Los Angeles Dodgers ace starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw is lined up to start both opening day on April 5 in San Diego and the Dodgers home opener on April 10 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In preparation for his season-opening start, Kershaw's final two starts of the Cactus League have been scheduled.
Kershaw will get an extra day of rest twice, both before his start on Sunday, March 25 at Maryvale against the Milwaukee Brewers and on Saturday, March 31 at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The start next Saturday will be a light one for Kershaw, said manager Don Mattingly. Kershaw threw 39 pitches in 3 1/3 innings in his final spring start of 2011, five days prior to making his opening day start last season.
In a coincidence, Kershaw will end up making no spring starts at Camelback Ranch, the Dodgers' home facility.
Zach Lee, whom the Dodgers hope will someday join Kershaw in the big league starting rotation, was one of seven young pitching prospects who pitched for the Dodgers on Friday in Tucson. Lee, the Dodgers' first round pick in the 2010 draft, pitched a scoreless inning while striking out a batter. Lee passed up a chance to play quarterback at LSU and received a $5.25 million signing bonus from the Dodgers.
"I pictured myself doing both [baseball and football]. As kids we're all ambitious and trying to do more than we really can," Lee said on Friday. "Growing up I thought let's just see where we can go with both sports. Once I got to a certain age, I realized I would have to pick one sport over the other."
Lee, 20, will likely start his season at high Class A Rancho Cucamonga.
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