By J.P. Hoornstra, Staff Writer

By J.P. Hoornstra Staff Writer

GLENDALE, Ariz. - The locker stalls stood in various stages of emptiness at Camelback Ranch.

The pingpong table, the water cooler of the Dodgers' clubhouse, was eerily quiet when the team broke camp Sunday.

"It's like the last day of school," Tony Gwynn Jr. said.

To Gwynn, the takeaway from his second camp with the Dodgers was how quickly the players jelled at the beginning.

"That's the big thing that differs from last year to this year," he said. "Last year, there were guys coming in off an off-year, trying to bounce back.

"This year there's a little of that, but not as much."

According to a few players, the chemistry also worked in part because only a couple roster spots were up for grabs. Roles clearly were defined from the beginning and, with one exception, stayed the same until the end.

The one exception was Jerry Sands, who entered camp as the front-runner for the final position player's job. He was demoted to the minor-league camp after batting .158 with no home runs, and the job still is up for grabs.

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DODGERS NOTEBOOK: Players passed chemistry test