September 2008 Archives

I want to be careful about reading too much into this. I certainly don't think D-Lowe was trying to rip his old skipper. But it does suggest that Derek's brief stint as a rookie with the Seattle Mariners in 1997 weren't the happiest days of his career.

``My name was `son' in Seattle. That's all he ever called me. You know, I have heard him speak over the years. I think he has changed a little bit. He was extremely tough, I think, on young guys. I was no different. He demanded a lot, and at that part of my career, I couldn't really give what he was demanding.
``I think he is great for veterans. He kind of lets you do your thing. But he is a tremendous manager. You look at what he has done here in the two years, I believe, that he has been here, and ... I think he knows how to push people's buttons. He knows how to get the best out of everybody.
``I wasn't there long enough in Seattle for him to get the best out of me, and ultimately, he traded me. But he is a great manager.''

Both Ned and Joe indicated that they are still working through some things with the roster, and Joe specifically mentioned pitching. It's probably that last spot that initially went to Troncoso. My guess is they might be reconsidering that and thinking of giving it to Proctor or McDonald. The starting lineup for Game 1 is set. It's as follows:

SS Furcal
C Martin
LF Ramirez
RF Ethier
1B Loney
RF Kemp
2B DeWitt
3B Blake
RH Lowe

Joe said the DeWitt-hitting-in-front-of-Blake has more to do with staggering lefty-righty-lefty-righty all the way down from five through eight.

First, here it is. Then, some comments below. Keep in mind, this IS subject to change until tomorrow morning.

PITCHERS
Beimel
Billingsley
Broxton
Kershaw
Kuroda
Park
Lowe
Saito
Troncoso
Maddux
Wade

CATCHERS
Danny Ardoin
Russell Martin

INFIELDERS
Angel Berroa
Casey Blake
Blake DeWitt
Rafael Furcal
Nomar Garciaparra
Jeff Kent
James Loney
Pablo Ozuna

OUTFIELDERS
Andre Ethier
Matt Kemp
Juan Pierre
Manny Ramirez

Scott Proctor lost out to Ramon Troncoso because Joe Torre needed a guy who would warm up, not come in, warm up again and then come in if necessary. Proctor, because of health issues he has had this year, isn't able to do that right now. ... Furcal is the starter at SS for now, unless he has more problems with his back or leg, and Berroa is the backup. But DeWitt will continue to start at 2B with Kent on the bench. ... Juan Pierre is the only LH bat off the bench with Sweeney not making the roster, but Joe reiterated that Nomar and Kent are good enough hitters against right-handers that it shouldn't matter. ... All of this is subject to change for the second round if the Dodgers get there.

Spent a good portion of the day turned sideways in my seat so that I could stick my legs into the aisle, because they simply didn't fit in the tiny little space between my seat and the seat in front of me. And I was one of the lucky ones who HAD an aisle seat. Poor guy next to me, the one stuck in the middle, must have thought I was the most anti-social jerk he had ever seen because I spent the whole flight with my back turned toward him. And that was AFTER the day began with a minor, predawn confrontation at SFO with one of those oh-so-charming TSA agents, some punk kid on a power trip who couldn't have been more than about 22. But hey, after a long, frustrating day, here I am in the Windy City, ready to cover the Dodgers in the playoffs for the third time in the past five years. Weather is nice, but it's supposed to be COLD for tomorrow's workout and both games. Apparently no news of any kind yet, as I haven't received an email from Rawitch. But I'm sure there will be plenty tomorrow, when the Dodgers probably will finalize their roster. I'm staying at O'Hare for this trip, so as I sit here looking out my window at a parking lot and a couple of other airport hotels across the way, I could be in just about any city in America. But I'm heading into the Loop (that's what the locals call downtown) in a few minutes to have dinner with a buddy. The real work begins tomorrow.

These are all EASTERN, so subtract THREE HOURS for Los Angeles time and ONE HOUR for Chicago time. All of this round is on TBS.

Tue. Sept. 30

7:37 pm MIN @ CWS - Tie-Breaker

Wed. Oct. 1

3:07 pm MIL @ PHI (1)
6:37 pm LAD @ CHI (1)
10:07 pm BOS @ LAA (1)

Thur. Oct. 2

2:37 pm AL-C @ TB (1)
6:07 pm MIL @ PHI (2)
9:37 pm LAD @ CHI (2)

Fri. Oct. 3

6:07 pm AL-C @ TB (2)
9:37 pm BOS @ LAA (2)

Sat. Oct. 4

6:37 pm PHI @ MIL (3)
10:07 pm CHI @ LAD (3)

Ned Colletti, who grew up in Chicago and used to take the El to Cubs games at Wrigley, just told us this great story about his Uncle Frank, whom he'll be taking to the games this week. When the Cubs were last in a World Series in 1945 (they lost to Detroit), Ned's dad, who was the seventh of eight kids and was 14 at the time, was about to catch a bus to the nearest El stop the night before the first Series game at Wrigley, along with two of his older brothers and a friend. Their plan was to camp out overnight and buy their tickets the next morning, as soon as the window opened. At the last minute, their youngest brother, Ned's Uncle Frank, came running up the street yelling, ``Wait, I want to go with you guys.'' Frank, who Ned estimates was 10 or 11 at the time, was told that he was too young to tag along. ``They told him, `Frank we promise you that the next time the Cubs are in a World Series, we'll take you with us.'' Sixty-three years later, Uncle Frank is still waiting (although Ned, then the Giants' assistant GM, did take him to some of the 2002 World Series games against the Angels). But Frank is definitely rooting for the Dodgers in this opening-round series with the Cubs. ``Unless (Cubs GM) Jim Hendry is getting him some tickets,'' Ned said. ... Dodgers finish the regular season 84-78 and win the division by two games over the Snakes.

He didn't put himself in it, but he did say he won't be afraid to send either himself or his bench coach, Mark Sweeney, up to pinch hit. Tim Lincecum pitching for the Giants today and trying to cement his Cy Young credentials, so the boys will have their work cut out for them.

Pierre, LF
Ethier, RF
Kemp, CF
Blake, 3B
Loney, 1B
Dewitt, 2B
Berroan, SS
Ellis, C
Kuroda, P

Hong-Chih Kuo was sent for tests after the game, further muddling his chances for making the playoff roster. Joe Torre had intended to bring in Kuo for the ninth inning to test his balky left elbow, but Kuo couldn't get loose in the bullpen, so he was scratched. He then threw in the indoor batting cage and felt better, but the tests are a precaution. Should know more in the morning.
``He just couldn't get a feel for the ball,'' Torre said.
Billy Sadler, the Giants' rookie reliever, just can't stop pumping his fist after striking out Dodgers hitters. You may recall he angered the Dodgers in their previous trip here when he got a little too celebratory after striking out Manny in a key situation. Tonight, he got a little too celebratory after striking out Casey Blake to end the eighth inning with Matt Kemp on third. The result was that both Blake and Kemp said something to him, and Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti reacted to that by running onto the field in the general direction of Kemp, and that caused both benches to momentarily empty. But as is almost always the case when both benches empty, nothing happened and order was quickly restored.
Dodgers go to 84-77 and stay three games ahead of the Snakes, ensuring themselves of winning this truly awful division by at least two games. It occurred to me after the game that these Dodgers, who are division champs, have to win tomorrow in order to finish with the same record as the 2000 Cincinnati Reds, who finished 10 games behind the Cardinals in the Central. The only reason that occurred to me was that was my first year with the first team I covered as a full-fledged beat guy. Also, that was the last time the Reds DIDN'T have a losing season.

This will be in tomorrow's paper, but in case you miss it:

The Dodgers will host a postseason rally for fans on Sunday night at Dodger Stadium. Admission is free, but there is a $2 charge for all Dodger Dogs, sodas, nachos and peanuts. No alcholic beverages will be available. Merchandise commemorating the team's division title and 50th anniversary in Los Angeles also will be for sale.
The event begins at 6 p.m., with the main gate opening at 5 p.m. The entire affair is expected to conclude with the team bus pulling into the parking lot, carrying players back from the airport after the team arrives in Los Angeles.

As we already knew, Derek Lowe and Chad Billingsley will pitch the first two games. As we suspected, Hiroki Kuroda will pitch Game 3. Joe was non-committal on Game 4, but it sounds like Lowe will come back on three days' rest. There would be an off-day before Game 5, so that likely would be Billingsley on regular rest. If Lowe isn't the Game 4 starter, it likely would be Maddux, as Joe confirmed that Kershaw will come out of the bullpen for long relief. ... By the way, Kuo isn't out of the mix yet. He's going to try to pitch an inning tonight, after which a more definitive evaluation will be made. Going to have trouble getting enough innings for everyone tonight. Maddux will start and I'm sure be given the requisite five innings to qualify for the win if he's ahead. Billingsley expected to two innings.

Furcal, SS
DeWitt, 2B
Ramirez, LF
Kent, 1B
Ethier, RF
Martin, C
Kemp, CF
Blake, 3B
Maddux, P

Clinching the division was great and all, but today, the Dodgers announced their all-time Los Angeles team. Here it is, lifted straight from the PR release.

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Dodgers, who have been celebrating their 50th anniversary all season long, unveiled the results of a season-long voting process on dodgers.com that yielded the fans' choice for the All-Time L.A. Dodger team. Voting to find the Los Angeles Dodgers' all-time team began back in September 2007 and concluded nearly a year later, resulting in a team of 15 players, deemed the greatest in the storied history of the franchise since moving west in 1958. The team was revealed to fans in attendance at Thursday night's regular season home finale.

The All-Time Los Angeles' Dodgers team:

FIRST BASEMAN: Steve Garvey appeared in a then-National League record 1,207 games played from 1975-81. Garvey also set the Los Angeles Dodger record for games played at first base (1,672) and won four consecutive Gold Gloves at the position (1974-77) while going a Major League record 193 consecutive games without an error. In 1974, the 10-time NL All-Star won the MVP, hitting .312 with 21 homers and 111 RBI. Garvey had 200 or more hits in six seasons and batted .393 in All-Star Games, while winning the MVP of the Midsummer Classic in 1974 and '78. The current member of the front office won the 1978 NLCS MVP and batted .338 with 11 home runs in 11 career postseason series.

SECOND BASEMAN: Davey Lopes played for the Dodgers from 1972-81. He was a converted center fielder who became part of the Dodgers' record-setting infield for eight and a half seasons along with first baseman Steve Garvey, shortstop Bill Russell and third baseman Ron Cey. Lopes stole 418 bases with Los Angeles, including a career-high 77 in 1975. He won a Gold Glove in 1978 and was a four-time All-Star (1977-81). Lopes hit 98 home runs as a second baseman, which is the most in Dodger franchise history.

