The Los Angeles Dodgers began Spring Training Friday morning with pitchers and catchers reporting to Camelback Ranch. This marks the first time in five years Los Angeles opens camp with a manager other than Don Mattingly.
Mattingly guided the Dodgers to three consecutive National League West division titles and three straight seasons of at least 90 wins, but only one playoff series win over that same timeframe.
The streak of three NL West titles is a first in Dodgers franchise history, and their stretch of 90-plus win seasons is a first since 1976-78.
In steps Dave Roberts for his first Spring Training as a manager. Although inexperienced from a managerial standpoint, Roberts is heralded for his ability to connect with players and form strong relationships.
Prior to getting hired by the Dodgers, he was part of the San Diego Padres front office in 2010, then moved down to the field as Padres first base coach before spending 2014 and 2015 as Bud Black’s bench coach.
With plenty of intrigue surrounding the Dodgers as Spring Training begins, the DodgerBlue.com staff shared what their most looking forward to:
Matthew Moreno (@MMoreno1015):
How the Dodgers use their abundance of infielders is what intrigues me. The starters are all but written in ink, but the versatility from the group lends to Roberts having plenty of options on a game-by-game basis.
We know what Kiké Hernandez is capable of, and have a general sense Chase Utley can play an adequate first and third base. Howie Kendrick is the wild card here, as he’s only played one game (six innings) at third.
Assuming Kendrick and Utley are able to play multiple positions on a semi-consistent basis, it should bode well for the Dodgers keeping some of their veteran infielders healthy and fresh throughout the season.
Jeff Spiegel (@JeffSpiegel):
Finally, baseball is back! With spring upon us, I’m most excited to track the development of all the team’s youngsters.
With much of the Minor League action taking place outside of the spotlight (although, I’m thankful for our writers who cover it year round), Spring Training is our best chance to check in on Julio Urias, Jose De Leon and Jharrel Cotton, among others.
Will one of them have a spring like Yasiel Puig did in 2013 when he all but demanded to be called up immediately? Like Puig, there isn’t immediate room on the 25-man roster, but a strong performance in the spring will only further fuel the anticipation for the day there is. (Honorable mention: Hyun-Jin Ryu’s recovery).
CONTINUE READING: Looking Forward To Hyun-Jin Ryu, Corey Seager, And More
Stacie Wheeler (@organicallyrude):
After a long, cold offseason, any photograph that depicts Dodger baseball coming out of Camelback Ranch is like a ray of sunshine signaling the promise of a new season.
My favorite part of Spring Training is getting a glimpse of the prospects, watching the non-roster invitees, and getting to know the new acquisitions the front office picked up over the winter.
I am looking forward to seeing Ryu back on the mound for the Dodgers, and Corey Seager’s spring will be a treat to watch as well. It is always interesting to see the dynamic of a new team each spring, but this year it will be especially fascinating to see how Roberts and the new coaching staff work with the players.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi have put together a solid roster, but now it is time to find out if the changes made over the offseason will translate to wins on the field.
Matt Borelli (@MattDodgerBlue):
What I’m most looking forward to during Spring Training is the progress of each Dodgers player who ended last season with a notable injury.
Ryu sticks out the most because of his shoulder surgery that sidelined him for the entire 2015 season. If he proves to be healthy, the Dodgers rotation will be significantly upgraded in 2016.
As for position players, there are plenty to keep an eye on. Utley is finally healthy after playing with an injured ankle all of last year. Yasmani Grandal and Hernandez are both coming off surgery for their respective injuries during the offseason and will look to regain their form.
Puig, who battled multiple hamstring injuries in 2015, is finally healthy and will have a chance to prove himself again with a new coaching staff. And finally, Turner, the projected cleanup hitter, should be 100 percent healthy after undergoing microfracture knee surgery. His recovery will be vital in order for the Dodgers offense to click this season.