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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- While much of the nation is buried in snow, glazed by ice or just plain shivering in the cold, its time to play ball in the desert. Spring training officially began Thursday when Arizona Diamondbacks pitchers and catchers reported, with their first workout set for Friday. On the other side of suburban Phoenix, in Glendale, Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers and catchers report on Saturday. Full-squad workouts for both teams begin next week. The Diamondbacks and Dodgers get an early start because they will open the MLB season with a two-game series in Australia on March 22-23. The rest of the teams begin workouts next week at their spring training haunts in Arizona and Florida. Arizonas reporting date signals the beginning of preparation for a season that wont end until the World Series eight months from now. The Diamondbacks are coming off consecutive 81-81 seasons and face the prospect, like the rest of the NL West, of trying to compete with the cash- and pitching-rich Dodgers. Arizona wanted to add a veteran starter in the off-season and still may. A person with knowledge of the situation said Thursday that the Diamondbacks were talking with representatives of Bronson Arroyo with the possibility of landing the 36-year-old right-hander. The person asked not to be identified because the talks had not been made public. The Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles also reportedly have interest in Arroyo. If no changes are made, the Diamondbacks rotation is expected to include left-handers Patrick Corbin and Wade Miley and right-handers Trevor Cahill and Brandon McCarthy. Young right-hander Randall Delgado and top minor league prospect Archie Bradley could vie for the other rotation spot. Diamondbacks players went through informal workouts in relatively chilly weather, at least by Arizona standards, on Thursday. Temperatures were in the low 60s but were expected to rise to the high 70s over the weekend. Kirk Gibson is entering his fourth season as manager and earlier this week got an extension of his contract, which had been set to expire this year. He said the early start to spring training will mean a larger gap between the start of full-squad workouts and the beginning of spring games. "Well come in on the 11th and our first games on the 26th," he said. "It gives us a challenge. We need to get our pitchers ready to be ready to go on March 22." After the long trip to Australia, the Diamondbacks and Dodgers will come back to Arizona to complete spring training before their stateside regular-season openers. "The seasons going to be a little longer, " Gibson said, "but if you look at the other people that have played abroad early, I think theres 10 teams that went and five of them have went to post-season play." Even though its an early start to spring training, McCarthy said players are more than ready to get back at it. "In the last month is when you start to hit that boredom point," he said. "Youre done with the off-season, youre sick of your loved ones, you want to get out of your house. Now it turns real and you kind of get back to work." The other significant addition to the Diamondbacks pitching staff is Addison Reed, The 25-year-old right-hander had 69 saves the last two seasons with the Chicago White Sox, 40 last year. Arizona acquired him from the White Sox for third baseman Matt Davidson. Reed hasnt been anointed the Arizona closer yet, though, facing competition from the likes of J.J. Putz, David Hernandez and Brad Zeigler. "Obviously everybody knows that I want to close. Its the only thing Ive ever wanted to do," Reed said, "but Im here and whatever they have me do is what Ill do and Ill be happy to. As long as Im out there throwing, Ill be a happy guy." McCarthy said that a core group of Arizona players plans to take a bigger leadership role in the coming year. "I think theres a group of guys here that know exactly what they want," he said. "Last year I think we were kind of getting there but we didnt have that true leadership that really came through. Its the one thing Ive seen just in talking to guys so far, that heres an idea of exactly what we want and I think we know how to implement that now. "Youre going to see a clubhouse of guys that go out of their way to get things the way they want it, to set an attitude the way they want it." Discount Running Shoes . Darren Collison and Blake Griffin scored 23 points apiece and the Clippers beat the Suns 112-108 Wednesday night, their fourth win in a row and 17th in the last 19 games. Authentic Running Shoes Sale . -- San Francisco 49ers offensive co-ordinator Greg Roman is a finalist to replace Joe Paterno at Penn State, his agent said Monday. http://www.cheaprunningshoesfreeshipping.com/ . Parmelee hit a game-ending shot in the ninth inning and the Minnesota Twins overcame David Ortizs big night to beat the Boston Red Sox 8-6 on Tuesday. Wholesale Running Shoes