But you take that risk if you cut corners that you set guys back. “That’s obviously not the situation here. “If this was a different situation, I’m not sure you wouldn’t throw him in and let him play, get that experience here and see how he does,” Mattingly said. But he did say he thinks Seager could handle a baptism-by-fire approach to playing in the majors – if the Dodgers were not a championship contender. Mattingly said early in camp that Urias, 18, would probably not be an option to pitch in the majors this season and “no one is handing (Pederson) the keys to the car” as far as the center field job is concerned. The Dodgers have been downplaying expectations for Seager and Urias and even Pederson this spring. He seems to be handling everything about big league camp.” He looks comfortable with our guys in the clubhouse. He looks comfortable in the (batter’s) box. “With Corey, there’s really nothing not to like. “At the plate, he’s like a little bit of an (John) Olerud if you really watch him. “Without putting a giant ‘X’ on his back, he’s more like a (Cal) Ripken to me, as far as being a big shortstop that doesn’t really profile there but has great hands, great awareness, a really good clock as far as calmness and knowing the timing (of when he needs to make a throw),” Mattingly said. He won Sunday’s exhibition game with a walkoff RBI double over the center fielder’s head and doubled into the right-center field gap in his only at-bat Monday. He has gone 3 for 8 (.375) with four walks in Cactus League action so far. 349 with 20 home runs, 97 RBI and a 1.004 OPS at the two levels. He made that jump without skipping a beat, hitting a combined. Seager won the Class-A California League MVP award last year despite moving to Double-A in midseason. Jimmy Rollins was acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies to be the Dodgers’ everyday shortstop in 2015, allowing Seager a year of development at the Triple-A level. Mattingly won’t get that opportunity anytime soon if things go as planned for the Dodgers. “I wouldn’t be afraid of (playing) him, I’ll tell you that.” “Do I think he’s ready (to play at the major league level)?” Mattingly said, repeating a reporter’s question Monday morning. Pitching prodigy Julio Urias has attracted attention every time he has thrown off a mound this spring.īut the other member of the Dodgers’ blue-chip trio, Corey Seager, has quietly impressed Dodgers manager Don Mattingly in the 20-year-old shortstop’s first big league training camp. – The center field job awaits Joc Pederson.
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