SHORTSTOP: Maury Wills began his first tenure with the Dodgers in 1959 and proceeded to make the All-Star team five times over the next eight seasons while taking home the 1962 National League MVP Award. The two-time Gold Glove winner was traded after the 1966 season, but returned to Los Angeles in 1969 and retired a Dodger after the 1972 campaign. Wills stole a then-Major League record 104 bases in '62 and ended up swiping a Dodger record 490 bases, leading the NL for six straight seasons (1960-65). Wills was a member of four National League pennant winners in Los Angeles, including three World Championship teams ('59, '63, and '65) and hit .367 with three stolen bases in the 1965 World Series against Minnesota.

THIRD BASE: Ron Cey started at the hot corner for the Dodgers from 1973-82, finishing sixth in the Rookie of Year Voting in '73. From 1971-85, Cey played in 1,468 games a third base, which is the most in franchise history. Beginning in 1974, Cey made six straight All-Star teams and started the Midsummer Classic in '74, '75 and '77. "The Penguin" led the Dodgers in home runs four times and had career highs of 30 homers and 110 RBI in 1977, finishing eighth in the MVP voting and leading Los Angeles to the NL pennant. In the 1981 World Series, Cey batted .350 with a homer and six RBI, including a key three-run blast at Dodger Stadium in the first inning of Game 3, which jump-started the Dodgers to four straight wins over New York. For his efforts, Cey was named the 1981 World Series Tri-MVP along with Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager.

CATCHER: Mike Piazza was drafted by Los Angeles in the 62nd round of the 1988 First-Year Player Draft, but took the league by storm in his rookie season of 1993. The Pennsylvania native hit .318 with 35 homers and 112 RBI (both Dodger rookie records), made the All-Star team, and was unanimously selected as the NL Rookie of the Year. Piazza also won the Silver Slugger Award, an accolade he would win every full season he finished in a Dodger uniform (1993-97). Viewed by many as the greatest hitting catcher of all-time, Piazza finished second in the MVP vote after the 1996 and '97 seasons and was named the 1996 All-Star Game MVP in his hometown of Philadelphia. In the five full seasons Piazza played for the Dodgers, he averaged 33 home runs and 105 RBI while batting .337. Piazza also set the Los Angeles Dodger single-season mark with a .362 batting average in 1997 and remains the only Dodger to hit a home run completely out of Dodger Stadium during a game.

OUTFIELDER: Rick Monday, a former Arizona State University star and current Dodger broadcaster, played for the Dodgers from 1977-84. His most memorable hit was the ninth-inning home run in Game 5 of the 1981 National League Championship Series at Montreal, which propelled the Dodgers into the World Series. Yet his most memorable moment might have been saving the American flag from being burned by two fans on the field at Dodger Stadium in 1976 when he was an outfielder for the Chicago Cubs.

OUTFIELDER: Reggie Smith, who was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in June 1976, joined teammates Ron Cey, Steve Garvey, and Dusty Baker in 1977 as baseball's first 30-home run quartet. The switch-hitter finished with 314 career home runs, spanning from 1966-82. He was a key member of the 1977 and '78 pennant-winning Dodger teams and the 1981 World Series championship team. Smith was a three-time All-Star in L.A. and finished fourth in the NL MVP voting in both 1977 and 1978.

OUTFIELDER: Duke Snider, inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame in 1980, hit 389 home runs with Brooklyn and Los Angeles between 1947 and '62. He compiled a .300 batting average in 1,923 lifetime games with the Dodgers. Snider also collected the first Dodger hits in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Dodger Stadium. His uniform No. 4 was retired by Los Angeles on July 6, 1980.

STARTING PITCHER: Orel Hershiser, whom manager Tommy Lasorda dubbed "Bulldog," may best be remembered for his 1988 season, when he won the National League Cy Young Award and helped his Dodgers to the World Series championship, going 23-8 with eight shutouts and a 2.26 ERA. That same year, Hershiser spun 59.0 consecutive scoreless innings to break Don Drysdale's Major League record of 58.2 innings. The right-hander burst onto the scene in 1984, when he went 11-8 with eight complete games and a 2.66 ERA to finish third in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting. He followed that up with a solid sophomore season in 1985, going 19-3 with a 2.03 ERA. Hershiser was an NL All-Star from 1987-89, getting the start against the American League in both of the first two years. He finished in the Top 3 in ERA in the NL five times (1984-85, 1987-89), and led the NL in innings pitched three years in a row from 1987-89.

STARTING PITCHER: Sandy Koufax, one of the most dominating pitchers in baseball history, won 165 games and compiled 2,396 strikeouts in 2,324.1 innings during his 12 seasons with the Dodgers from 1955-66. He won the Major League Cy Young Award in 1963, 1965, and 1966, and also earned National League Most Valuable Player honors in 1963. The Brooklyn native led the NL in ERA for five straight seasons from 1962-66, including three seasons with a sub-2.00 ERA. He pitched in four World Series, going a combined 3-1 with a 0.95 ERA in eight games while taking home the championship in 1959, 1963, and 1965. Koufax, a seven-time All-Star, was named World Series MVP in 1963 and 1965. The left-hander tossed four no-hitters during his career, including a perfect game against the Chicago Cubs on September 9, 1965. From 1965-66, his final two years in baseball, Koufax went 53-17 with 54 complete games and 1.89 ERA in 84 games. His No. 32 was retired by the Dodgers in 1972, and he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame that same year.

STARTING PITCHER: Johnny Podres will always be known as the baby-faced kid who defeated the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the 1955 World Series, giving the Brooklyn Dodgers their only World Championship. Podres did, however, pitch eight-plus seasons in Los Angeles as well, helping them win two more World Series titles (1959 and 1963). Podres' best season in Los Angeles came in 1961, the Dodgers' last year playing at the Los Angeles Coliseum, when he won a career-high 18 games. In 1963, Podres pitched Game 2 of the World Series against the Yankees, defeating them 4-1 and helping the Dodgers sweep New York in the Fall Classic. The left-hander was selected to four All-Star Games, all in a Dodger uniform, and he got the start in the second of two 1960 Mid-Summer Classics. Podres also led the NL in 1957 with six shutouts.

STARTING PITCHER: Don Sutton spent 16 of his 23 Major League seasons with the Dodgers, and is atop the franchise's all-time leader board with 233 wins, 550 games, 3,814.0 innings, 2,696 strikeouts, and 52 shutouts. Sutton was a 20-game winner just once in his career, going 21-10 for the Dodgers in 1976, but he did win in double digits for Los Angeles in 15 of his 16 seasons with the team. He would also average close to 230 innings pitched per season while with the Dodgers. He also tossed 156 complete games in a Dodger uniform. Sutton was a member of five pennant-winning Dodger teams in 1966, 1974, 1977, 1978, and 1988. He was a four-time All-Star for the Dodgers, and he pitched in three World Series in Dodger Blue (1974, 1977, 1978). Sutton also led the National League with a 2.20 ERA in 1980, and he had an NL-best nine shutouts in 1972. His No 20 was retired by the Dodgers in August 1998, just one month after he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

STARTING PITCHER: Fernando Valenzuela exploded onto the scene with his rookie campaign in 1981, becoming the first pitcher to win the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards in the same season. He also started for the National League in the All-Star Game that year. Fernandomania swept the country during that strike-shortened season of 1981, as the 20-year-old from Sonora, Mexico, went 13-7 with eight shutouts and 11 complete games to help the Dodgers to a World Series championship. Valenzuela spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Dodgers, earning All-Star honors for six years in a row from 1981-86 and winning a career-high 21 games in '86. On June 29, 1990, the current Dodger broadcaster tossed a no-hitter at Dodger Stadium against the St. Louis Cardinals.

RELIEF PITCHER: Eric Gagné was the most dominating relief pitcher in baseball over three seasons, saving 52, 55 and 45 games in 158 chances (96.2 %) from 2002-04. Gagné won the 2003 National League Cy Young Award with an amazing 1.20 ERA while going a perfect 55-for-55 in save opportunities. Most impressively, his consecutive saves streak of 84 games, which lasted from Aug. 14, 2002 until July 3, 2004, set a Major League record that may not ever be broken. Gagné also spawned a ninth-inning Dodger Stadium phenomenon, as the Dodger faithful couldn't wait until the first few guitar licks from "Welcome to the Jungle" were played so they could stand up and scream while the Canadian closer charged in from the bullpen to electronic signs that proclaimed "Game Over." Gagné's 161 saves as a Dodger are first in franchise history.

The 2008 season marks the 50th anniversary of the Dodgers' move to Los Angeles. All year long, the club has celebrated their golden anniversary with fans around the world through a series of historical, cultural and promotional events that are unique to Los Angeles and honor the legacy of the franchise and its players and the loyalty of Dodger fans.

It's extremely late. I'm extremely tired. And this game meant extremely nothing. I promise to blog more tomorrow. If you care, Dodgers fall to 83-77, their first two-game losing streak since their eight-game losing streak. Snakes won, so they pull within ... oh, forget it.

Furcal, SS
Dewitt, 3B
Ramirez, LF
Kent, 2B
Ethier, LF
Loney, 1B
Pierre, CF
Ardoin, C
Lowe, P

Furcal, SS
DeWitt, 3B
Ramirez, LF
Ethier, RF
Loney, 1B
Pierre, CF
Ozuna, 2B
Ardoin, C
Lowe, P

Actually, it's pretty well in full swing already. By the time I got to the clubhouse, the smell of champagne already permeated everything. Joe Beimel just told Patrick O'Neal, in an interview broadcast on the DodgerVision board, that the Dodgers ``can definitely win it all.'' The revelry has now spilled from the clubhouse onto the field, giving a chance for the fans who stuck around to join in. Manny Ramirez and Pablo Ozuna just emptied the contents of whatever they could find in the clubhouse -- boxes of sunflower seeds, tubs of bubble gum, whatever -- onto the folks in the front row. Frank McCourt, who earlier today stressed the importance of the Dodgers actually taking this thing a step farther this year than they did in 2004 and 2006, is now on the big board getting doused by Matt Kemp and Pablo Ozuna. Frank just said, ``It's great to have a guy like Ned with the temperament that he has.'' Read into that whatever you will. If you care, Dodgers fall to 83-76 and still lead the newly eliminated Snakes by four games.