Authentic . The Philadelphia left fielder clubbed a tiebreaking, solo home run in the seventh inning, and the Phillies edged the Red Sox, 2-1, in the middle test of a three-game interleague series at Citizens Bank Park. Cheap Running Shoes China . The Leafs were back on the ice Wednesday following an 10-day break. It apparently wasnt long enough, as Team Canadas 2-1 win over Latvia didnt conclude before the Leafs began practice. "I was thinking we might get a little delay, but it was nice to get out there," said Tyler Bozak of watching Wednesdays game.NEW YORK -- Wily Peralta looked completely focused on the mound -- even if he had more on his mind than the New York Mets. Peralta pitched into the seventh inning and Jonathan Lucroy had three hits to send the Milwaukee Brewers past the slumping Mets 3-1 Wednesday night. Immediately after the game, Peralta headed home to the Dominican Republic to take care of some "family business," manager Ron Roenicke said. The pitcher will rejoin the team in Milwaukee this weekend. Roenicke said the plan has been in place for a while. The Brewers didnt want to reveal specifics, but it sounded as though Peralta was dealing with something serious. "Pretty tough. I dont know how he did it, but he did it. Pretty amazing, considering," Lucroy said. "I dont think I could do that with stuff like that on my mind." Lucroy doubled twice and drove in a run, raising his batting average to .341. Carlos Gomez and Jean Segura each had an RBI as the NL Central leaders wore down Jacob deGrom (0-3), still looking for his win after six mostly solid starts. The shaggy-haired rookie was lifted in the sixth after throwing 80 strikes in 107 pitches. But he got little help from his teammates as New York lost for the seventh time in eight games. "One of these days we are going to get that big hit for him and hell get that win," Mets manager Terry Collins said. Collins made it halfway through the latest defeat, ejected in the fifth for arguing a replay ruling. The attendance of 20,170 marked the smallest crowd at Citi Field this season -- for the second consecutive night. Peralta (6-5) used a 96-98 mph fastball and his nasty slider to hold scuffling David Wright and the punchless Mets to four hits in 6 1-3 innings. The right-hander won his second consecutive start following a four-game losing streak. It was the second time Peralta has shut down the Mets. He beat them 3-0 with eight innings of two-hit ball at Miller Park on Sept. 16, 2012. "Wily was really good. Command a lot better. Fastball was down in the zone better. Slider was better," Roenicke said. "I thought he pitched today instead of fighting through things and just trying to throw as hard as he could." Will Smith worked a scoreless eighth and ex-Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez got three quicck outs for his 20th save in 22 attempts.dddddddddddd First baseman Mark Reynolds made a diving catch to end it. Milwaukee has won nine of 14 overall. "It was definitely a grind-it win," Lucroy said. In his second game since moving into the leadoff spot, Scooter Gennett gave the Brewers a pair of pesky at-bats that paid off. He saw a total of 16 pitches during his first two trips to the plate and got a hit both times. After a double to start the third, he scored on a groundout by Lucroy. With the score tied in the fourth, Mets left fielder Curtis Granderson misplayed Aramis Ramirezs leadoff double. Segura tried to squeeze home a run with one out, but bunted foul. On the next pitch, he lined an RBI single to snap a 2-for-28 skid. Lucroys fifth-inning double sent Ryan Braun to third. He scored on Gomezs infield single to make it 3-1. "Lukes locked in and he has been for quite a while," Roenicke said. "His at-bats are outstanding." Taylor Teagarden was called out on a bang-bang play at first to open the bottom half. Collins challenged, and the crowd cheered when replays appeared to show Teagarden was safe by a hair. But the call stood upon review, bringing a confounded Collins out of the dugout again. He gestured toward the big video board in centre field and was given some leeway during the discussion before getting tossed by plate umpire Gary Cederstrom. It was Collins first ejection this season. Managers are not allowed to argue replay rulings. "I knew when I left the dugout what was going to happen," Collins said. "Sometimes you have to have an answer." Lucas Dudas sacrifice fly put the Mets ahead in the second. NOTES: Gomez has reached safely in 26 straight games, the longest active streak in the majors. ... Milwaukee must decide by Friday whether to return LHP Tom Gorzelanny (shoulder surgery) from his rehab assignment or keep him on the disabled list. ... An MRI showed Brewers RHP Tyler Thornburg has irritation in his right elbow, but no ligament damage. "Its not super serious, but we are going to be cautious," Roenicke said. Thornburg went on the 15-day disabled list June 7. ... Brewers RHP Kyle Lohse (7-2, 3.27 ERA) faces LHP Jonathon Niese (3-3, 2.6 Cool

in the series finale. ' ' '