Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke is not one to beat around the bush.
The Dodgers will open their season against the Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia on March 22-23, but the right-hander isn’t exactly looking forward to the historic opener in the Land Down Under.
“I would say there is absolutely zero excitement for it,” Greinke told Mark Saxon of ESPN.com. “There just isn’t any excitement to it. I can’t think of one reason to be excited for it.”
Greinke’s annoyance with the trip is understandable. The Dodgers, kicking off their season about a week before the rest of Major League Baseball, were forced to report to camp a week earlier than everyone else. In addition, they’ll have to break camp March 16 to travel to Australia, meaning they’ll play about 10 to 15 fewer Cactus League games than they would in a normal spring.
The Dodgers ace might be displeased with the inconvenience that the unique opportunity presents, but he said he’s willing to pitch in Australia and understands the purpose of the series.
“It’s a baseball thing. It’s an ownership thing, spreading stuff around,” Greinke said. “That’s what it’s for, and it’s for the greater good of baseball.”
