Torre, Ramirez and Loney headline team of Dodger players on international goodwill trip

PHOENIX – The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced the expected roster for the upcoming three-game series in Taiwan. Additional players may be added or changed prior to the March 10 departure.

The Dodgers will bring 33 players, including 17 with Major League experience, in their first team trip to Taiwan since the 1993 Friendship Series. Manager Joe Torre, left fielder Manny Ramirez and first baseman James Loney will be joined by Taiwan natives Hong-Chih Kuo and Chin-lung Hu, Japan native Robert Boothe and South Korea native Hyang-Nam Choi.

Six players on the roster also made the Dodgers’ historic trip to Beijing, China in 2008 for the first-ever games in that country. They are Kuo, Hu, John Lindsey, Lucas May, Xavier Paul and Eric Stults as well as Torre and coaches Lorenzo Bundy and John Shoemaker.

Lindsey registered the first hit, a single to left field, during the two-game series against the Padres in China.

A complete roster is below, subject to change.

Pitchers (15): RHP Mario Alvarez, LHP Alberto Bastardo, RHP Robert Boothe, RHP Jesus Castillo, RHP Hyang-Nam Choi, RHP John Ely, RHP Francisco Felix, RHP Charlie Haeger, RHP Kenley Jansen, LHP Hong-Chih Kuo, RHP Josh Lindblom, RHP Jon Link, LHP Juan Perez, LHP Eric Stults and RHP Josh Towers.

Catchers (4): J.D. Closser, Gabriel Gutierrez, Lucas May, Jesse Mier

Infielders (8): Ronnie Belliard, Angel Berroa, Jamey Carroll, Chin-lung Hu, John Lindsey, James Loney, Russ Mitchell and Ramon Nivar

Outfielders (6): Brian Barton, Xavier Paul, Manny Ramirez, Prentice Redman, Michael Restovich, Trayvon Robinson

Coaches: Manager Joe Torre, first base coach John Shoemaker, third base coach Lorenzo Bundy, pitching coach Jim Slaton, hitting coach/bench coach Tim Wallach and bullpen catcher Mike Borzello.

LOS ANGELES– The Los Angeles Dodgers today signed right-handed pitcher Vicente Padilla to a one-year contract.  General Manager Ned Colletti made the announcement.

“Vicente did a tremendous job for us down the stretch and his continued success in the postseason proved that he can pitch when there’s a lot at stake,” said Colletti.

 The 32-year-old Padilla has won 14 or more games in four of the last eight seasons, joining Andy Pettitte as the only two pitchers to accomplish that feat among a free-agent pitching market that has included John Lackey, Randy Wolf, Joel Pineiro, Brett Myers, Jason Marquis and Jon Garland, among others.

 During those eight seasons, Padilla’s only campaigns as a starting pitcher, he has posted a 91-76 mark (.545) and averaged 6.0 innings per start. Last year, he went 12-6 with a 4.46 ERA in 26 games (25 starts) for the Dodgers and Rangers. After being signed by Los Angeles on August 19, Padilla went 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA in eight games (seven starts) over the final two months of the season before his continued success in the postseason.

 In his first career playoff outing, he pitched 7.0 scoreless innings and allowed just four hits to St. Louis in Game 3 of the NLDS. In Game 2 of the NLCS against the Phillies, he lasted 7.1 innings and allowed just one earned run on four hits but did not earn a decision in the Dodgers’ lone victory of the series. He suffered the defeat in Game 5 to give him a 1-1 record and 3.63 ERA in his three postseason outings.

 The Nicaragua native is 98-85 with a 4.33 ERA in 305 career games (221 starts) with Arizona (1999-2000), Philadelphia (2000-05), Texas (2006-09) and Los Angeles (2009).

 During his career in the National League, Padilla has posted a 3.92 ERA in 202 career games (118 starts). He was named to the NL All-Star team while with Philadelphia in 2002, when he went 14-11 with a 3.28 ERA in 32 starts. 

 Padilla led the Rangers’ pitching staff with 14 wins in 2008, and 11 of those victories came on the road away from hitter-friendly Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.  His 43 wins overall as a Ranger since the start of the 2006 season rank second on the club in that time, one behind Kevin Millwood’s 44.  

 Padilla was originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998 – From Dodgers PR Department

I might add that Padilla’s ‘09 injury ledger included forearm tightness, a strained shoulder, a bruised palm, swine flu, and a self-inflicted gunshot wound.