Live discussion: Dodgers, Angels, Carl Crawford and Mike Trout

Join us at 10:30 a.m. today for a live discussion with Dodgers reporter Kevin Baxter and Angels reporter Mike DiGiovanna about their respective teams. It has been an interesting spring for the Dodgers and Angels, with the Dodgers getting some bad news about Carl Crawford, and the Angels renewing Mike Trout’s contract, much to the disappointment of Trout’s agent.

As Baxter wrote about the Dodgers last week,

“Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly was asked this week what his biggest worry was with the team’s projected $230-million roster.

“Health is always a good place to start,” he said. “Are we going to be able to stay healthy?”

“Less than 24 hours after Mattingly confessed his fears, the Dodgers were without two-thirds of their starting outfield. Carl Crawford will be out at a least a week with nerve irritation in his surgically repaired left arm....

“Obviously, you have to look at this as being a little bit more of a setback,” Mattingly said. “When his season starts, I want him to feel like he’s ready. Not playing at 60% or 80%. Opening day would be great. But ... I want him to be healthy when he starts.”

“Crawford had surgery on his left wrist 14 months ago, then underwent season-ending Tommy John ligament-replacement surgery last August, days before being traded to the Dodgers from the Boston Red Sox. He returned to Los Angeles on Thursday to see team doctor Neal ElAttrache, who prescribed anti-inflammatory medicine and rest.

“The Dodgers characterized Crawford’s problem as minor and said it’s common following reconstructive elbow surgery. The repaired ligament is not involved, the team said.

“Crawford considered that diagnosis a relief. “You have a little certain feeling that you never felt before in your arm, you get worried,” he said. “I think I just overworked it.”

“If Crawford begins the season on the disabled list, the Dodgers, barring a trade, probably would choose a substitute from a list of candidates that includes Skip Schumaker, Jerry Hairston and Alex Castellanos. Schumaker, 33, has played most of his career at second base; Hairston, 36, is coming off hip surgery; Castellanos, 26, a .294 hitter in five minor league seasons, batted .174 in a 16-game big league trial last summer.

“Without Crawford, the Dodgers also need a leadoff hitter. They used Mark Ellis there for part of last year and he hit .265 with a .307 on-base percentage.”

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