... have yet to be finalized, or at least if they have been finalized, no one is talking. Greg Maddux was scratched tonight in favor of Eric Stults, and you're smarter than I am if you can figure out what any of this means: Maddux is now starting Saturday, with Billingsley coming in behind him, and Kuroda is pitching Sunday. It is clear that D-Lowe and Billingsley are the starters for Games 1 and 2, respectively. It would SEEM that Kuroda is now the starter for Game 3. Torre said he might go with three starters because there is a second off-day on Oct. 6, which is between Games 3 and 4. But even then, Lowe would have to start Game 4 on three days' rest, so they might end up going with Maddux in Game 4. Also, don't forget Kershaw. Joe SAID that he hasn't ruled out Clayton as a starter, and Ned Colletti said he is comfortable with Kershaw pitching throughout the playoffs.

That would be your Dodgers. The clincher wasn't that exciting, no walkoff grand slam by Steve Finley or anything like that. It happened just now, when the Diamondbacks lost to the Cardinals. Dodgers won't even take the field for almost five hours. It will be interesting to see what kind of lineup Joe sends up against Jake Peavy tonight. But it really doesn't matter how the Dodgers did it. The fact is, they did it, for the first time in four years and for the 10th time since the inception of divisional play in 1969, and it can be argued that none of the previous nine were as tough as this one. It was less than a month ago, after all, that the Dodgers were all but written off. They had lost eight in a row, including the first game of a critical, three-game series at Arizona, and they were 65-70 and going nowhere. And now, here they are, ready to douse each other with champagne after tonight's game, win or lose. Joe Torre has now won 12 of these things as a manager (10 with the Yankees, one with the Braves and one here), and I can't imagine any of the previous 11 were as challenging or as gratifying as this one will be. It's anyone's guess at this point how long the Dodgers will last in the playoffs. At this point, it's anyone's guess, who they'll play in the first round. But considering where they came from, the simple fact that they have gotten here makes this a season no one will forget anytime soon.

NOW are you starting to smell it? I'm just wondering about that sellout crowd that is coming to (they hope) watch the boys clinch tomorrow night. What happens if the boys clinch before the gates even open? The Snakes play at 11:15 our time. That game will be over around two-ish, which is FIVE HOURS before the Dodgers even take the field. Talk about anticlimax. What we learned after the game is that there will be NO team watch party at the stadium. Everybody will just arrive at the usual time. If the Snakes lose, thus clinching the title for the Dodgers, the Dodgers will save their celebration for AFTER their game with the Pods. Except that I'm guessing (Torre didn't say this, I'm just guessing) that if the Snakes lose, the Dodgers will throw something akin to a spring-training split-squad lineup out there against Jake Peavy, which means there is a good chance the Dodgers will lose. And then, after losing, they will go to the clubhouse and douse themselves with champagne. Talk about double anticlimax. What I DID learn after the game is that division title or no, the annual rookie hazing will go on as scheduled for tomorrow night's flight to San Francisco. I'm sworn to secrecy on what the costumes are going to be, but let's just say it's an eclectic mix. The veterans found a costume rental place in South Pas that was going out of business, so they loaded up. ... Dodgers go to 83-75 and, if you care, now lead the Snakes by four games with four to go. Tonight will NOT be the Dodgers' last home game of the year. The only way they can blow this now is to lose out while the Diamondbacks win out, then lose to Arizona in a one-game playoff on Monday night at Chavez Ravine, hence at least one more home game.

This clears a 40-man spot for Furcal. Not a huge surprise, as Penny wasn't expected to pitch again anyway, even in the playoffs. Torre said he'll ease Furcal in, probably finding an innocuous situation for him the first time plays (think the late innings of last night's game, when the Dodgers had a nine-run lead). Asked him whether Furcal could start a game and play nine innings, and Joe was non-committal. Said he would have to see how things went.

Nothing has been announced yet, but his name appears as a reserve on the lineup card posted in the Dodgers' clubhouse. He is coming off the 60-day disabled list, which means a corresponding 40-man roster move will have to be made. When he gets into a game, it will be the first time since May 5. He was scratched from the lineup just before game on May 6 with lower-back tightness that eventually required surgery. He was hitting .366 at the time. ... By the way, James Loney has won this year's Roy Campanella Award as the Dodgers' ``most inspirational'' player.

Loney sitting against the lefty for the second game in a row

Kemp. CF
Martin. C
Ramirez. LF
Ethier. RF
Garciaparra. 1B
Blake. 3B
DeWitt. 2B
Berroa. SS
Kershaw. LHP

Torre's lineup switcheroo obviously worked. Matt Kemp, the new leadoff guy, drew a walk, had two hits and scored a run. Russell Martin, the new No. 2 guy, had two hits, one of them a double, drew two walks and scored a run. Manny Ramirez, who was supposed to benefit from having Andre Ethier hitting behind him, apparently did, doubling in two runs in the first. Nomar and Blake DeWitt each hit three-run HRs. Oh, and the Snakes lost. Let the handwringing come to crashing halt. The Dodgers are 82-75, their lead is a safe three games and their magic number is three, with five to go. Are you starting to smell it yet?

The owner showed up for batting practice today. Not sure why. Didn't get a chance to ask him, because I knew he had to run for a conference call about two minutes after I got him, and there were more important questions I wanted to ask him. The big one, of course, was the one I knew he wouldn't answer: Given the way the team has surged into first place, can you say definitively that you plan to bring back all of your key personnel next season? I didn't specify anyone by name, but Frank knew I was talking about Ned Colletti. Anyway, here is his (non) answer
``It would be such a distraction to everybody and everything if I were to engage in any conversation about that right now. That totally misses the point. Right now, the focus is on playing baseball games and winning.''
Read into that whatever you will. And comment as you wish.

Oh, btw, the lineup switcheroo had more to do with protecting Manny because Loney has been struggling hitting behind him, so Joe wanted to put Ethier there. Joe gave us some convoluted answer as to why he dropped Martin to No. 2, saying he is a good leadoff hitter because he draws a lot of walks, which is true, and then saying that batting second won't be that different. My guess is the REAL reason is by putting Kemp in the leadoff spot, with Martin, Manny and Ethier behind him, it might mean Kemp gets better pitches to hit and thus won't strike out as much by chasing pitches out of the zone. Kemp is one strikeout shy of tying the club record, and that's for Brooklyn AND Los Angeles.

Russ is 1 for 11, but with a bunch of walks mixed in there. Matt Kemp is 1 for 9 over his past two games, but the one hit was a home run. Not sure what Joe's thinking is here, but I'm sure one of us will ask him. Loney is 0 for 3 against Wade LeBlanc, small sample size, so he's probably just sitting because LeBlanc is a lefty. Ethier drops to cleanup, so we'll see if Ramirez helps Martin as much as he helped Ethier.

Kemp. CF
Martin. C
Ramirez. LF
Ethier. RF
Garciaparra 1B
Blake. 3B
DeWitt. 2B
Berroa. SS
Billingsley. P

Yes, the momentum has dramatically shifted in the N.L. West. Yes, the Diamondbacks have won seven of their past eight games. Yes, they have gained 2 1/2 games on the Dodgers in the past six days. But no, the Dodgers are not on the verge of blowing this. That isn't to say they couldn't still blow it. They definitely could. But the sky isn't falling just yet. The fact is, the Dodgers still have a two-game lead with six to go, which means they remain firmly in command of this race. If the Dodgers simply play .500 baseball the rest of the way, which means going 3-3, the Diamondbacks will have to go 6-0 to win the division by Sunday or 5-1 and then win a one-game playoff on Monday at Dodger Stadium (where the Snakes have lost six of nine this year). The Dodgers do have to face Jake Peavy and Tim Lincecum. But it's still going to take one of the biggest collapses of all-time for this to get away.

This thing is a long, long way from being over. The Snakes have won six of seven, including today, when they pounded the Rockies. The Dodgers have lost three of five. The Snakes went 19 consecutive days without gaining ground in the standings. Now, they have gained two games on the Dodgers in the past five days. This is going to be a race, after all, and if the Dodgers end up blowing it, they'll remember today's first inning, when they loaded the bases with nobody out and couldn't score, for a long time. Dodgers didn't have a baseruner over the final five innings of this 11-inning game. Dodgers fall to 81-75, their lead over the Snakes slips to 2 1/2 games, and their magic number stays at five. Dodgers off tomorrow, Snakes begin a four-game set at St. Louis. That will even out the number of games played between the two clubs and eliminate that annoying fraction at the end of the margin.

This is the what I like to see, the same eight guys batting in the same order every day. Of course, this isn't every day. It's just two days in a row. And in this day and age, that's about as close as you're going to get.

Martin. C
Ethier. RF
Ramirez. LF
Loney. 1B
Blake. 3B
Kemp. CF
DeWitt. 2B
Berroa. SS
Lowe. RHP

After today, your favorite ballyard up at the top of Chavez Ravine will be the third-oldest park in Major League Baseball. There will be Fenway Park, which opened in 1912. There will be Wrigley Field, which opened in 1914. And there will be Dodger Stadium, which opened in 1962. No one comes here and talks about ghosts or history or legends or wonders what would happen if ``these walls could talk.'' It isn't especially intimidating or awe-inspiring. But in a subtle, classy, understated way (the only way Walter O'Malley would have wanted it, presumably), this place has become a classic. Other than a few tweaks here and there, it really hasn't changed much since it opened -- although it figures to change plenty over the next couple of winters, when Frank McCourt plans to radically overhaul the look of the backdrop beyond the bleachers. But no one in Los Angeles is screaming for a new yard, and to Frank's credit, he isn't whining that the place is hopelessly outdated (even if, in many ways, it is). Here's hoping for another 20 or 30 years (at least). Maybe by then, the place will have a few ghosts.

Glad I wasn't covering tonight. This was four hours and three minutes of non-stop fun. But if you looked closely enough, hidden somewhere behind the 15 walks (including four with the bases loaded, two by each team) and the 22 runners left on base, there were two HRs and five RBI by Manny Ramirez and a two-run HR by Matt Kemp. Ugly as it was, it's a W for the boys, and a big one at that. First of all, it clinches at least a .500 season, and in this division this year, that's no small accomplishment. Second of all, it keeps their lead over the Snakes at 3 1/2 (Arizona won at Colorado) and shaves the magic number to five. Meanwhile, the Phillies leapfrogged the Mets into first place in the N.L. East. Unless something changes dramatically, whoever wins that division will play the Dodgers in the first round.

The Dodgers officially activated Jeff Kent. Torre says he will be a pinch hitter and that Blake DeWitt will remain the everyday 2B. Dodgers get the best of both worlds that way, with DeWitt's superior range in the middle of the infield and Kent's bat a dangerous weapon off the bench. Joe said if Kent reaches base, there will be a pinch runner inserted for him. ... Torre also said Brad Penny is now ``out of the mix.'' After getting that cortisone shot in his AC joint yesterday, Brad tried to throw today and felt discomfort. Torre also said it would be ``tough'' to add Penny to the postseason roster if, in fact, there is one. Too early to tell how all of this will affect the club's decision whether to exercise Penny's contract option ($9.25 million).

