ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Dodgers pitcher Greinke exits early vs. D-backs, Australia eligibility in question

Feb 27, 2014, 10:19 PM | Updated: 10:30 pm

GLENDALE, AZ — Less than a week after voicing his displeasure with his team’s participation in major league baseball’s season opener in Australia, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke again faced a media huddle at his Camelback Ranch locker on Thursday.

Just more than an hour earlier, he had exited his team’s Cactus League home opener after throwing just three pitches against a split squad of Arizona Diamondbacks players. He was removed, the Dodgers say, with a right calf strain.

Although he described the injury to be minor, speculation over the authenticity of the injury began instantaneously, both on Twitter and in the press box, where some of the assembled Los Angeles media made one-legged kangaroo jokes.

“You deal with small stuff all the time and I think that’s what this is, but we’ll see,” Greinke explained.

Oftentimes, he went on, injuries such as the one suffered in his right leg would be overcome during the regular season. But he saw reason to be cautious in his first start of spring.

“I wanted what was best,” he replied to a reporter who asked if he lobbied to remain in the game while surrounded by Dodgers trainers and manager Don Mattingly in the first inning.

“I know if something is bothering you, they’re not going to let you stay in in the first game of spring. And if you do and you hurt it, then they get fired probably.”

After the premature exit, Greinke was also given opportunity to clarify his Australia comments and specifically address how his injury played into that sentiment, if at all.

“It definitely doesn’t take me out of the mix (for Australia) — hopefully it doesn’t,” he said. “But we’ll see how it feels tomorrow.”

More questions arose. Was this his escape hatch from the trip he had no interest in?

“If we’re going to be there, which obviously we are, then yes — I’d like to pitch there,” Greinke went on.

“I guess my comments — I didn’t realize at the time — but they caused a stir. I mean, I’m looking forward to playing over there.”

Finally, in an effort to recap what he originally said last weekend and clarify his comments, Greinke pointed to his desire to perform at his best all the time and his dependence on set routines to do so. The late-March Australia trip, he said, throws a wrench in that, making it all-the-more difficult to perform at a high level.

“No one wants me to say it this way but, in my vote, if we had to go over there, my vote was not to,” the right-hander said. “But more people wanted to go than not, so now that we are going, I want to be there. I don’t want to not go and have the rest of the team go and have to play and me sit here, watching. And I also don’t want to go over there and watch. So I want to go over there and play, since that’s what we’re doing.”

Dodgers officials say players were not given an official vote on the itinerary.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Lourdes Gurriel Jr....

Alex Weiner

Diamondbacks keep good times rolling with 14-run inning, Opening Day rout of Rockies

What the Diamondbacks accomplished in the third inning against the Rockies on Thursday night was completely new for those in the ballpark. 

6 hours ago

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. flips his bat during Arizona Diamondbacks' 2024 Opening Day...

Arizona Sports

Diamondbacks score 14 runs in a single inning to beat Rockies on Opening Day

The Arizona Diamondbacks set franchise marks with 13 hits and 14 runs in the third inning of their 2024 Opening Day game against the Rockies.

9 hours ago

Blaze Alexander...

Alex Weiner

Blaze Alexander did all he could to make Diamondbacks’ Opening Day roster

Diamondbacks infielder Blaze Alexander put together a spring that made it too difficult for the team to send him back to the minor leagues.

13 hours ago

Ketel Marte celebrates...

Tyler Drake

Ketel Marte to lead off Arizona Diamondbacks’ Opening Day lineup

The Arizona Diamondbacks' Opening Day lineup is set ahead of their matchup against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday.

16 hours ago

Jordan Montgomery throws a pitch...

Tyler Drake

Hall: Diamondbacks’ addition of Jordan Montgomery ‘made a lot of sense’

The Diamondbacks' addition of Jordan Montgomery puts a bow on a rotation that should be in the conversation for the top spot across MLB.

17 hours ago

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno...

Arizona Sports

Roundtable picks: One Diamondbacks young player to watch in 2024

Which Arizona Diamondbacks player should continue an upward trend in 2024? Gabriel Moreno, Brandon Pfaadt and Alek Thomas are possibilities.

18 hours ago

Dodgers pitcher Greinke exits early vs. D-backs, Australia eligibility in question