Dodgers’ Javy Guerra is excited about opening day

PEORIA, Ariz. — As a minor leaguer, Javy Guerra was used to watching opening-day ceremonies on television.

In a little more than a week, he’ll be part of one.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited for the start of a season,” Guerra said.

Guerra, 26, is the Dodgers’ closer. Around this time last year, he was on his way to double-A Chattanooga. He made his major league debut in mid-April.

Since that promotion, Guerra’s life has drastically changed. He saved 21 games last season and there were demands for his time in the off-season.

In February, he and James Loney attended the premiere of the HBO baseball comedy series “Eastbound and Down.” Guerra remains in touch with the show’s star, Danny McBride, but says he has no plans to imitate the abrasive Kenny Powers, played by McBride, and make flamboyant entrances from the bullpen.

He also spoke at several schools in the Dallas area.

Guerra pitched a perfect inning in the Dodgers’ 6-5 loss to the San Diego Padres on Tuesday to lower his spring earned-run average to 1.35. It marked the second time he pitched on consecutive days.

His control has noticeably improved over the course of the exhibition season.

“I think it’s like anything else, it’s repetition,” he said.

In Guerra and setup man Kenley Jansen, the Dodgers have something they didn’t have last year: stability in the back of the bullpen. The Dodgers went into last season with Jonathan Broxton and Hong-Chih Kuo facing questions about their form and health. Neither player is still with the team.

“I’m comfortable with where we’re at,” Manager Don Mattingly said.

Sands down

Jerry Sands entered spring training as the favorite to claim the final spot on the Dodgers’ 25-man opening-day roster, but he was sent to minor league camp Tuesday after batting .158 in 38 at-bats during the exhibition season.

His demotion came a day after he hit a walk-off single to beat the Chicago White Sox.

“Even with the hit yesterday, he doesn’t feel good, he doesn’t feel right,” Mattingly said. “We want to get him into a work environment because he doesn’t have to compete.”

Though the plan is on hold, Mattingly still thinks having Sands hit well enough to be on the team is the “best scenario” for the Dodgers.

Because Sands hits from the right side, he could have spelled the left-handed Andre Ethier or James Loney on days the Dodgers face left-handed pitchers. What makes him particularly attractive is his power potential. He hit 35 home runs between Class A and double A in 2010 and 33 home runs between triple A and the majors last season.

Sands hit .253 with four home runs and 26 runs batted in in 61 major league games last season. In September, he hit .342 in 20 games.

With Sands out of the mix, the Dodgers will look to Justin Sellers, Josh Fields or Luis Cruz to fill the final reserve spot.

Short hops

Juan Uribe was scratched from the lineup Tuesday after he bunted a ball off the ground and into his groin during morning workouts. Uribe is expected to be active Wednesday. … Blake Hawksworth was moved to the 60-day disabled list to clear a place on the 40-man roster for Jamey Wright, who will take his bullpen spot on the opening-day roster. Wright, 37, was in a camp on a minor league contract. Hawksworth has been slow to recover from a pair of minor elbow operations.

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com