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Dodgers dominate Padres in season opener

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Dodgers dominant in 15-0 opening day win at San Diego

For one afternoon, as the sun faded over Petco Park and an unsettling spring temporarily became a memory, all was well for the Dodgers. Their hitters occupied the bases with stunning regularity. Clayton Kershaw quieted the bats of the Padres with mirthless efficiency. The distance between the two teams measured in double digits in an immaculate debut for Manager Dave Roberts.

The coming weeks and months will determine if this team can validate the vision of its front office, but in a 15-0 opening-day pounding of San Diego, there was little reason to quibble. Every member of the starting lineup recorded a hit. Chase Utley had three hits, Adrian Gonzalez provided three RBI singles and Justin Turner doubled twice. Yasiel Puig capped the onslaught by roping an RBI triple and scoring on a fielding error in the eighth.

The outburst obscured the dominance of the Dodgers’ pitcher. Starting his sixth opener, Kershaw struck out nine and let only two runners on base in seven innings. He finished with as many hits at the plate (one) as he allowed the entire Padres lineup. He retired the final 13 men he faced.

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Angels prepping for opener

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Dodgers take two touchdown lead over Padres

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Things are getting out of hand in San Diego

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More of the young guns getting in on action

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And to that other game that ESPN will be able to televise

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Dodgers padding their lead

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Dodgers in control with 3-0 lead in the fifth

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Meanwhile, in Anaheim...

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Even the celebrities are getting into the act

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ESPN responds to the Dodgers blackout

An ESPN spokesman said the blackout is required by the sports networks’ contract with Major League Baseball. There are certain times that ESPN can “co-exist” with Time Warner Cable coverage in the L.A. market, but that is limited to 10 games.

“We’ll be on a lot in L.A.,” the spokesman said late Monday.

To Dodgers fans already irate over the blackout, now in its third year, it was one more reason to feel manipulated. “Stunning greed,” said one fan on social media, which lighted up with bad reactions from Dodgers faithful. “What blackout?” chided another. “Clear signal in Florida.”

The standoff stems from cable providers’ refusal to pay the Time Warner Cable’s fee for monthly coverage. TWC has recently lowered its Dodgers price, but DirecTV, which has the most clout in the showdown, insists its non-Dodgers loving customers don’t want to pay anything for games they don’t want. In essence, non-baseball fans subsidize fee schedules for fans, paying down the price.

The showdown comes as cable companies are trying to control costs as users frequently “cut the cord” over basic cable service, choosing alternative and cheaper ways to obtain TV and movies.

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So, about that leadoff spot?

SAN DIEGO – Rookie Manager Dave Roberts has a $240-million roster and the player he chose to lead off for the Dodgers on opening day was … Chase Utley?

Utley batted .212 last year. He is now 37 years old.

“Ultimately, I trust the at-bats and I feel he can get on base,” Roberts said.

Roberts pointed to Utley’s history. The former All-Star second baseman hit leadoff in 11 of his previous 13 seasons and batted .404 in those games.

For at least an inning, the plan worked. Utley led off the game with a double off Tyson Ross and scored on a double by Corey Seager. The Dodgers were ahead, 2-0, after the top of the first inning.

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These guys are in midseason form

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Good start for the rookie

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Dodgers fans made the trip out to Petco

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Quick start for the Dodgers

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That didn’t take long

Bill Plaschke wrote about the Dodgers’ decision to use a rookie third base coach this season. The front office didn’t seem too concerned. Read it below.

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So who can actually watch the Dodgers right now?

