los Angeles lead off, giving Ellis another 15 minutes before he is called upon for his catching duties.

7.32pm: Ellis steps up to the plate. Hits to the in-field and is thrown out at first base.

10pm: Game ends. Dodgers win 4-2 thanks to a Yasiel Puig home run.

10.10pm: Recovery begins. Ellis hops into an ice bath for 15 to 20 minutes. While he doesn't need a massage, the players often seek a rub-down. Dinner follows. "Last night we had some spaghetti and barbecue ribs, which was outstanding," Ellis said. I need a balanced meal that helps me replenish. I drink a lot of water, maybe the occasional pint, or six, or 12."

11.10pm: Team bus departs for The Darling hotel.

11.45pm: Ellis goes straight to bed. "Some nights we got out and have a drink," Ellis said. "Other nights we'd hang out with some guys, but last night I just went back to the hotel room and fell asleep."

Fear the beard: LA Dodgers relief pitcher Brian Wilson a closet cricket fan

By Ben Horne

Explaining cricket to Americans is like trying to complete a Rubik's Cube blindfolded.

But the biggest cult figure in Major League Baseball, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Brian Wilson, just gets it.

In January, while teammates were complaining about their looming 15-hour trip to Sydney, zany Wilson and his world famous beard were already here.

On vacation. At the SCG. For the Ashes.

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"I drove by the stadium, I knew cricket was huge over here so thought I'd check the schedule," said Wilson.

"I found out they were playing the Ashes.

"I just went out on my own. Showed up asked if I could come in and watch. We (Australia) haven't fared against England too well in the past but we seem to have walloped them this time."

Wilson is able to rattle off terminology like overs, bowlers, batsmen and centuries like he grew up with Bradman and not Babe - plus he's calling Australia "we".

And as the benchmark for facial-haired athletes and clutch, championship-winning pitchers, Wilson would have appreciated Mitchell Johnson's feats more than most.

His knowledge of cricket is just one reason why Dodgers manager Don Mattingly says about Wilson: "Don't judge the book by the cover."

If you only watch one innings of Saturday night's MLB season-opener between the Dodgers and Arizona, make sure it's the eighth.

That's when Wilson comes to the mound.

That's when you need to "fear the beard".

In 2010, that was the only phrase being chanted in San Francisco, as closing pitcher Wilson led the Giants to an emphatic World Series victory, finishing every playoff win with his signature cross-armed salute.

Virgin American Airlines even bearded one of their planes.

He once described himself in an interview as a "certified ninja", but beneath the whiskers, the mangy mohawk and the masses of arm tattoos is an athlete who is anything but a gimmick and much more than a larger-than-life character.

In 2012, Wilson was cut by San Francisco after having the second elbow reconstruction of his career.

Without the assistance of a club, the fittest pitcher in baseball rehabilitated himself and was picked up by the Giants' National League West rivals in LA as a free agent midway through last season.

"I didn't want somebody training me with negative energy. I'm into it. I know what I want to do," he said.

"When I'm on the mound, if I can say the most difficult thing I've done all day was my work-out, than pitching will be a lot easier.

"I don't have time to think about negativity."

TRUEBLUELA.COM

Diamondbacks offseason review: Q&A with AZ Snake Pit's Blake Stokes

By David Lauterbach

Arizona was Los Angeles' biggest division threat last year until September. The Diamondbacks finished the season in second place by the Dodgers with an 81-81 record. I caught up with Blake Stokes of AZ Snake Pit recently to recap Arizona's offseason and to take a look at the upcoming season.

DAVID: What was the biggest offseason move the Diamondbacks made?

BLAKE: This offseason for the Dbacks wasn’t really marked by big moves. Instead, Kevin towers and the rest of the front office mostly focused on smaller moves that didn’t make a huge splash, but did have fairly significant effects on the team. There was one big move, however, that immediately springs to mind. In December, we traded Adam Eaton and Tyler Skaggs to the White Sox and Angels respectively for Mark Trumbo and two minor leaguers. This marked a departure of sorts for the team, since Skaggs was supposed to be one of our better pitchers going forward, and Eaton was supposed to be our leadoff hitter for years to come. Trumbo himself also is a departure for the team, because power hitters, and the strike outs that come with, are something they’ve stayed away from for the most part. That has to be the biggest move we by far.

DL: What was the biggest offseason move the Diamondbacks DID NOT made?

BS: For me, that would be not signing Shin Soo Choo. Granted, you can make a strong case it was not signing Tanaka, but for me it’s Choo. When we traded away Eaton, we traded away something this team hasn’t had for a long time: a true leadoff hitter. Choo would have replaced him, plus added some power to the lead-off spot that would have been nice.