Torre going with the basic eight guys tonight, along with Kuroda. Rich Hammond covering tonight, not Doug Padilla as I reported here yesterday.

Dodgers:

Martin. C
Ethier. RF
Ramirez. LF
Loney. 1B
Blake. 3B
Kemp. CF
DeWitt. 2B
Berroa. SS
Kuroda. RHP

Not much point in rehashing what took place other than the fact that Greg Maddux lost to the Giants for the first time since May 9, 2003. Since then, he had been 7-0 in 13 starts against them. The Dodgers fell to 80-74, but they maintained their 3 1/2-game lead over the Snakes, who lost at Colorado, and the Dodgers' magic number shrank to six. ... By the way, if you were here tonight, you were probably handed, as you walked into the park, this ridiculous little piece of useless garbage that was a full-color flip-photo book (54 pages) of Kirk Gibson's HR, because as we all know, that thing isn't celebrated nearly enough around here. The booklet was supposed to serve as a reminder to vote in this year's election and to promote the fact you can register here at the stadium. The promotion was sponsored by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. If you look inside the front cover, you see it printed in plain English: Paid for with Federal Help America Vote Act Funds. Yep, your tax dollars at work. There was a crowd of 55,589 here tonight, so I'm guessing if you walked through the now-empty stands at Dodger Stadium, you would find approx. 55,562 of these things laying in the aisles. Wonder how much each one of them cost to print. Oh, and don't forget, the guy hitting that home run that everybody around here still fawns over 20 years later is now the bench coach for the team that is trying to catch the Dodgers in the N.L. West.

He might be slightly banged up from yesterday's football-style collision at the plate with Nyjer Morgan, the same guy who was giving him a ride back to the team hotel two nights earlier. He is taking BP as I write this, so he'll probably be back in there tomorrow. BTW, Padilla covering the next two games, so probably light blogging. After that, you're stuck with me every night for the rest of the season, however long that turns out to be.

Kemp. CF
Ethier. RF
Ramirez. LF
Blake. 3B
Loney. 1B
DeWitt. 2B
Berroa. SS
Ardoin. C
Maddux. RHP

Got an email from the Dodgers within the past hour stating that tonight's game and tomorrow's game are sold out and that fewer than 5,000 tix are left for Sunday, which is Fan Appreciation Day. Just an FYI.

Craig Hansen, one of the guys the Buccos got from the Red Sox in the Manny trade, faced four batters in the 12th and walked three of them (the second one was intentional). He then handed it off to T.J. Beam, who inherited a no-win situation with the bases loaded and one out. He got two strikes on James Loney, and Loney took a perfect two-strike swing, lining an opposite-field single to put the Dodgers in front. Jonathan Broxton walked a couple in the bottom of the inning, too (also one intentional), but stranded the tying run on third when he got Jason Michaels to pop up, ending a 7-3 homestand for the boys. Play of the game came in the bottom of the 10th. With runners on first and second and one out, Michaels hit a shot off Chan Ho Park's glove. Park recovered quickly and would have had a play at second if anyone was there, which no one was. But Park threw it anyway, and a heads-up play by Blake DeWitt -- who later said he should have been covering the bag because Chin-lung Hu had gone to his right to field the carom -- made a diving stop behind the bag. Seeing Nyjer Morgan rounding third, DeWitt then got up and threw him out at the plate, catcher Russell Martin making a nice pick of the short-hop throw and withstanding a thunderous collision with the charging Morgan to make the tag. ... Dodgers go to 80-73. Snakes play late tonight, but at the very least, the magic number goes to seven. Snakes going for the four-game sweep of the Giants, but they have to face Tim Lincecum.

Here's the official release, just sent out by the club, on what was reported here yesterday.

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced their seven minor league affiliates for the 2009 season, which will include the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts and the Rookie-level Arizona League Dodgers. The announcement was made by Dodger Assistant General Manager, Player Development De Jon Watson.
The Triple-A farm club of the Dodgers makes a return to Albuquerque, where their top minor league affiliate was previously housed from 1972-2000, producing such talent as Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero, Orel Hershiser, Davey Lopes, Mike Marshall, Pedro Martinez, Mike Piazza, and Bill Russell. The club's Double-A affiliate, the Albuquerque Dodgers, played there from 1963-71 before becoming the Dukes and moving to the Pacific Coast League.
The Dukes won eight PCL championships under such well-known managers as Tommy Lasorda (1972), Del Crandall (1980-82), Terry Collins (1987), Kevin Kennedy (1990), and Rick Dempsey (1994), while the Albuquerque Dodgers won Texas League titles under Roy Hartsfield (1965), Duke Snider (1967) and Crandall (1970).
Since the Dodgers were last affiliated with Albuquerque, the Isotopes have built a new stadium, Isotopes Park, which is one of the finest facilities in minor league baseball, and saw a franchise record 593,606 fans visit in 2008.
"We're very excited to be returning to Albuquerque," said Watson. "Their top-notch facility will undoubtedly help us develop future Dodgers and their fans have been following this franchise for many years."
The Dodgers' new Double-A home will be in Chattanooga, TN following eight seasons in Jacksonville, FL. The Lookouts, who play their home games at AT&T Field, had previously been affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds.
"Our move to Chattanooga will continue to help bring all of our affiliates closer to home," said Watson. "We look forward to making an impact throughout the city as our minor league players continue to hone their skills en route to the big leagues."
Single-A Inland Empire and Single-A Great Lakes return for their third seasons, respectively, as Dodger affiliates while the Rookie-level Ogden Raptors remain in the fold for their seventh consecutive season.
The Dodgers' entry in the Gulf Coast League will move to the Arizona Rookie League and be named the Arizona League Dodgers. The franchise will continue to field a team in the Dominican Summer League based in Santo Domingo.
All field personnel at the minor league level in 2009 will be announced at a later date.

Martin, C
Ethier, RF
Ramirez, LF
Blake, 3B
Loney, 1B
Kemp, CF
DeWitt, 2B
Berroa, SS
Kershaw, P

Because I know many of you are going to ask, we (I) did ask Joe Torre about removing Scott Proctor in the seventh inning. For those who weren't watching, Proctor had retired all five batters he had faced in what was now a 7-7 game, and Torre brought in rookie lefty Scott Elbert, who came on with two outs and nobody on, walked the first batter he faced and wound up allowing four runs without recording an out.

Here is what Joe said:

``The guy comng up (Nate McLouth) had hit 26 home runs, 23 of them against right-handers. I felt pretty good about that situation. We thought we were set up for that line of hitters, but it just didn't work out. (Elbert) just tried to overthrow the ball.''

Nomar's knee isn't as bad as it originally looked, but he'll miss at least a day or two. He said he fully expects it to feel a lot worse tomorrow. But he also said he thinks the injury is limited to the MCL, the same injury that resulted in the most recent of his DL stints this season. He wouldn't guess as to how long it will keep him out, but given that the Dodgers aren't expected to try to re-sign him this winter, I supposed it's possible he has played his last game for them. But again, he didn't sound like a guy whose season just ended, so we'll see. ... Dodgers fall to 79-73. Snakes are leading the Giants 7-3. If they win, it will be the first time they have gained ground on the Dodgers in the standings since Aug. 29, the day they handed the Dodgers their eighth consecutive defeat in the opener of a three-game series at Chase Field.

He ``reinjured'' his left knee when he rounded third base, tried to stop and fell to the ground, writhing, in the fifth inning. He was down for a long time, but he wound up walking off the field under his own power. He definitely won't have to be DL'd for what would have been the fourth time this season because this is the expanded-roster period. But that doesn't mean he'll play again anytime soon. I'll try to get more details after the game.

Every once in a while, while blogging, I still fall back into writing-for-the-newspaper mode, which means tomorrow is today. So, to clarify, those minor-league affiliations are expected to be announced TOMORROW, not today.

Three Dodgers players -- catcher Russell Martin, reliever Joe Beimel and outfielder Delwyn Young -- were briefly detained by Pittsburgh Police officers around midnight following Tuesday night's win over the Pirates, along with Pirates outfielder Nyjer Morgan. The four left a restaurant-bar across the street from the ballpark with the intention of Morgan giving the Dodgers trio a ride back to the team hotel. No sooner had Morgan driven his SUV out of an adjacent parking lot when he was pulled over, the probable cause being that his window tinting allegedly was too dark to conform with code. All four players were ordered out of the vehicle and told to set on a curb while the officers searched the vehicle, which also had temporary license plates because Morgan had recently purchased it. After several minutes, and after Morgan showed police the required paperwork to go with his temporary plates, the matter was cleared up and the four were allowed to leave. All four players said today that the matter was no big deal. Morgan, who is black, and Martin, who is biracial, both hinted at possible racial profiling. But when asked directly if they believed such profiling had taken place, both players said no. Morgan and Young have known each other since they met in Major League Baseball's offseason Rookie Development Program in Washington a few years ago. Martin was with Morgan and Young. Beimel was in the restaurant having dinner with his parents but had caught a ride back to the hotel with the other three.

The Dodgers are expected to annonce today that they have signed two-year player-development agreements with two new minor-league affiliates. At the Triple-A level, the club is switching its affiliation from Las Vegas, where it has been for the past eight seasons, back to Albuquerque, N.M., where it was continuously from 1972-2000. At the Double-A level, the Dodgers are moving from Jacksonville, Fla,, to another unnamed Southern League market, believed to be Chattanooga, Tenn., which has been affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds for the past 21 seasons. Most of the Dodgers' other minor-league affiliations -- high Single-A Inland Empire (San Bernardino) of the California League, low Single-A Great Lakes (Midland, Mich.) of the Midwest League and Rookie-level Odgen, Utah, of the Pioneer League -- are expected to stay the same. Because they are moving their spring-training operations from Vero Beach, Fla., to Glendale, Ariz., the Dodgers' other Rookie-level affiliate will be moved from the Gulf Coast League to the Arizona League

Martin, C
Ethier, RF
Ramirez, LF
Blake, 3B
Garciaparra, 1B
Kemp, CF
Ozuna, 2B
Berroa, SS
Billingsley, P

It's tentative, so I wouldn't go booking any family vacations around this. One thing has already changed since we started digging for this info a few weeks ago. That season-opening series at San Diego is now a three-gamer, not a four-gamer. I don't know about you, but I CAN'T WAIT for that two-game exhibition series with the Brewers just before opening day. Man, Dodger Stadium is going to be ROCKIN' those days.

