Manny’s First Game Thursday

Manny Ramirez’s first exhibition game since re-signing with the Dodgers this week will be Thursday against an Asian qualifier (probably Korea) for the World Baseball Classic, manager Joe Torre said Friday. The game will be played at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. — Ken Gurnick

Dodgers Make First Cuts

Players reassigned to Minor League camp, all pitchers, were former first-round pick Greg Miller, Justin Orenduff, Jacobo Meque, Ronald Belisario and former Major Leaguer Yhency Brazoban. — Ken Gurnick

Today’s Dodgers Lineup

Furcal               SS

Hudson             2B

Ethier                RF

Kemp                CF

Loretta              3B

Mientkiewicz     1B

Pierre                LF

Young               DH

Ellis                  C

 

Kuroda              RHP

Hudson Scratched With Sore Wrist

Manager Joe Torre clarified the reason second baseman Orlando Hudson was scratched from Wednesday’s game, saying his surgically repaired left wrist was “a little sore.” Torre said Hudson’s wrist responded to treatment and he asked to play anyway, but the club wanted to be conservative and gave him the game off. — Ken Gurnick

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