Back to pitching, Allie eager to show off arm

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Chris Sale and Christian Yelich came out of the 2010 Draft. So did Stetson Allie.
Every player chases a dream, the chase tougher for some. Allie, 27, is in his third incarnation, a pitcher-turned-outfielder-turned pitcher in Dodgers camp as a non-roster invitee with a 101 mph fastball.
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He was a non-roster outfielder two springs ago, even slugged a three-run homer against the Angels. But they took away the bat that season and told him to go back to the position that got him drafted in the second round and signed by the Pirates for a $2.25 million bonus.
"I knew I had a great arm still so I said, 'Great, let's do it,' and I haven't looked back," said Allie, who was signed by Pittsburgh scout Brian Tracy, son of former Dodgers manager Jim Tracy. "I'm on the right path and I feel I'm in the right organization. They allow me to be me. I'm a reliever and I can go another 10-plus years."
He pitched at Class A, Double-A and Triple-A last year with results typical for an inexperienced hard thrower -- a lot of strikeouts, a lot of walks, a lot of wild pitches. He said he spent instructional league throwing "a gazillion" sliders and somebody thought enough of his potential to invite him to camp so the big league staff and catchers get familiar with that arm.
"He's still got to grow, but he has a lot of upside," said manager Dave Roberts. "He has a really fresh arm. I don't feel his age plays here. He made strides last year and we expect him to continue to do so."
• Pitcher Ross Stripling was improved Saturday but missed his second workout with an upper respiratory condition. Roberts said management wanted to keep Stripling "out of the way of the rest of the guys."
• Roberts was told pitcher Hyun Jin Ryu has set a goal of winning 20 games this season. Roberts said it's more important that the Dodgers win the games Ryu starts.
Ryu had 20-win stuff last year when the Dodgers could keep him on the field, as he went 7-3 with a 1.97 ERA. But he made only 15 starts, missing half the season with a badly pulled groin muscle.
"This year he's a little bit heavier, but it's good weight," said Roberts. "He's in really good shape, put in a lot of work and he'll be in our rotation."
Ryu had 14 wins each of his first two seasons, then had none over the next two seasons as he dealt with major shoulder surgery. He pitched 192 innings his rookie season of 2013, but only 82 1/3 innings last year plus 19 in the postseason.