Date Day Opp. First Pitch

March 21 Saturday WBC Semifinals TBA
March 22 Sunday WBC Semifinals TBA
March 23 Monday WBC Final TBA

April 2 Thursday LAA (exh.) 7:10 p.m.
April 3 Friday MIL (exh.) 7:10 p.m.
April 4 Saturday MIL (exh.) 7:10 p.m.
April 5 Sunday @ SF (exh.) 1:10 p.m.
April 6 Monday @ SD 4:05 p.m.
April 8 Wednesday @ SD 7:05 p.m.
April 9 Thursday @ SD 12:35 p.m.
April 10 Friday @ ARI 5:40 p.m.
April 11 Saturday @ ARI 4:10 p.m.
April 12 Sunday @ ARI 12:10 p.m.
April 13 Monday SF 1:10 p.m.
April 15 Wednesday SF 7:10 p.m.
April 16 Thursday SF 7:10 p.m.
April 17 Friday COL 7:10 p.m.
April 18 Saturday COL TBA
April 19 Sunday COL TBA
April 21 Tuesday @ HOU 5:05 p.m.
April 22 Wednesday @ HOU 5:05 p.m.
April 23 Thursday @ HOU 5:05 p.m.
April 24 Friday @ COL 6:05 p.m.
April 25 Saturday @ COL 5:05 p.m.
April 26 Sunday @ COL 12:05 p.m.
April 27 Monday @ SF 7:15 p.m.
April 28 Tuesday @ SF 7:15 p.m.
April 29 Wednesday @ SF 7:15 p.m.
April 30 Thursday SD 7:10 p.m.

May 1 Friday SD 7:10 p.m.
May 2 Saturday SD TBA
May 3 Sunday SD TBA
May 4 Monday ARI 7:10 p.m.
May 5 Tuesday ARI 7:10 p.m.
May 6 Wednesday WSH 7:10 p.m.
May 7 Thursday WSH 7:10 p.m.
May 8 Friday SF 7:10 p.m.
May 9 Saturday SF TBA
May 10 Sunday SF TBA
May 12 Tuesday @ PHI 4:05 p.m.
May 13 Wednesday @ PHI 4:05 p.m.
May 14 Thursday @ PHI 10:05 a.m.
May 15 Friday @ FLA 4:10 p.m.
May 16 Saturday @ FLA 3:10 p.m.
May 17 Sunday @ FLA 10:10 a.m.
May 18 Monday NYM 7:10 p.m.
May 19 Tuesday NYM 7:10 p.m.
May 20 Wednesday NYM 7:10 p.m.
May 22 Friday LAA 7:10 p.m.
May 23 Saturday LAA TBA
May 24 Sunday LAA TBA
May 25 Monday @ COL 12:05 p.m.
May 26 Tuesday @ COL 5:35 p.m.
May 27 Wednesday @ COL 12:05 p.m.
May 28 Thursday @ CHC 5:05 p.m.
May 29 Friday @ CHC 11:20 a.m.
May 30 Saturday @ CHC TBA
May 31 Sunday @ CHC 11:20 a.m.

June 1 Monday ARI 7:10 p.m.
June 2 Tuesday ARI 7:10 p.m.
June 3 Wednesday ARI 7:10 p.m.
June 4 Thursday PHI 7:10 p.m.
June 5 Friday PHI 7:10 p.m.
June 6 Saturday PHI TBA
June 7 Sunday PHI TBA
June 9 Tuesday SD 7:10 p.m.
June 10 Wednesday SD 7:10 p.m.
June 12 Friday @ TEX 5:05 p.m.
June 13 Saturday @ TEX 5:05 p.m.
June 14 Sunday @ TEX 12:05 p.m.
June 16 Tuesday OAK 7:10 p.m.
June 17 Wednesday OAK 7:10 p.m.
June 18 Thursday OAK 7:10 p.m.
June 19 Friday @ LAA 7:05 p.m.
June 20 Saturday @ LAA 6:05 p.m.
June 21 Sunday @ LAA 12:35 p.m.
June 23 Tuesday @ CWS 5:11 p.m.
June 24 Wednesday @ CWS 5:11 p.m.
June 25 Thursday @ CWS 11:05 a.m.
June 26 Friday SEA 7:10 p.m.
June 27 Saturday SEA TBA
June 28 Sunday SEA TBA
June 29 Monday COL 7:10 p.m.
June 30 Tuesday COL 7:10 p.m.
July 1 Wednesday COL 12:10 p.m.
July 3 Friday @ SD 7:05 p.m.
July 4 Saturday @ SD 4:05 p.m.
July 5 Sunday @ SD 1:05 p.m.
July 7 Tuesday @ NYM 4:10 p.m.
July 8 Wednesday @ NYM 4:10 p.m.
July 9 Thursday @ NYM 4:10 p.m.
July 10 Friday @ MIL 5:05 p.m.
July 11 Saturday @ MIL 4:05 p.m.
July 12 Sunday @ MIL 11:05 a.m.
July 13 Monday ALL-STAR BREAK
July 14 Tuesday ALL-STAR GAME @ STL
July 15 Wednesday ALL-STAR BREAK
July 16 Thursday HOU 7:10 p.m.
July 17 Friday HOU 7:10 p.m.
July 18 Saturday HOU TBA
July 19 Sunday HOU TBA
July 20 Monday CIN 7:10 p.m.
July 21 Tuesday CIN 7:10 p.m.
July 22 Wednesday CIN 7:10 p.m.
July 24 Friday FLA 7:10 p.m.
July 25 Saturday FLA TBA
July 26 Sunday FLA TBA
July 27 Monday @ STL 5:15 p.m.
July 28 Tuesday @ STL 5:15 p.m.
July 29 Wednesday @ STL 5:15 p.m.
July 30 Thursday @ STL 5:15 p.m.
July 31 Friday @ ATL 4:35 p.m.

August 1 Saturday @ ATL 4:10 p.m.
August 2 Sunday @ ATL 10:35 a.m.
August 3 Monday MIL 7:10 p.m.
August 4 Tuesday MIL 7:10 p.m.
August 5 Wednesday MIL 7:10 p.m.
August 6 Thursday ATL 7:10 p.m.
August 7 Friday ATL 7:10 p.m.
August 8 Saturday ATL TBA
August 9 Sunday ATL TBA
August 10 Monday @ SF 7:15 p.m.
August 11 Tuesday @ SF 7:15 p.m.
August 12 Wednesday @ SF 12:45 p.m.
August 14 Friday @ ARI 5:40 p.m.
August 15 Saturday @ ARI 4:10 p.m.
August 16 Sunday @ ARI 12:10 p.m.
August 17 Monday STL 7:10 p.m.
August 18 Tuesday STL 7:10 p.m.
August 19 Wednesday STL 7:10 p.m.
August 20 Thursday CHC 7:10 p.m.
August 21 Friday CHC 7:10 p.m.
August 22 Saturday CHC TBA
August 23 Sunday CHC TBA
August 25 Tuesday @ COL 5:35 p.m.
August 26 Wednesday @ COL 5:35 p.m.
August 27 Thursday @ COL 12:05 p.m.
August 28 Friday @ CIN 4:10 p.m.
August 29 Saturday @ CIN 4:10 p.m.
August 30 Sunday @ CIN 10:10 a.m.
August 31 Monday ARI 7:10 p.m.

September 1 Tuesday ARI 7:10 p.m.
September 2 Wednesday ARI 7:10 p.m.
September 3 Thursday ARI 7:10 p.m.
September 4 Friday SD 7:10 p.m.
September 5 Saturday SD TBA
September 6 Sunday SD TBA
September 7 Monday @ ARI 11:40 p.m.
September 8 Tuesday @ ARI 5:40 p.m.
September 9 Wednesday @ ARI 5:40 p.m.
September 11 Friday @ SF 7:15 p.m.
September 12 Saturday @ SF TBA
September 13 Sunday @ SF 1:05 p.m.
September 14 Monday PIT 7:10 p.m.
September 15 Tuesday PIT 7:10 p.m.
September 16 Wednesday PIT 12:10 p.m.
September 18 Friday SF 7:10 p.m.
September 19 Saturday SF TBA
September 20 Sunday SF TBA
September 22 Tuesday @ WSH 4:05 p.m.
September 23 Wednesday @ WSH 4:05 p.m.
September 24 Thursday @ WSH 4:05 p.m.
September 25 Friday @ PIT 4:05 p.m.
September 26 Saturday @ PIT 4:05 p.m.
September 27 Sunday @ PIT 10:35 a.m.
September 28 Monday @ PIT 9:35 a.m.
September 29 Tuesday @ SD 7:05 p.m.
September 30 Wednesday @ SD 7:05 p.m.

October 1 Thursday @ SD 7:05 p.m.
October 2 Friday COL 7:10 p.m.
October 3 Saturday COL TBA
October 4 Sunday COL TBA

At one point tonight, the roughly 57 people sitting in a section of roughly 1,500 seats in the leftfield corner started serenading Manny Ramirez with chants of ``WHOO-pee GOLD-berg (clap, clap, clap-clap-clap) WHOO-pee GOLD-berg (clap, clap, clap-clap-clap).'' And that was about the most interesting thing that happened in this one, other than Casey Blake falling a double short of hitting for the cycle just two days after his back tightened up on him and forced him out of a game and one day after Joe Torre insisted that he sit out one more game as a precaution. Another solid outing for D-Lowe, another standup effort by the bullpen and another big game at the plate for Manny, who matched Blake with three hits. But the Pirates are BAD. A while back, even before the Dodgers lost eight in a row in late August, some in the media (myself included) began pointing to the season-ending schedule, and how it strongly favored the Dodgers over the D-backs. Well, I hate to say I (WE) told you so, but that is what has come to pass in the N.L. West. Give the Dodgers credit, though. These are games they HAVE to win, and they are winning them. ... Dodgers go to 79-72, first time this year they have been seven over. 500. Seven UNDER .500 was their low-water mark, back on June 15 after they had been swept in Detroit. Snakes lead the Giants 1-0 in the third, but at the very least, the Dodgers have trimmed their magic number to eight.

Pierre drops to seventh because Torre said he didn't want to mess with the Martin-Ethier combo at the top. He also said Matt Kemp remains his primary CF and will play the next two games against Pirates lefties Zach Duke and Paul Maholm.

Martin, C
Ethier, RF
Ramirez, LF
Loney, 1B
Blake, 3B
DeWitt, 2B
Pierre, CF
Berroa, SS
Lowe, P

Juan Pierre's HR, a solo shot off Marino Salas in the sixth inning, was his first since he hit three for the Chicago Cubs in 2006, the last of which came on Sept. 18 of that year. He had gone 281 games and 1,070 at-bats without one. Hiroki Kuroda was working on a gem when he was lifted after seven shutout innings and just 83 pitches, but Torre wanted to get Takashi Saito and Brad Penny in for an inning apiece. Dodgers go to 78-72 and shave their magic number to nine. Snakes tied with the Giants in the fourth.

