Thursday was the day baseball fans have been waiting for, especially fans on the World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers – the first day of workouts by pitchers and catchers at Spring Training 2021. Getting to transition back to a full 162-game season after last year’s COVID-19-shortened 60-game shortened season is nothing short of exciting.
As Dodger fans may or may not know, the team has adopted a phrase coined by unofficial team captain Justin Turner as their unofficial team motto for 2021 – “Run it back.”
Due to health and safety protocols imposed by Major League Baseball, there were no reporters present when Dodgers manager Dave Roberts gave his first post-workout interview; instead, doing so via Zoom. His would be the only interview after the first day wrapped.
As the questions poured in, Roberts declared that the energy on the field was good, but it is a difficult transition being at Spring Training with no fans present.
“The biggest difference is no fans,” Roberts said. “I think the energy was good internally, but you just don’t have that player-fan interaction, which was certainly missed. But guys got their work in. Saw some good (bullpen sessions) today.”
Roberts admits that it will be tough to go from a shortened 60-game season to a full 162 games, but the team has the depth to do so. He added that while it is totally unprecedented, the focus will be on managing the fielding and pitching as they transition back to a normal season.
New SportsNet LA sideline reporter Kirsten Watson reminded Roberts that it had been four months since the team won the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays and was curious how it felt to be back together to prepare for a new season.
“It feels good to be with the guys, see our coaches,” Roberts answered, “I will say this, after winning Game-6, we didn’t really get that chance to celebrate together, and so, granted, everyone from that team won’t be here for the first day of full-squad workouts with us (on February 23), but I really am looking forward to getting everyone together to congratulate everyone. But just to kind of be back in uniform, watching players on the field again, just kind of think back a little bit to 2020 but look out and look forward to 2021; it’s been exciting.”
Asked about what his team’s focus will be during the first few days of Spring Training, Roberts gave a positive and thoughtful answer.
“Get back into the swing of things, limit injury, slowly get our feet under us,” he replied. “Guys are more prepared for Spring Training these days, understanding that they have six weeks to go. Slow play, guys, and make sure guys don’t push too hard too fast.”
When asked if there were any early sideline injuries with his pitching staff, Roberts said that right-hander Mitch White was a little sore and right-handed reliever Joe Kelly had a sore arm from playing catch. Roberts added that he is not overly concerned, as the pair are in that slightly injured “bucket,” with full participation from the rest of his pitching staff.
Naturally, the topic of starters would enter the conversation at some point. Many are curious how the Dodgers skipper will handle having seven qualified starters for five spots. Roberts believes they are up to the challenge, adding that they also have right-hander Jimmy Nelson, which technically gives them eight qualified starters. Asked if he has considered ‘piggybacking’ starters due to the challenge of balancing his team’s starting rotation, Roberts seemed unconcerned.
“I don’t think it has to be an exact kind of one-follow-another guy,” he explained. “Certainly having guys in your pen that can take down two to three to four innings in a certain game is very, very helpful.”
The questions veered towards the progress various pitchers were making. As you might expect, young right-hander Walker Buehler was a hot topic of conversation. The 26-year-old Lexington, KY native and Dodgers first-round draft pick in 2015 out of Vanderbilt University continued throwing the ball during the off-season and kept his arm moving so that by the time he showed up in camp, he was ready to go, tossing his first bullpen session of Spring on Day-1.
“It looked very sharp,” Roberts said of Buehler’s initial bullpen session. “Considerably more crisp than he has in years past in bullpen number one.”
Twitter was abuzz when it was reported that Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw had arrived at Camelback Ranch. The Dodger’s ace was delayed a few hours due to loss of power at his home in Dallas, Texas, caused by the extreme weather conditions hitting most of the country. He was expected on Thursday and delivered once it was safe enough for him to travel.
Left-handed pitcher David Price is beginning his first season of actually playing in a Dodger uniform. Both he and recent acquisition, left-hander Alex Vesia, threw their first bullpens on Thursday. Roberts was very optimistic about Price.
