Jones to DL, maybe rehab? And Dodgers’ protest denied

Andruw Jones has irritation of the patellar tendon in his right knee, something manager Joe Torre said has nothing to do with the surgery he had there earlier this season. There is a chance he could be placed on the DL tomorrow to make room for Nomar, who is expected to be activated. That almost certainly would mean Jones going on a minor-league rehab assignment at some point, which could only help him and couldn’t possibly hurt him. If Dodgers officials ever asked him to go down and work on his swing when he wasn’t hurt, they aren’t admitting it. But this would provide the perfect chance to get him to the minors for a few days … assuming, that is, they do it quickly. The minor-league season ends the first week of September. … The Dodgers’ protest of last Wednesday night’s game in St. Louis was officially denied today by the commissioner’s office. It goes in the books as a loss. But again, that was the result club officials fully expected, so this really isn’t much of a story.