Casey Blake still has soreness in his back, but Joe Torre said he hopes Blake will be back in the lineup tomorrow. Andre Ethier is flying here, but Joe wasn't sure when he was due to arrive and wasn't counting on having him available off the bench tonight. ... By the way, as one of you pointed out in an email, I wrote in today's paper that unless something changes dramatically, the Dodgers will play the Cubs in the first round of the playoffs. Well, something has changed dramatically. The Phillies have caught the Brewers in the wildcard race, a fact that cost Ned Yost his job today. If the Dodgers win the West and the Phillies win the wild card, the Dodgers will begin the postseason right where they began it two years ago, at lovely Shea Stadium against the Mets. And if you believe in momentum, that now appears to be the most likely scenario.

Martin, C
Pierre, CF
Manny, LF
Loney, 1B
Garciaparra, 3B
Kemp, RF
DeWitt, 2B
Berroa, SS
Kuroda, P

... but the Dodgers haven't been rained out all year, so why start now? It's really not that gray, just enough white clouds to block out the sun, with some blue sky peeking through the cracks. I mentioned this last year, but it bears bringing up again: PNC Park might be the most beautiful spot in the majors, even on a cloudy day like today, and even when it's mostly empty, which I'm guessing it will be tonight. This isn't really a baseball town, which is a shame, because they have a beautiful ballpark. The entire Pittsburgh skyline forms a panoramic backdrop beyond the outfield and across the Allegheny River, with the Roberto Clemente Bridge and an identical bridge a block to the North (I believe that one is just called the Seventh Avenue bridge, but don't quote me on that) in the middle. ... By the way, Cory Wade now has the second-longest streak of batters faced without giving up a hit (24) in the majors -- second only to Carlos Zambrano, who you may have heard threw a no-hitter yesterday.

Casey Blake's sixth-inning departure was because of mild tightness in his lower back. He was removed for precautionary reasons, to make sure it didn't turn into something major, but he declined to predict whether he'll play tomorrow night. The guess here is that he won't, as almost every big-league manager I have ever been around generally gives a guy one extra day just to make sure. ... The loss notwithstanding, it was another good day for the Dodgers' unsung heroes. Two more shutout innings, perfect ones in fact, for Cory Wade. And two more hits for Angel Berroa, whose season has turned into a remarkable comeback story. ... Dodgers fall to 77-72. Reds and Snakes are tied in the seventh inning.

Funny exchange in Torre's pregame. One of us asked if Martin would have rested anyway even if it wasn't for the fact he had a career .059 average (1 for 17) against today's Rockies starter, Aaron Cook. Torre responded by saying, ``Good, then I look really smart.'' He later admitted that he hadn't even looked at the numbers. Russ was getting the day off. ... I also asked Torre whether he could define a role for Jeff Kent when he returns -- i.e., everyday second baseman, extra bat off the bench, etc., and he said he couldn't. ``That wouldn't be fair for him or the team to make an appraisal now,'' Torre said, and he later added, ``I think it's hard to believe he would be ready to go out there and play nine innings.'' The prediction here: Kent will come off the bench if he comes back at all. DeWitt brings a lot more range to the position, and the lineup is producing right now like it hasn't all season.

Pierre, CF
Kemp, RF
Ramirez, LF
Loney, 1B
Blake, 3B
DeWitt, 2B
Berroa, SS
Ardoin, C
Maddux, P

Takashi Saito warmed up during the top of the ninth, but Joe Torre opted for Jonathan Broxton in the bottom of the ninth. A four-run lead has to be looked at like a save situation in this park, and Joe said that this late in the year and with this much at stake, he is looking at a four-run lead in the ninth like a save situation in ANY park. Said Saito would have come in, the chilly, rainy weather notwithstanding, if the Dodgers had scored another run or two in the ninth. Dodgers go to 77-71, a season-high six games above .500. Snakes are up 2-1 in the eight, but at worst, the Dodgers will shave their magic number to a dozen.

Every time I try to predict a roster move, I'm always wrong. Maybe I should just stop. This clears a 40-man spot for Takashi Saito, who was just activated. Andruw is still having trouble with his right knee, which he hurt when he stepped in a hole while with Las Vegas on a minor-league rehabilitation assignment. He'll play winter ball in the Dominican with three goals in mind, in chronologically order: first, get the knee healthy; second, get into better shape; third, when all that is done, get his swing right. I guess if there were a fourth thing, it would be forget that 2008 ever happened.

Turns out there is a very legitimate reason for his not being in the lineup tonight. He has left the team to be with his wife, who is giving birth (or has already given birth) to the couple's first child. The club had been expecting him to leave for a couple of days whenever the time came. For some reason, Andre told club officials that all they could say was that he had left the team for personal reasons. Not sure I understand that one. I have always believed the single greatest gift we're ever given in this lifetime in becoming parents. Some people who are in the public eye like to keep their personal lives as private as possible, and that's completely understandable. But to say a guy left the team for personal reasons carries a lot more intrigue than just saying a guy left because his wife was going into labor. Whatever.

Can't figure this one out, to be quite honest. Hottest player in baseball not in the lineup. Unless he just needs a rest. Dodgers ara facing a lefty, and Ethier hitting just .244 against lefties for the season, but they faced a lefty last night, too, and Ethier played. The most interesting thing here is that Pierre is playing but not leading off. I'm not 100-percent sure about this, but I believe it's the first time he has batted second behind anyone other than Furcal this year.

Martin, C
Pierre, CF
Ramirez, LF
Loney, 1B
Blake, 3B
Kemp, RF
DeWitt, 2B
Berroa, SS
Kershaw, P

In a coin flip, that is. They held the official coin tosses at the commissioner's office today. If the Dodgers and Diamondbacks tie for the N.L. West crown, the one-game playoff between the two clubs will take place at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 29. Heaven forbid they would ever let something like head-to-head results decide these matters. Dodgers won the season series with the Snakes 10-8. But the only reason they're getting homefield advantage for the one-game playoff is that somebody in New York threw a coin in the air and it landed in the Dodgers' favor. ... Feels a little like a high school football game here at Coors tonight. The air is crisp and autumn-like, and we're all bundled up. Shaping up to be a long night. Only in the top of the third and already at 49 minutes.

I'm sure it's because they're facing a lefty, Jeff Francis, and Loney is 1 for 15 with 5 Ks against him

Martin, C
Ethier, RF
Ramirez, LF
Blake, 3B
Garciaparra, 1B
Kemp, CF
DeWitt, 2B
Berroa, SS
Billingsley, P

Some interesting Manny stuff from today's Dodgers game notes, the daily packet of info that is given to the media by the PR staff. Just for kicks, I looked up Possum Whitted on baseball-reference.com. He was a versatile guy, mostly an outfielder but also played at least 41 career games at each of the four infield spots. He was also a member of the 1914 Boston Braves, who staged one of the biggest World Series upsets of all time by beating the heavily favored (and much better) Philadelphia A's. He died in 1962 at age 72.

Here's the stuff:

► Ramirez has 14 homers and 40 RBI in his first 38 games with the Dodgers. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he is the first mid-season acquisition to collect 14 homers and 40 RBI in his first 40 games with a new team since 1949, when Hank Sauer had 15 home runs and 47 RBIs in his first 40 games with the Cubs after coming over in a mid-June trade from the Reds.
► Ramirez has a .396 batting average, the second-highest average for any midseason acquisition since 1900 (minimum 80 PA). The top mark was set by Cesar Cedeno with the 1985 St. Louis Cardinals (.434). Oscar Gamble (.389, 1979 Yankees) and Possum Whitted (1919 Pirates) are tied for third on the list. Source: STATS, LLC

The Dodgers have named James McDonald as their minor league pitcher of the year and infielder Ivan DeJesus Jr. as their minor league player of the year. It's a repeat honor for McDonald, a 23-year-old Long Beach native who went 7-4 with a 3.26 ERA in 27 games (26 starts) combined for Double-A Jacksonville and Triple-A Las Vegas this season. DeJesus, 21, led the Double-A Southern League with a .419 on-base percentage and ranked fifth with a .324 batting average.

Here's a link to the Dodgers' press release.

Derek Lowe is fine. He was lifted as a precaution after he was hit on the back of the right leg by that line drive, but Torre said that was going to be his last inning anyway. He is expected to make his next scheduled start on Tuesday night at Pittsburgh. ... Brad Penny's line looked awful, but it wasn't as bad as it seemed. In his first appearance since Aug 13 and only the third relief appearance of his career, Penny faced three batters, didn't record an out and left with the bases loaded. But his only real gaffe was a leadoff walk. Neither of the two hits he gave up were hit hard. ... Manny Ramirez's two-homer game was the 52nd multiple-homer game of his career, his third this season and his second for the Dodgers. The remarkable thing about it, though, was that both of his shots were to one of the deepest nooks in one of the most pitcher-friendly ballparks in the league, and both of them shot out of the place like they had been fired from a cannon. The ball just looks different coming off this guy's bat. ... Dodgers go to 75-71, move 3 1/2 ahead of the Snakes and shave that magic number to 14. ... I'm traveling tomorrow, then spending the evening with my daughter in Colorado. Barring a major development, don't expect to hear from me until Friday.

That's if he doesn't have any setbacks. Along with his surgically repaired back, he is battling some tightness in his left hamstring now, too. He took batting practice on the field today for the first time, hitting against Saito in the simulated game, and said afterward that it felt great to be out there doing it, but that his swing didn't feel right, which is to be expected. Furcal also said he doesn't want to be a distraction to the team by trying to play on an everyday basis when he isn't sure he would be able to, so he'll do whatever Torre wants him to in a reserve role. ... Torre didn't rule out the possibility that Brad Penny could be used in the playoff rotation if there IS a playoff rotation. Said he could use Brad for two innings out of the bullpen now, so there is still time to stretch him out of Torre and Honeycutt decide to do that.

Here's the lineup

C Martin
RF Ethier
LF Ramirez
3B Blake
1B Loney
CF Kemp
2B DeWitt
SS Berroa
RH Lowe

That's the way it looked from up here, anyway. ... Another perfect day in San Diego (is there any other kind of day in San Diego?). Ran into Manny Ramirez and Pablo Ozuna at the Westfield Horton Plaza today. No one seemed to be bothering them, although they were leaving when I saw them, so I'm not sure their entire shopping experience went unimpeded. ... Snakes are down a run to the Giants in the eighth inning. If that holds up, the Dodgers' magic number will be shaved to 15 before they even take the field. ... Brad Penny expected to be activated today.

