Dodgers’ Randy Choate catching up with former Miami teammates

MIAMI —  — While Hanley Ramirez is saying he wishes the Dodgers could have played the three games against his former team in one day, reliever Randy Choate doesn’t seem to want to leave Florida.

Acquired in the same deal that sent Ramirez to the Dodgers, Choate has spent time in the Miami Marlins’ clubhouse in each of the first two games of this series. The left-hander asked Marlins Manager Ozzie Guillen permission to visit his former teammates.

“The goodbyes were rushed the first time because I had to get out of there so fast,” Choate said of the day of the trade. “Most of the guys weren’t there. It was morning. I only saw a few.”

Choate was with the Marlins for a season and a half.

When he walked into the Marlins’ clubhouse Saturday, Mark Buehrle saw him and made Ramirez’s trademark “I See You” hand signal.

“Where’s your shirt?” Buehrle asked Choate.

The previous day, Ramirez had worn a blue shirt with an image of him making the sign.

Later, Choate dropped by the opposite side of the clubhouse, where Bryan Petersen sits.

The left-handed-hitting Petersen was the only batter Choate faced in the series opener Friday. Choate walked him.

“It’s definitely tougher than I thought when you’re out there facing your buddies,” Choate said. “You’re sitting there and rooting against them.

“I think it might have been easier if it was like half a season later. But to be back two weeks right after, I haven’t had time to adjust to my new team, you know? I’m still trying to fit in here and getting to know all the guys here.”

What made the move to Los Angeles difficult for Choate was that his two daughters recently moved with his ex-wife to Miami from Tampa Bay.

Choate has spent the last two days with 10-year-old Tatem and 8-year-old Tegan.

“I took them back-to-school shopping on Friday, which I do with them every year,” Choate said. “That was good that worked out.”

Choate had made nine appearances for the Dodgers entering Saturday, giving up three runs in 4 2/3 innings. For the season, he entered Saturday with an earned-run average of 3.00 in 53 games.

Focus group

Before the series opener against the Marlins on Friday, Manager Don Mattingly called a team meeting.

“I didn’t think we were playing badly,” Mattingly said. “I just wanted to make sure they knew the opportunity that they had.

“There’s a lot of baseball, but not that much. It’s not something where you can just sit there and waste games. Every game is important. Opportunities don’t come that often. You don’t get many chances to win.”

Short hops

Ted Lilly pitched in a simulated game at the Dodgers’ spring training complex in Arizona. … If Scott Elbert comes out of his next bullpen session pain-free, he probably will be sent out on a minor league rehabilitation assignment, perhaps to double-A Chattanooga.

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