NEWS/RUMORS/DISCUSSION Thread

:eating:
Pablo Sandoval shows up camp, says he never checked weight
by Thomas Duffy | Bleacher Report — 4 hours ago

Pablo Sandoval has never been tiny.

On Sunday, though, the Boston Red Sox slugger showed up to camp looking "maybe even bigger” than he did last spring, according to Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe:
"He was in a great mood. He said he has nothing to prove. He said he has no idea what he weighs. In a contradiction of what we’ve been told by Torey Lovullo, John Farrell, and Dave Dombrowski, Pablo said that nobody in Sox management asked him to lose weight during the offseason."

Here’s what the Kung Fu Panda told ESPN.com’s Rick Weber about his offseason regimen:
"I started working out to prepare myself to be an athlete in the field. So that's what I do. I don't try to lose weight. I don't try to do nothing. I just try to put in my work, feel better, the things that I can do in the field to be better...so that's what I do."

With Boston looking to rebound from a last-place finish in the American League East a season ago, the team can only hope things work out with its third baseman.

 

agreed, we should see if we could get that byrnes guy

Tyson Ross named opening day starter against Dodgers
by Eric Stephen | True Blue LA — 4 hours ago

PHOENIX -- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts isn't fully ready to officially announce that Clayton Kershaw will start opening day for the Dodgers, but at least we know who his mound opponent will be in San Diego. The Padres on Friday named Tyson Ross their opening day starter.

The Dodgers open their regular season on Monday, April 4 at Petco Park with the opener of a three-game series against the Padres. The 4:05 p.m. PT game will be televised nationally by ESPN.

That Byrnes guy sounds like someone who would be an asset to a front office.

As for Kershaw, it is obvious that barring injury he will make his sixth consecutive opening day start for the Dodgers, but they aren't quite ready to make it official just yet.

"It makes a lot of sense, but we're going to wait to make it a little more formal," Roberts explained on Saturday.

If the Dodgers aren't ready to announce their number one starter, you can imagine how hesitant they are to classify their No. 2 through No. 5 slots in the rotation.

"We have a very good idea of where we're going to go and how it's going to shake out," Roberts said. "But competition is always a good thing, and with six weeks there are a lot of things that can happen."​

 

so we still get to see him at cameltoeback ranch. yay!


Rollins signs minor league deal with White Sox
by Eric Stephen | True Blue LA — 1 hour ago

PHOENIX -- Jimmy Rollins found a new home for 2016, agreeing to terms with the White Sox on Monday on a minor league deal with an invitation to major league camp in spring training. Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago was the first to report the news.

It is the second new team for Rollins in as many years after spending his first 15 major league seasons in Philadelphia with the Phillies. It is also Rollins' second straight spring training at Camelback Ranch.

"We envision Jimmy contributing both on and off the field," said White Sox general manager Rick Hahn in a press release. "He provides us with another quality infield option with the potential to play a variety of roles, as well as another significant positive presence inside our clubhouse."

Rollins hit .224/.285/.358 with 13 home runs and 24 doubles in 144 games for the Dodgers in 2015, setting career lows in batting average, on-base percentage and OPS while posting the second-lowest slugging percentage of his career. Rollins also stole 12 bases in 20 attempts.

Rollins started 128 games at shortstop for the Dodgers, including 122 starts in the first 136 games of the season (89.7 percent of games). But after getting relegated to reserve duty for two weeks with a sprained finger, Corey Seager stepped in and claimed the position. Rollins started only one of the five games of the National League Division Series against the Mets.

The now 37-year-old Rollins is 78 hits shy of 2,500 in his career, a milestone only 98 major league players have reached, and his 2,192 career games at shortstop ranks eighth all-time, 110 games behind Cal Ripken Jr. for fifth place.

 

4 out of 5 orthodontists disagree

 

Roberts says Ryu is behind other pitchers
by Matthew Moreno | Dodger Blue — 2 hours ago

While the Los Angeles Dodgers’ starting rotation projects to have improved depth in 2016, two pitchers who factor into that are coming off respective season-ending surgeries.

Brandon McCarthy, tabbed as the Dodgers’ No. 4 starter last season, was lost May 1 when he underwent Tommy John surgery. He was joined on the shelf by Hyun-Jin Ryu, who had the torn labrum in his throwing shoulder repaired.

McCarthy said he hopes to return by the 2016 All-Star Game. He was placed on the 60-day disabled list on Friday, making June 2 the earliest possible date of return.

The timetable for Ryu remains somewhat of an unknown. He said last month the recovery process won’t be rushed, with the focus placed on preparing for a full season as opposed to pitching in Spring Training.

Shortly after those comments, Ryu threw off a mound for the first time since last May’s surgery. The Dodgers have been cautious in their handling of the South Korean native since camp opened last week.

According to Bill Plunkett of the OC Register, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged Ryu is behind other pitchers:

That being said, Ryu threw another bullpen session on Monday — with extra rest since his first bullpen of Spring Training — seemingly without issue, per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and manager Dave Roberts said last week they anticipate Ryu starting at least one Cactus League game, but were unsure of a target date.

In two seasons with the Dodgers, Ryu is 28-15 with a 3.17 ERA, 2.97 FIP and 1.19 WHIP in 56 starts.