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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." Federico Fazio Jersey . Ryan Getzlaf certainly got them started in the second. Getzlaf scored the first two goals in the second, and Teemu Selanne scored the go-ahead goal late in the period as the Anaheim Ducks beat the Nashville Predators 4-3 Thursday night. Gabriel Mercado Argentina Jersey . Jagr had a goal and two assists, Andy Greene scored 43 seconds into overtime and Marek Zidlicky had two goals as the Devils rallied past the Washington Capitals 5-4 Saturday night. http://www.argentinasoccerauthentic.com/Nahuel-Guzman-Copa-America-Jersey/ .J. -- The New Jersey Devils are so bad in shootouts, coach Pete DeBoer doesnt mind seeing his team take chances in the five-minute overtime. Federico Fazio Argentina Jersey . -- Josh Smith made a 3-pointer as time expired and finished with 20 points to lift the Detroit Pistons to a 99-98 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night in both teams exhibition finale. Ever Banega Argentina Jersey .J. -- The New York Jets have promoted Tony Sparano Jr.SOCHI, Russia -- Swedish centre Nicklas Backstrom watched from the athletes village as his teammates lost 3-0 to Canada in the Olympic mens hockey final because he failed a doping test for a substance found in an allergy medication. "I was ready to play the biggest game of my career," Backstrom said Sunday following the game. "And two-and-a-half hours before the game, I got pulled aside." Backstrom paused, choked with emotion and appeared to be on the verge of tears. "Its sad," he said. The Swedish hockey team, meanwhile, was simply mad at the International Olympic Committee. "We are all very upset," said Tommy Boustedt, the teams general manager. "Our opinion is that IOC has destroyed one of the greatest hockey days in Swedish history." Boustedt lashed out at the IOC about the timing of its decision, saying it was "political" because it would make news. The governing body refused to fire back. "We will not comment on any potential process until it has concluded," IOC spokesman Mark Adams said. The International Ice Hockey Federation is taking the silver medal that would have been given to Backstrom in the post-game ceremony to its offices in Zurich while it waits for the IOC to decide whether it can be sent to Backstrom, according to IIHF spokesman Adam Steiss. Backstrom was punished more than another player was in the same situation four years ago. While playing for Slovakia at the 2010 Olympics, defenceman Lubomir Visnovsky tested positive for the same banned substance -- pseudoephedrine -- and was only reprimanded by the IOC because it said he declared on his doping control form that he was taking the medication. Backstrom, likewise, said he hasnt hid the fact that he takes the substance that is banned by the IOC during competition and was told by his Olympic team doctor he could take one pill a day without possible penalty. He was tested Wednesday after helping the Swedes beat Slovenia in the quarter-finals. He wwas pulled out of Swedens locker room four days later, just two-plus hours before the Sochi Games finale, and was informed he couldnt play.dddddddddddd The Washington Capitals standout was supported by his Olympic team, NHL franchise, NHL Players Association and the IIHF. "I am convinced that Nicklas and the NHLPA will take this further," Boustedt said in Swedish during a news conference that lasted about 40 minutes. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Day issued a statement saying the substance Backstrom tested positive for is not on the leagues list of banned substances. "We do not anticipate there being any consequences relative to Nicklas eligibility," Daly said. The Capitals sent out a statement saying Backstrom has been taking the allergy medication intermittently for seven years, including this season, to cope with severe allergies. "The test was done on Wednesday and he was pulled out two hours before a game on Sunday, I think thats certainly flawed," NHLPA special assistant Mathieu Schneider said. Dr. Mark Aubry, chief medical officer of the IIHF, said Backstrom provided information correctly to the IOC about the medication he was taking. "He is the innocent victim of circumstances," Aubry said. Backstroms suspension from the gold-medal game may be a point of contention when the NHL and NHLPA negotiate with IOC about whether to let their players participate in the 2018 Olympics. He was listed in the team lineups distributed before the game, and his teammates later found out he wouldnt be with them on the ice. "Its too bad he couldnt play," Sweden winger Carl Hagelin said. "We lost a really good player." Backstrom is the sixth athlete to fail a doping test at the games. Five of the six, including Backstrom, tested positive for minor stimulants that are often found in food supplements. "They need examples to scare cheaters with, Nick is not one of them," Boustedt said. "And, thats why its awful." ' ' '