“David was very professional, very pro. I think he’s thrown a half dozen pens already, and it was evident watching him throw the baseball today. The command was good. Used his entire mix.”
Roberts was also seeing Vesia throw for the first time.
“He’s a guy that has really good delivery and he’s a spin rate guy,” the Dodgers skipper noticed. “He does a good job with the fastball, locating at the top of the zone. I thought today was a good pen. Good first impression for me.”
But it was 24-year-old left-hander Julio Urias, who threw the final out of the 2020 World Series, that drew the highest praise from Roberts.
“This is as good physically as he has looked on Day-1 of Spring Training,” Roberts said of Urias. “Very proud of what he did this off-season.”
Many have been curious how Dave Roberts plans to handle the role of closer in 2021. Roberts – and fans – aren’t quite as warm on 33-year-old right-hander Kenley Jansen as they once were in the closer role. Loyal fans were admittedly on the edge of their seats any time Jansen was called upon to close out a game last season. Yet as you would expect, Roberts was consistent in his defense of the righty’s closing skills.
“I believe we’re at our best if Kenley is closing for us. But with that said, we have a lot of great viable options to finish a game.” Roberts said, “Kenley looks fantastic. As I sit here right now, I expect him to close that first game out of the season.
“Kenley had a really good year last year. I think he led Major League Baseball in soft contact off the bat,” Roberts continued. “I don’t think he was pitching his best in the postseason, but this is a new year. I expect him to have a great year. For me, I think he’s earned that opportunity to start out as our closer. But at the end of the day, I want the guys that are pitching the best to finish the game, and Kenley understands that too.”
With fan attendance being limited by COVID-19 for the second year in a row, there were questions surrounding the current protocols. Players are currently participating in intake testing, adhering to 24-hour quarantine procedures, wearing masks under the roof when they are not actively playing, and staying mindful of being sanitary as well as social distancing.
The players have also been split into two clubhouses to minimize numbers and help with social distancing. There are approximately 31 players utilizing the Dodgers minor league clubhouse, with another 40 players on the major league side of the field. The first morning meeting was held in one of the outdoor batting cages instead of inside the major league clubhouse, as it usually is.
Compared to last year with a few late arrivals, the team is currently operating at 100%, and everyone appears to be healthy. (Roberts actually knocked on wood during this point of the interview). When asked if all of his pitchers and catchers had reported, Roberts mentioned that Kershaw had arrived Thursday (instead of Wednesday), leaving only catcher Keibert Ruiz yet to report. The 22-year-old Valencia, Venezuela native had been delayed due to visa issues.
“He got hung up with his visa, so we’re working on getting him here, but he’s not here,” Roberts explained.
Before the press conference wound down, questions about the new baseballs being used this year were brought up. Since they have the potential not to fly as far, there are concerns about how this would impact the game and how teams would strategize. Roberts believes this will be a welcome situation for his pitchers this season.
“Many pitchers in our camp are expressing their feelings about last year‘s baseball being a lot harder and strings wound a lot tighter than potentially this year,” said Roberts.
Ultimately, he implied that this conversation could go round and round. Still, he believes that the new baseballs’ variance allowing it to carry less would be a good thing … although Dodgers hitters may disagree.
And so another preseason has officially begun, with video clips appearing on social media throughout all of baseball on the first day. Most notable was Roberts addressing his team, conveying what everyone is feeling – ready to Run it Back for a chance at back-to-back Championships.
“We weren’t going to be denied a championship last year; there’s no way,” Roberts said with conviction. “This is the start of an eight-month season. We’re not trying to play through September. We have eight more months left.”
It is no easy feat to repeat as World Series champions. In fact, it has not happened since the New York Yankees last won multiple championships from 1998-2000. But Roberts had this promising outlook for his team to share:
“Looking out to 2021, be mindful of the things they did very well, and that will aid in giving us the best chance to win another championship. Also, the fact that you can’t win a championship in February.”
Considering October is a long eight months away from February, at the very least, Day-1 is done, and another season is finally upon us.
Play ball!