Category: Dailies

Torre, Colletti Return

Dodgers manager Joe Torre and general manager Ned Colletti returned to Camelback Ranch-Glendale at 12:25 p.m. local time after attending a meeting in Los Angeles Wednesday morning, at which a deal was struck between the team and free-agent outfielder Manny Ramirez. The deal won’t be completed until Ramirez passes a physical exam, which is ongoing in Los Angeles. — Ken Gurnick

Hudson Scratched

Dodgers new second baseman Orlando Hudson was scratched from the starting lineup one hour before Wednesday’s exhibition game against the Giants. Hudson said he had to leave early to attend to personal business, that there was nothing wrong with him physically and he expected to play Thursday. He’s coming off a serious injury to his left wrist, which required two operations and cut short his 2008 season, but it hasn’t seemed to bother him since he arrived after signing 11 days ago. He was replaced in the lineup by Chin-lung Hu. — Ken Gurnick

Today’s Dodgers Lineup

Furcal               SS

Hudson 2B

Ethier                DH

Loney               1B

Jones                LF

DeWitt              3B

Pierre                CF

Ausmus            C

Repko               RF

 

Kershaw            LHP

Manny Deal Apparently Done

The Dodgers and Manny Ramirez finally reached a tentative contract agreement Wednesday during a meeting in Los Angeles that included manager Joe Torre and general manager Ned Colletti. The deal is pending a physical exam that will take place Wednsday. The two officials, who flew to California Tuesday night, were en route back and expected to be at Camelback Ranch-Glendale in time for Wednesday’s game with the Giants.  Ramirez also flew in for the final meeting to accept the offer the Dodgers made last week — two years, $45 million, deferred for five years, with an opt-out clause for the player after one season. — Ken Gurnick

Broadcaster Tryout

Ben Wagner, the voice of the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, is doing play-by-play of Tuesday’s Dodgers game as the first of six broadcasters trying out for the club’s vacant spot in the booth. Wagner is teaming with Steve Lyons in the webcast, available on MLB.com. Wagner will also do Wednesday’s game.

— Ken Gurnick

Weidemaier Back to Advancing

Mark Weidemaier, special assistant to Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti, has resumed duties as the club’s advance scout after the departure of Dan Freed. Weidemaier had been the club’s advance scout for six years, then did special assignments for Colletti for two years. — Ken Gurnick

Martin Homers

Dodgers catcher Russell Martin, who said he would try this year not to be as homer-happy as he was last year, homered off Matt Cain in his first Spring at-bat in Thursday’s game against the Giants. — Ken Gurnick

Ethier, Blake Ailing; Mientkiewicz Signed

Manager Joe Torre said outfielder Andre Ethier and third baseman Casey Blake came out of Wednesday’s first game with slight injuries. Ethier was struck by a batted ball on the foot while taking fly balls before the game, played in the game, but felt discomfort afterward. Blake played in the game but felt his groin tighten doing outfield sprints after he was removed. Both figure to miss a few games. Jason Schmidt is on schedule to pitch in Friday’s “B” game. Yhency Brazoban, shut down after a cortisone shot in his shoulder, said he plans to resume tossing Friday.

Torre said the Dodgers signed free agent utilityman Doug Mientkiewicz to a Minor League contract and will bring him to Major League camp. Mientkiewicz, a left-handed hitter, batted .277 with Pittsburgh in 2008. He would be a longshot to make the club with Blake DeWitt, Mark Loretta, Juan Castro and Tony Abreu also in camp and capable of the same roles as Mientkiewicz. — Ken Gurnick