Dodgers

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly told Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times that his request for his 2014 option to be picked up was declined.

Mattingly wanted to avoid entering 2013 as a lame duck, so he asked about the option last fall. However, the Dodgers apparently want to see results from their high-priced roster before they commit to him. “I’ve played many years on a one-year contract, so I’m good, but the one area you have to deal with is the questions you’re asking me now,” said Mattingly. “That’s a potential distraction for my club. That becomes part of the story line. My job is to cut out all the noise for these guys. That noise can get us away from playing our best baseball.” Mattingly has a 168?155 record over his first two seasons as skipper of the Dodgers, including a second-place finish in 2012.

Matt Kemp said Saturday that his surgically-repaired left shoulder is healing “ahead of schedule.”

Kemp hasn’t reported any setbacks this offseason and is pain free three months after undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery. He remains on track to be ready for Opening Day and there’s no real reason to think that his issues will become chronic. The 28-year-old center fielder has a remarkable .315/.387/.567 batting line, 62 home runs, 195 RBI and 49 stolen bases in 267 games since the start of the 2011 season.