Dodgers are starting to look like destiny's darlings, with Andre Ethier leading the charge. The rap against this guy his first two years was that he wasn't very good in September. This year, he is 18 for 28, with 10 extra-base hits, in September. If long division isn't your thing, that's a .643 batting average for the month. Tonight, he had a double, a triple and a walk in five plate appearances. This from a guy who came into this year batting .198 for his career from Sept. 1 on. More importantly, in improving to 74-71, the Dodgers opened up their biggest lead yet on the Snakes, who rallied a couple of times -- including from two runs down in the ninth -- only to lose to the Giants on a walkoff hit in the bottom of the ninth. Dodgers now have a 2 1/2-game cushion. It's way too early to start talking about magic numbers. But if it wasn't too early, the Dodgers' magic number would be 16. ... Andruw Jones was true to form in his return to the lineup tonight, going 0 for 4 with two strikeouts, and the only reason he didn't GIDP in the sixth was that the relay throw was off-target. He made up for that, though, by getting thrown out trying to advance on a wild pitch that wasn't really a wild pitch. Kind of renders my question to Torre pregame, the one about whether Andruw can work his way back into the everyday lineup, a tad moot.

Matt Kemp has been a little overanxious lately, so Joe decided to give Andruw a look. Asked Torre if Andruw could work himself into an everyday role in what little time there is left to the season. He didn't say yes, but he didn't say no. ``I would have to figure how who the (heck) doesn't play,'' Torre said. ``(But) I hope it does take place, because that would mean we have an extra body who could help us.'' Oh, Nomar is playing first tonight, too, with Loney sitting.

C Martin
RF Ethier
LF Ramirez
1B Garciaparra
3B Blake
CF Jones
2B DeWitt
SS Berroa
RH Kuroda

Forgot to mention this in any of my previous posts today, but Andre Ethier was named the N.L. Player of the Week today (he actually shared the award with Houston's Roy Oswalt). For the week, Ethier led the majors in average (.650), OBP (.741) and slugging (1.200). He kept it up tonight by going 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles and is now batting .500 (21 for 42) in the 11 games since Joe Torre moved Manny Ramirez into the spot directly behind Ethier in the order. Hey, if Jeff Kent doesn't like Manny getting the credit for helping him get hot, then somebody else will be happy to hit there. ... Don't worry about tonight. Yes, the Dodgers are supposed to beat teams like the Padres, especially when they're fighting for a playoff spot. But every once in a while, you just run into a pitcher like this. Cha Seung Baek was all but unhittable tonight, shutting out the boys on three hits over seven innings. And every once in a while, that unhittable pitcher is the same guy you rocked for seven runs over 3 2/3 innings just six days earlier. Dodgers fall to 73-71, but in this crazy division, that's still good enough for a 1 1/2-game lead over the Snakes.

Jason Schmidt will have arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder on Wednesday to clean up scar tissue that was preventing him from getting over the top enough in his delivery and also to repair ``arthritic changes in the AC joint.'' He will begin rehabbing several days after the surgery and resume throwing within six weeks. More importantly, he is expected to be ready by the start of spring training, which already puts him ahead of where he was at this point a year ago. ... Jeff Kent is NOT traveling with the team, and no, it isn't because no one wants him around. It's because Dr. Neal ElAttrache didn't want him traveling so soon after the knee surgery. He is back in Los Angeles. Torre said there is a chance he could join the club at some point on the trip.

Don't have a lot of details, but it sounds like a minor cleanup. Should get all the info when we meet with Torre around 5:15. Here's tonight's lineup:

Martin, C
Ethier, RF
Ramirez, LF
Loney, 1B
Kemp, CF
Blake, 3B
DeWitt, 2B
Berroa, SS
Maddux, P

He just finished. Don't have any details or what it means for his return, but everything looked fine from up here. Guessing he'll come back in a few days and contribute out of the bullpen. The guys who hit off him are still down there, taking early BP with Mattingly pitching. It's a perfect day in San Diego, a slight chill coming off the harbor so it might get cool during the game, but the sky is cloudless and Petco Park is looks great in the afternoon shadows -- certainly better than the team that plays here every night. But the Dodgers, as hot as they are and as easy as their schedule appears to be the rest of the way, still have to actually beat them.

Saito's simulated game went really well. He'll throw another one either Tues. or Wed. and probably be activated Friday. And Rafael Furcal did the most he has done, taking ground balls and running. Said he felt great afterward, but also cautioned that it's goig to be more about how he feels tomorrow.

Martin. C
Ethier. RF
Ramirez. LF
Loney. 1B
Blake. 3B
Kemp. CF
DeWitt. 2B
Berroa. SS
Kershaw. LHP

Turns out the Las Vegas Review-Journal DID have the Dodgers-might-vacate story the same day the LV Sun had it. Again, my apologies, this time to Todd Dewey, the R-J reporter who had the story. ... After FURTHER investigation, it appears that all of this is related to the fact the Diamondbacks are moving their Triple-A affiliation from Tucson to Reno, which wasn't a Triple-A market before. I'm told Tucson is bracing for the possibility of no longer being a Triple-A market now,but I'm also told the Giants are considering moving there, which would open up Fresno. But it sounds like the most likely scenario for the Dodgers is that they will end up back in Albuquerque, where they were for almost 30 years before switching their affiliation to Vegas in 2001. New stadium there, with all the amenities and all that. But none of this is going to be resolved before Sept. 15.

Manny Ramirez didn't seem to be around after the game, this after he hit his 521st career home run to tie Willie McCovey, Frank Thomas and Ted Williams for 17th place on the all-time list and drove in five runs to give him 1,706 for his career, putting him 20th on the all-time RBI list ahead of Reggie Jackson (1,702) and Frank Thomas (1,704). It wasn't a big deal that he wasn't around. He's a nice enough guy, but he's fairly useless as an interview, and I'm guessing that's by design. Sure is entertaining to watch him play, though. ... Dodgers are in first place alone for the first time since April 4, when they were 3-1 and had a half-game lead for all of one day. They are not 72-70 for the season, leading the Snakes by a half-game. ... Dodgers have drawn 17 walks, three of them intentional, in the first two games of this series. What this proves is that they are working counts relentlessly. They chased Dan Haren after four innings and 82 pitches, then ran Brandon Webb out of the game after 5 2/3 and 100 pitches.

First of all, let me set the record straight on one thing: when I first referenced this on this blog a couple of days ago, I credited the Las Vegas Review-Journal for the story in which Las Vegas 51s owner Don Logan said he felt the Dodgers were looking to move their Triple-A affiliation elsewhere. It was actually the Las Vegas Sun that had the story, a reporter named Ron Kantowski in Wednesday's edition, so I apologize to him and his paper for the error. ... Now, after looking into this myself, I'm finally starting to get some information, albeit in dribs and drabs. Turns out, though, that Don Logan ISN'T just trying to light a fire under the Dodgers to get them to hurry up with an inevitable renewal of their player-development contract with his club. Turns out, that renewal isn't inevitable at all, and the Dodgers ARE at least open to the possibility of moving, and Mr. Logan is correct in his assessment that this is based on his club having a subpar facility. At any rate, the Dodgers won't make a decision until AFTER Sept. 15, when a couple of clubs are expected to announce new affiliation agreements. Once the Dodgers see what other Triple-A markets are available -- the Marlins are expected to vacate Albuquerque, and there is a possibility the Giants are leaving Fresno for Tucson -- they will make a decision. The club also is believed to be looking to move its Double-A affiliation out of Jacksonville, Fla., strictly for proximity reasons. But the problem with that is that there are no Double-A teams west of El Paso, Texas.

By the way, here's the link to that story in the Sun.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/sep/03/51s-may-end-month-orphans/

They're waiting to see whether Casey Blake can throw across the diamond. You will recall he was hit by a pitch on the right biceps last night. He is batting fifth. If he can't go Nomar will play 3B and bat fifth.

In his past two starts, Derek Lowe has pitched 14 shutout innings, all against the Snakes, and allowed a TOTAL of six hits. Over his past five starts, he is 3-1 with a 1.02 ERA (four runs, 35 1/3 innings). This guy has survived the late stages of a playoff race before and emerged from it doused with champagne. That experience makes him an absolutely critical piece for the Dodgers, who improved to 71-70 and moved within a half-game of the Snakes and now appear to have momentum squarely on their side in this division race. And if Lowe is down to his final few weeks with the Dodgers, he is at least making them count. On the flip side, in Dan Haren's past two starts, both against the Dodgers, he has allowed 10 earned runs on 16 hits over 11 innings. Tonight, he was gone after four. ... Andre Ethier went 5 for 5 tonight, falling a triple short of the cycle -- and no, that probably wouldn't have been a triple if he had kept running in the sixth inning instead of pulling up and not getting back to the bag in time. Even if he makes it to third, it's a double and an error. Ethier did drive in five runs, and he now is batting .733 (11 for 15) for the homestand. He also has a five-game hitting streak, during which he is batting a less-impressive .650 (13 for 20).

Don't get excited about that, either. It's only their likenesses, posted on the leftfield wall at AT&T Park this weekend. The Giants, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of their move from New York, have been honoring all their former players this season on a decade-by-decade basis, posting photos of eight players from each decade out there, and they are up to this decade now. (What do you call this decade, anyway? Is it the ZERO's?) The other players are Kirk Rueter, Robb Nen, Omar Vizquel, Rich Aurilia, J.T. Snow and some guy named Bonds.

But don't get excited. It's only Pablo Ozuna, whom they DFA'd last week. They purchased his contract and cleared a 40-man spot by placing Mario Alvarez on the 60-day DL. And I BELIEVE this is the first time this season, spring training and regular-season combined, that I have ever typed the name Mario Alvarez. If you didn't know, he's a pitcher. We don't even know what's wrong with him yet, but Rawitch is trying to find out.

We got an official explanation for flipping Kershaw and Maddux in the rotation, although the key word here is ``official.'' Joe said Clayton pitched so well on Tuesday night against the Pods (seven-plus innings, three runs on three hits) that he is being kept on an every-fifth-day schedule and that the Diamondbacks' additon of Adam Dunn and the recent hot-hitting of Stephen Drew mean it might behoove the Dodgers the use their only LH starter in this series. The unofficial reason? Not sure, but it could have something to do with Kershaw being a better pitcher right now. ... Saito's simulated game will be either postgame tomorrow or pregame Sunday, and the second one will be Tuesday. ... Furcal is here and rehabbing, but not close to returning. ... Jeff Kent is going on the trip with the team. Not sure why. He can't play before Sept. 14, and even if he does come back, it isn't likely to be before the start of the next homestand on Sept. 19. I guess they're taking him along for what he brings to the clubhouse. ... Blake hitting cleanup tonight. ... There you go Jayrew.