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Dodger fans have traveled well

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Fans aren’t happy about ESPN’s blackout

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Dodgers take early lead

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Here’s some light reading while you wait for the game to start

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Some pre-game tweets from The Times’ Andy McCullough

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Well, that’s encouraging if you’re a Padres fan

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The beginning of the end

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Bruins wish Roberts the best

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Worst mascot ever

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Dodgers announce their batting order for opening day

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The new team in town weighs in

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Someone is excited about the Angels

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Two new ways to enter Angels Stadium

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Big day for Enrique Hernandez

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There’s Magic in the air

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Monday’s opening day schedule

Houston at N.Y. Yankees postponed

San Francisco at Milwaukee, 11:10 a.m., Bumgarner (0-0), Peralta (0-0)

Minnesota at Baltimore, 12:05 p.m., Santana (0-0), Tillman (0-0)

Seattle at Texas, 1:05 p.m., Hernandez (0-0), Hamels (0-0), ESPN

Boston at Cleveland, 1:10 p.m., Price (0-0), Kluber (0-0)

Philadelphia at Cincinnati, 1:10 p.m., Hellickson (0-0), Iglesias (0-0)

Washington at Atlanta, 1:10 p.m., Scherzer (0-0), Teheran (0-0)

Dodgers at San Diego, 4:05 p.m., Kershaw (0-0), Ross (0-0), ESPN

Toronto at Tampa Bay, 4:10 p.m., Dickey (0-0), Smyly (0-0)

Colorado at Arizona, 6:40 p.m., De La Rosa (0-0), Greinke (0-0)

Chicago White Sox at Oakland, 7:05 p.m., Sale (0-0), Gray (0-0)

Chicago Cubs at Angels, 7:05 p.m., Arrieta (0-0), Richards (0-0), ESPN2

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Opening day is finally here

Where will the Dodgers finish this season, and which legendary Dodger will Clayton Kershaw tie for the most opening day starts?

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Pirates defeat the Cardinals, 4-1, in MLB opener

Francisco Liriano tied a Pirates opening day record by striking out 10 and singled home the first run of the 2016 Major League Baseball season for good measure, sending Pittsburgh past the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-1, on Sunday at PNC Park.

It was 39 degrees when Liriano threw the first pitch of the year. He gave up three hits and walked five in six shutout innings. His run-scoring hit in the second came off Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright.

David Freese, the 2011 World Series MVP for the Cardinals, had two hits against his former club in his debut with Pittsburgh. Francisco Cervelli and Gregory Polanco also had two hits apiece for the Pirates.

Wainwright gave up three runs in six innings, walking three and striking out three in his first regular-season start since tearing his Achilles last April.

The Cardinals tried to rally in the ninth against Mark Melancon, who led the majors in saves last year. Matt Carpenter hit an RBI single with two outs but Matt Adams, representing the tying run, flied out to end it.

Pittsburgh pointed to the honor of playing the first of the 2,430 games in the majors this season as a sign of respect for how far the franchise has come under manager Clint Hurdle.

The Cardinals and the Pirates have the two best records in MLB since the start of 2013, fueling a rivalry that — along with the ascension of the Chicago Cubs — could make the race for the NL Central crown one of the most compelling storylines yet again.

Liriano’s 10 strikeouts matched the club’s opening day mark John Candelaria set in 1983 and Liriano matched in 2014.

Josh Harrison gave Liriano extra cushion with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and Jordy Mercer added an RBI double off Seth Maness in the eighth.

— Associated Press

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2016 MLB preview: National League projections

A team-by-team and division-by-division look at the National League.

Bill Shaikin’s team outlooks are listed in predicted order of finish. Lineups and rotations are projections.

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2016 MLB preview: American League projections

A team-by-team and division-by-division look at the American League.

Mike DiGiovanna’s team outlooks are listed in predicted order of finish. Lineups and rotations are projections.

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The 2016 MLB season is officially underway

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Dodgers preview: Dodgers went with depth, and they will need it

Manager Dave Roberts will have a balancing act in his first season with the Dodgers, who have depth but are dealing with injury issues from pitchers to position players.
(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)

On March 19, the day after he fouled a ball off his right leg, Andre Ethier limped into the Dodgers clubhouse on crutches. An initial X-ray had not revealed a fracture, so the extent of the damage was unknown. A smoke screen engulfed the organization.

That same morning, Manager Dave Roberts pronounced himself relieved. A reporter asked whether Roberts thought Ethier would require any additional testing.