DL: What was the worst offseason move the Diamondbacks made?

BS: This is an interesting question, and has been the subject of much debate, really for a few seasons now. I say that it’s the Skaggs/Eaton for Trumbo trade. Personally, I think we gave up on two well-regarded young prospects (#1 and #3 in our system according to John Sickles) much too soon, and got an older, more expensive player, who is marginally better at best. That’s not how you build great baseball teams, in my opinion. Our GM, Kevin Towers, seems to disagree.

DL: Where does the team stand now as a whole? Are there a lot of weaknesses that will be fixed in spring training?

BS: Right now, we have a fairly competitive team. All of our main pieces are locked in for several years to come, and I think this is the team that Kevin Towers and the rest of the front office plans to run out for a while to come. And despite the issues I have with how the team was built, there aren’t any glaring weaknesses to me. We have a strong core in our bullpen. We have a lineup that I don’t think most teams would complain about running out on a day-to-day basis, and despite our top two pitching prospects getting traded away in the last two seasons, we still have a lot of depth there.

DL: What is Arizona's biggest strength heading into the season?

BS: Our pitching depth. Right now, we have at least 8 pitchers who we could slot in on pretty much any given day, and that’s what wins pennants.

DL: How badly did the Diamondbacks need Masahiro Tanaka or Matt Garza?

BS: I don’t think we needed Garza at all, to be honest. I see him, and I see a number two at best, and he ended up getting a contract much bigger than that kind of pitcher normally gets. Tanaka was a different story, though. Yes, there

was a lot of concern Tanaka only being a number three or so in MLB, but it was a risk I would have been willing to take for the upside he has, especially since early on, ownership made it clear they were willing to spend money this offseason. Did we need him, though? Not necessarily. I still think we have a very solid rotation without him.

DL: Who is a rookie to look out for this year?

BS: Archie Bradley. Before we signed Bronson Arroyo, he was going into Spring Training competing for a spot in the rotation, and still may be, depending on how spring goes. He’s got great stuff, and is highly anticipated by the team and the fans. Look for him to make a splash when he debuts, whether that is to start the season, or later on as a replacement.

DL: Who is your pre-season MVP for the Diamondbacks?

BS: Easiest question yet. Paul Goldschmidt, and if it’s not, I’ll be shocked. In fact, he might even be the NL MVP, but that might be getting a bit ahead of myself.

DL: What does Arizona need to do to make the playoffs?

BS: We need our players to live up to their potential, at least to some extent. Last year we were really hurt by Miguel Montero forgetting how to hit his way out of a wet paper bag, Martin Prado getting off to an incredibly slow start, and a couple of others just not doing as well as they normally do. Also, less blown saves and extra inning games. Those really hurt us, too.

DL: Where do you see the Diamondbacks finishing at the end of the regular season? Record, place in division, place in playoffs, etc.

BS: I’m really tempted just to say 2nd place in the division and exactly .500 since that’s where we’ve finished the past two seasons now, but I’m not going to. I don’t think it’s going to come as a shock to anyone when I say that for me, the Dodgers are the team to beat in the division, and I don’t really see any team in the division taking first place from them when it’s all said and done. I’m going to say the Dbacks finish in second, with 85-88 wins, and are just on the outside looking in for a wild card spot. Good news is, the team will get to work on their golf games in October.

Dodgers opening day lineup: Justin Turner at second base, Andre Ethier starts 8th straight

By Eric Stephen

The Dodgers on Thursday announced their starting lineup for their regular season opener against the Diamondbacks on Saturday, most notably with Justin Turner at second base and Andre Ethier continuing to climb the ladder in Dodgers history.

With the left-handed Wade Miley pitching for Arizona, manager Don Mattingly will opt for the right-handed Turner at second base over the left-handed Dee Gordon, who started Thursday's exhibition game and batted leadoff.

Using matchups — even though Turner in his career has a reverse platoon split, .247/.314/.330 against southpaws and .268/.328/.380 against righties — isn't much of a surprise, as Mattingly stated several times in camp in Arizona that he was comfortable using a combination of players at second base if needed, rather than a single, everyday starter.

"When it's all said and done, with our combination of guys, we're going to be in pretty good shape when we leave here," Mattingly said of second base in Arizona.

