Dodgers: Did a door open for Dee Gordon at shortstop?

By Vincent Bonsignore

GLENDALE, Arizona – The dominos are beginning to fall in the Dodgers infield now that shortstop Hanley Ramirez will be sidelined at least two months with a thumb injury.

Initially it appeared a window opened for Dee Gordon to sneak back into the picture as the regular shortstop, but Dodgers manager Don Mattingly’s first inclination is to slide Luis Cruz from third base to short instead.

When asked Friday if he was disappointed to hear that, Gordon just shrugged it off.

“That ain’t got nothing to do with me, that’s him,” Gordon said. “He’s the manager, I’m just here to play. Whatever he tells me to do I do. If he doesn’t tell me to go out there I don’t. If he tells me I’m part of the nine I’ll go out there and do my thing.”

Cruz, meanwhile, is open to a move back to his natural position after playing third the last two years.

“I just want to be a part of the team and to help the team,” Cruz said.

With 10 days remaining in spring training, though, things can change. And for Gordon that means there is still time to play his way into an every day job – although he steered clear of saying Ramirez’s injury opened a door for him.

“Like I’ve been telling you guys all spring, I’ve just been playing,” Gordon said. “I can’t go off what happened to Hanley, I’m just trying to make the team on my own. I’m just here to play, whatever they need me to do.”

Twitter: @DailyNewsVinny