C Martin
RF Ethier
LF Ramirez
3B Blake
1B Loney
CF Kemp
2B DeWitt
SS Berroa
RH Lowe

This just came from the club. If there are no lingering effects, he'll throw the first of two simulated games on Saturday.

Takashi Saito threw 32 pitches in his bullpen session this morning (both fastballs and curveballs). He did not report any problems following the outing.

A couple of you have written in response to a Las Vegas Review-Journal story in which 51s owner Don Logan says he half expects the Dodgers to end their player-development agreement with his club. I looked into this matter this morning, and while I have very little concrete information, it sounds like there isn't a lot of there there. Major League Baseball strictly prohibits clubs from talking about PD agreements while they're still pending, so it was like getting water of a rock. But it SOUNDS like Don Logan was only trying to light a fire under the Dodgers, trying to get them to hurry up and renew the agreement, which is about to expire. But I'm guessing this relationship is too beneficial to both sides for it to fall apart -- certainly much more beneficial to the Dodgers than Albuquerque would be, which is where Logan implied the Dodgers are likely headed. The sticking point APPEARS to be the Vegas facility, which I believe is the oldest in the PCL. Having gone there a couple of years ago, I can vouch for the fact it's a tad inadequate. Logan implies in the story that the Dodgers want a better Triple-A facility, which they can get in Albuquerque. Logan also might be trying to pressure the Dodgers into helping fund a stadium or an upgrade to Cashman Field, something they;re not willing to do at this point. ... Not sure if this was reported yet, but Greg Maddux has been pushed back one day in the rotation and will now pitch on Monday at San Diego instead of Sunday against Randy Johnson in Arizona. Clayton Kershaw gets that game. In a strange way, this signifies a generational changing of the guard in baseball. Biggest series of the year, and the future Hall of Famer with 354 wins gets pushed out to make room for the highly touted 20-year-old with three career wins. But if you have watched these two guys pitch lately, this isn't exactly a reach.

Torre said he will be available only in an emergency and that he still feels some soreness in his back. But he was walking around the clubhouse after batting practice and seemed to have a bounce in his step. So hopefully, he'll recover quickly.

Not sure why, since Loney is sizzling, but he drops to fifth

Martin, C
Ethier, RF
Ramirez, LF
Blake, 3B
Loney, 1B
Kemp, CF
DeWitt 2B
Berroa, SS
Kuroda, P

In case you haven't memorized all the stats by now, the paragraph below, which I lifted from the official release sent out by MLB, recites them all. Not a bad first month in the senior circuit.

The right-handed hitting slugger batted .415 (44-for-106), with seven doubles, nine home runs, 25 RBI and 21 runs scored in August. He led the N.L. in batting average and ranked second in hits, tied for second in home runs and was third in RBI. The 36-year-old left fielder recorded a hit in 24 of 29 games played, including 12 multi-hit performances. Ramirez collected two hits on seven occasions, had a pair of three-hit games and three four-hit games during the month (August 3rd vs. Arizona, August 29th and August 30th at Arizona). His back-to-back four hit games marked the first time in his career that he accomplished that feat. The 12-time All-Star homered in consecutive games on August 2nd and 3rd vs. Arizona, and again on August 6th and 7th at St. Louis. On August 30th at Arizona, Ramirez recorded the 51st multi-home run game of his career with two home runs and also collected his 500th career double. The Santo Domingo

Juan Pierre's injury doesn't appear to be serious, but we won't know for sure until tomorrow. It was a lower-back issue, apparently a spasm, that he had never experienced before. ... Takashi Saito was moved to the 60-day DL after the game to clear a 40-man roster spot for A.J. Ellis, whose contract was, as you read on this blog earlier tonight, purchased from Las Vegas. But Saito had been on the 15-day since July 18 (retro to July 13), so he'll be eligible to be activated a week from Thursday, which is an off-day. That potentially could mean he is ready to pitch on Sept. 12 at Colorado, putting him right on track for what Joe Torre told us earlier today that the plan for Saito would be over the next few days. ... Someone asked Clayton Kershaw after the game what he did during his three-night stay in Las Vegas, when he was ``optioned'' there to clear a roster spot in between major-league starts. He said he didn't do much. ``I'm only 20,'' he said, ``so I didn't do too much.'' ... Dodgers go to 69-70 and move within 1 1/2 of the Snakes.

That will complete the Dodgers' list of September callups, with Clayton Kershaw having been added tonight after a demotion to Las Vegas that lasted all of four days between scheduled starts for the big club. Not sure how they're going to clear a 40-man spot for Ellis. The roster became full again when Scott Proctor came off the 60-day DL.

This automatically makes his a nominee for the national award, which was last won by a Dodgers player in 1981 (Steve Garvey). This is a really big deal, because it speaks to a player who realizes the importance of giving back.

Here's the official release that was just sent out by the club

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Major League Baseball announced today that first baseman James Loney was named the Dodgers' recipient of the 2008 Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevy. He is now one of 30 Major League Club nominees for the national 2008 Roberto Clemente Award, which is given annually to the Major League Baseball player who combines outstanding skills on the baseball field with devoted work in the community. Tomorrow will mark the seventh annual Roberto Clemente Day, which was established by Major League Baseball in 2002 to honor the memory of Roberto Clemente and to officially recognize local Club recipients of the Roberto Clemente Award.
The Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevy is named for the 12-time All-Star and Hall of Famer who died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. The award perpetuates Clemente's legacy and character by recognizing current-day players who truly understand the value of helping others.
Loney's work in the community this season has been highlighted by his commitment to the local Los Angeles chapter of Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI), a program that seeks to provide area youth an opportunity to play baseball and softball in an organized league, and is fully supported by MLB and the Los Angeles Dodgers. In June, Loney, an RBI alumnus, launched his "Loney's Lounge" program, where 40 kids from RBI Los Angeles attended a video game party with the first baseman and several of his teammates in the Dodger Stadium Baseline Club. All the youngsters were also treated to tickets for the afternoon game that day, lunch, and a t-shirt. Subsequently, the "Loney's Lounge" community program took place four more times through the season and culminates tonight. The program provided exclusive Baseline Box Club Seats, a meet and greet with Loney, and "Loney's Lounge" t-shirts for youngsters from RBI Los Angeles.
In addition to his work with RBI, Loney participated in the Dodgers' Community Caravan to kick off the season and attended the RBI Hall of Fame dinner, where he was honored as one of the stars of the future. During the season, the Houston, TX native took part in the Dodgers' Youth Baseball camp, where he talked to more than 140 campers. Additionally, Loney, on his accord, visited Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA in July and met with kids in the pediatric ward at White Memorial Hospital in East Los Angeles during the month of August. His activities didn't stop there, as the Dodger first baseman also spent time at City of Hope Hospital, Washington Accelerated Elementary, Panda Inn, and City Walk at Universal Studios for a variety of community events.
Loney also co-hosted the Dodgers Dream Foundation Bowling Extravaganza at Lucky Strike Hollywood on August 18. A portion of the proceeds from that evening went to the Mattel Children's Hospital and in addition to inviting his teammates, coaches and celebrities to the event, Loney bowled with the youngsters from Mattel throughout the evening.
Fans can once again participate in the selection process of the national winner of the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevy. From September 3 through October 5 fans are encouraged to log on to www.chevy.com/clemente and vote for one of the 30 Club nominees.
"I applaud the 2008 Club winners of the Roberto Clemente Award for their performance on the field as well as their commitment to the community," said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. "For the second season, Chevy will join us to remember the life and work of Roberto Clemente, and recognize this group of 30 players who represent the game of baseball, both on and off the field, in the spirit of this Award."
As the official sponsor of the Roberto Clemente Award, Chevy will donate $7,500 to the charity of choice of each of the 30 Club recipients. Loney has chosen the Union Rescue Mission in Los Angeles and there will be a special check presentation on the field tomorrow evening before the Dodgers game with the Padres at Dodger Stadium. Union Rescue Mission is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the poor and homeless. Established in 1891, URM is one of the largest rescue missions of its kind in the United States and is the oldest in Los Angeles. Chevy will also be making a $30,000 donation to the charity of choice of the national Roberto Clemente Award winner and a $30,000 contribution to Roberto Clemente Sports City, a not-for-profit organization in Carolina, Puerto Rico.
Former Dodger great Steve Garvey was the National Roberto Clemente Award winner in 1981 and is the only player to win the National Award while with the Dodgers.

They didn't find anything they knew wasn't in there during today's 20-minute surgical procedure, and he'll be able to start rehab immediately. Meanwhile, they continued to listen to music in the clubhouse pregame -- LOUD music. Anyway, Stan Conte said that there is a precedent for players undergoing Kent's surgery and coming back in two to three weeks, but no one is guaranteeing anything. ... Takashi Saito threw two-seam fastballs off a mound and will incorporate curveballs when he goes off a mound again on Thursday. If that goes, well, he'll throw a simulated game on Saturday, then another simulated game next week, then be activated. Torre said that when Saito is activated, he likely will make one appearance in an innocuous situation just to get used to competition again. But Torre seemed to say that after that, he would be perfectly comfortable with Saito closing again.

Here's the lineup. Kemp is out because Torre said he looks overanxious. He is 1 for 11 since his HR on Saturday at AZ. Berroa starting in place of Nomar for the sixth time in the past nine games. Torre basically acknowledged, without saying it in so many words, that Angel will play until he cools off.

Pierre. CF
Ethier. RF
Ramirez. LF
Loney. 1B
Martin. C
Blake. 3B
DeWitt. 2B
Berroa. SS
Kershaw. LHP

On my way out of the baggage claim when I arrived home yesterday, I picked up a copy of the inaugural edition of LAX Magazine, dated Summer 2008. On the cover was a smiling, black-and-white photo of Joe Torre. So this morning, I finally got around to opening it up to read the story, which actually included the following quote from Joe:

``We have a very good division here because of all the teams that have won or are close to winning.''

So I'm wondering, when did this thing actually go to press? That interview HAD to have taken place in April (and judging by the accompanying photo, which shows Torre and a cuople of his coaches bundled up in jackets during a pregame national anthem, it was back when the weather was still chilly). But it got me to thinking that last winter, I actually thought the same thing. I thought the NL West was going to be the best division in baseball, with four teams capable of reaching the World Series. So I'm interested in hearing from you: how many of you thought the same thing?

Joe Torre did say that if someone got on a run, he was going to ride it out. I don't know if you would call what Berroa is on a ``run,'' but he does have eight hits in his past 22 ABs, which is a mile better than Nomar (3 for 28) at this point.

Martin. C
Ethier. RF
Ramirez. LF
Loney. 1B
Kemp. CF
Blake. 3B
DeWitt. 2B
Berroa. SS
Maddux. RHP