Dodgers pregame notes: Manny Ramirez doesn’t have to cut hair

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PHOENIX -- Manny Ramirez won’t have to cut his dreadlocks, which are well past shoulder length.
‘I’m not getting into that again,’ Manager Joe Torre said, recalling the tug of war that ensued last year when he told the All-Star outfielder he had to trim his hair.

‘It’s not all over the place,’ Torre said. ‘It’s under control.’

Casey Blake, who has been sidelined with a tender groin, will be in the lineup today when the Dodgers host the Seattle Mariners at Camelback Ranch. The only other newsworthy development of the morning is that Jason Schmidt is reporting some discomfort performing non-pitching functions -- like throwing out a runner -- and might be slowed down.

Most of the players spent the morning crowded around the televisions in the clubhouse watching the Dominican Republic face the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. Rafael Furcal was on the receiving end of some playful jabs from Matt Kemp when the Dominican Republic fell behind, 3-0, in the first inning.

Here’s the Dodgers’ starting lineup:

Rafael Furcal SS
Orlando Hudson 2B
Andre Ethier RF
Casey Blake DH
James Loney 1B
Blake DeWitt 3B
Juan Pierre CF
Xavier Paul LF
A.J. Ellis C
Chad Billingsley P

-- Dylan Hernandez