Dodgers with consecutive opening day starts

Player Consecutive seasons Years

Duke Snider 14 1949-62

Gil Hodges 13 1948-60

Pee Wee Rese 11 1946-56

Carl Furillo 11 1948-58

Jackie Robinson 10 1947-56

Roy Campanella 9 1949-57

John Roseboro 9 1959-67

Ron Cey 9 1974-82

Mike Scioscia 9 1984-92

Zach Wheat 8 1919-26

Ron Fairly 8 1962-69

Steve Garvey 8 1975-82

Dusty Baker 8 1976-83

Andre Ethier 8 2007-14

The start of Turner also hints at Alex Guerrero getting optioned to minor league camp when the Dodgers submit their 28-man Opening Day rosters on Friday night at 7 p.m. PT, six hours before game time. The Dodgers want Guerrero to get consistent at-bats to regain his timing after roughly a year away from playing competitively, and that's far more likely to come in the minor leagues than in the majors. If Guerrero doesn't get a start against a left-handed pitcher, it's hard to imagine much playing time for him at all right now in the majors.

For Ethier, he gets the nod in center field, batting seventh for just the third time since the start of the 2010 season. But it's also his eighth consecutive Opening Day start, putting him in select company in Dodgers history.

Ethier, who started in left field in 2008 and in left field but has otherwise made all his previous Opening Day starts in right field, has the longest streak of opening game starts by a Dodger since catcher Mike Scioscia started nine straight Opening Days from 1984-92. Ethier joins Ron Fairly (1962-69), Steve Garvey (1975-82), Dusty Baker (1976-83) and Hall of Famer Zack Wheat (1919-26) as Dodgers to start eight straight openers. The most consecutive Opening Day starts by a Dodger is 14, by Duke Snider (1949-62).

Another Opening Day streak belongs to Clayton Kershaw, starting on the mound for his fourth straight season, the first since Ramon Martinez (1995-98) to do that. In fact, Kershaw is just the fifth Dodger to start at least four consecutive Opening Days - at least dating back to 1914 - joining Don Drysdale (1958-61), Don Sutton (1972-78), Fernando Valenzuela (1983-86) and Martinez.

The Diamondbacks haven't yet announced their starting lineup, but here is the Dodgers' scheduled starting nine for Saturday's opener:Yasiel Puig RFJustin Turner 2BHanley Ramirez SSAdrian Gonzalez 1B (L)Scott Van Slyke LFJuan Uribe 3BAndre Ethier CF (L)A.J. Ellis CClayton Kershaw P (L)

DODGER INSIDER

A little flair Down Under

By Josh Tucker

At the Sydney Cricket Grounds, the beauty is in the details. The bunting along the porches at the century old Members Pavilion. The rich red clay imported from California. It has been done right, and it’s the subtleties of Sydney that truly stick out.

One of my favorite details is the addition of customized Australia stickers at the base of the bats. It may have gone unnoticed, but walking by Joc Pederson in the batting cage, the Dodgers prospect pointed it out. It’s safe to say, he’s enjoying all facets of his first Major League road trip.

Clubhouse Manager Mitch Poole designed the decals to commemorate the trip Down Under. The stickers use the clubs secondary logo with the iconic red numbers and were made by a company based out of Florida called Pro Helmet Decals.

In case you missed it: Crawford re-takes the field

By Jon Weisman

Hey, there’s a blast from the recent past: former Dodger executive Kim Ng, next to Don Mattingly and director of team travel Scott Akasaki.

Carl Crawford was back in action in Arizona today, while Matt Kemp played a full game, reports Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. Still no new baby for Crawford, yet.

Tommy Lasorda spent some time talking to — and being overheard by — Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The Dodgers have the best 17-year-old player in baseball in Julio Urias and the best 23-year-old in Yasiel Puig,

according to Baseball America. Raul A. Mondesi of the Kansas City farm system, by the way, is the best 18-year-old.

Peter O’Malley is the premier sponsor of “Dodgers: Brotherhood of the Game,” a special exhibition at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. Running from March 29 through September 14, the exhibition “will explore the team’s storied past through four players and a Hall of Fame manager, each of whom made history in his own right: Jackie Robinson, Fernando Valenzuela, Chan Ho Park, Hideo Nomo, and Tommy Lasorda.”

Mike Scioscia’s son was traded for Wayne Gretzky’s son, according to Bill Shaikin of the Times. In baseball — not in real life.

In Australia, Hyun-Jin Ryu met up with his change-up mentor, 44-year-old Dae-Sung Koo, writes Dylan Hernandez of the Times.

Ogden manager Jack McDowell talked REM and other stuff in this interview with Dave Jordan for Instream Sports.

If the Dodgers were an Australian football team, they might be the Collingwood Magpies, according to Michael Chammas of the Sydney Morning Herald. That’s right — he actually said the Collingwood Magpies.