DODGERS PROJECTED ROSTER

“I don’t, because I think when you’re talking bone, the X-ray was pretty definitive that there was no fracture,” Roberts said. “So I think we’re in the clear.”

The coming days offered an education for Roberts, a first-time manager, in the cruelties of his profession. Still unable to walk two days later, Ethier underwent a bone scan that showed a fractured tibia, with a suggested rehabilitation period of 10 to 14 weeks.

It was that sort of spring for Roberts, one in which he attempted to balance his message of unity and optimism in the face of a relentless surge of injuries. How the team recovers will depend upon the strategy Andrew Friedman deployed this past winter: the obsessive accumulation of depth.

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Angels hope to keep a sense of urgency throughout the season

Remember September.

That is the mantra Angels closer Huston Street resorted to again and again this spring, in informal conversations with his teammates and in formal, organizational meetings.

“Remember what you felt in September,” he said. “That feeling, pulling for each other every pitch because you had to, because we were seven, eight games back, because we’re running out of time. If we can learn that, bring that into the season.…”

ANGELS PROJECTED ROSTER

He paused for effect. The 2015 Angels finished one game short of the postseason, one win away from a potential playoff run after losing 19 games in August and just eight during a furious run in the season’s final month.

“You realize how important one game is, dudes?” Street asked his teammates. “Was that in April? Was it in May? Was it in June? All of us individually can think of one game we could’ve performed better in. And if one of us just did that.…”

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Andrelton Simmons gets creative with the art of defense

The coach was curious, so he shoved a bag of sunflower seeds into his pocket and caught the elevator down to the first floor of the Sunscape Resort in Willemstad, Curacao.

It was January 2009. That morning the coach had seen a young shortstop with rare defensive abilities.

Read More— Pedro Moura

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Corey Seager doesn’t act like baseball’s top prospect

The crowd of autograph-seekers parted as the cart rattled across a pebble-strewn walkway. A member of the Dodgers’ training staff was driving, and another trainer rode shotgun. Seated on the flat bed was the most precious asset in the organization not named Kershaw or Scully.

“That’s Corey Seager!” a woman shouted.

Read More— Andy McCullough

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These are Andrew Friedman’s Dodgers, and his philosophy will be up for evaluation

The grace period has expired for Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations.

If the upcoming season is a test of Yasiel Puig’s commitment and Corey Seager’s promise, it also will offer an evaluation of Friedman’s new-age, analytics-based philosophy.

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How is Tony La Russa now considered an idiot?

(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)

In one of the more curious developments in the major leagues this spring, Tony La Russa is now considered an idiot.

This is the same La Russa who has a law degree, who won more games as a manager than all but two men in major league history, who was unanimously elected into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

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Angels outfield on the mend

I’m better now. The last couple of days have been a little shaky. My body has been aching, I’m not feeling well, I haven’t eaten much, and I’ve lost some weight. I’m trying to get my appetite back.

— Mike Trout, talking about the stomach virus that kept him out of several spring games

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Dodgers make their pick for fifth starter

The Dodgers completed their starting rotation Friday by awarding the final spot to rookie Ross Stripling, a pitcher the team had not even included on its lengthy depth chart at the start of spring training.

“To be here is pretty incredible, almost unimaginable,” Stripling said.

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Should Angels be worried about Escobar’s arm?

I think his footwork was fine. It looked like a release-point issue. One throw that sunk a little bit, he got underneath it. He made a nice play when he was playing deep [in a shift]. He’s fine. He’s going to be fine at third base.

— Angels Manager Mike Scioscia after Friday’s game, in which third baseman Yunel Escobar made a number of bad throws

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Santiago leads way for Angels over Dodgers

His first night game of the year, in Dodger Stadium against a lineup filled with regulars, brought out the best in Angels left-hander Hector Santiago, who gave up three hits in five shutout innings in a 5-1 Freeway Series victory Friday night.

“It’s more realistic. You feel like the season is starting,” Santiago said. “There’s a little more adrenaline.”

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