DODGERS NOTEBOOK: 1ST-BASE BUNCH LACKING PUNCH.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

Adrian Beltre is hitting. Mark Grudzielanek is hitting. Even Marquis Grissom, playing in place of Brian Jordan in left field, is giving more depth to the lineup.

But as Dodgers manager Jim Tracy searches for other missing pieces to his lineup, he sees an offensive hole at first base. Since the All-Star break, Tracy has used four starting first baseman - Eric Karros, Tyler Houston, Dave Hansen and Mike Kinkade - as his quest for production from that spot continues.

The quartet is batting .261 with no homers and 17 RBI since the break, and Tracy said he will manage Karros' at-bats in the final six weeks of the season.

``I have a very concrete idea from day to day as far as where I'm going with our lineup,'' Tracy said. ``You deal with the situations as they come.''

That situation saw Karros sit for the fourth time in eight games Thursday in the series finale against hard-throwing Marlins right-hander Josh Beckett. Left-handed batting Tyler Houston started and went 1 for 4 in the 6-2 victory.

Houston is batting .276 with four RBI when playing first. Karros has nine RBI since the break, but Tracy said he expected Karros to play each of the three games this weekend against Atlanta.

--Jordan decision forthcoming: A lack of a capable replacement at the minor-league level and a belief Jordan's painful back could loosen in the next day or so has kept the Dodgers from putting their left fielder on the 15-day disabled list. But that remains an option, Tracy said.

A frustrated Jordan missed his fifth consecutive game, and the pain from a protruding disc in his back kept him out of the lineup for 11th time in 12 games.

``It hasn't gotten any worse and it hasn't gotten any better,'' Jordan said. ``The subject of another shot has come up, but it's not something I'm willing to do, nor do I want to do. I did it in '97 - I took two epidural shots - and nothing changed.''

Jordan said he was uncertain whether he could play this weekend against Atlanta.

``I'm not going to force it, because it's my back; that's career-threatening,'' Jordan said. ``I'm not going to take the chances of ruining the rest of my career. A knee, I can play with a knee, but a back, not when you try to twist or swing.''

--Brown's answer quest: Dodgers right-hander Kevin Brown has allowed four earned runs in five innings of relief since returning from the disabled list. He continues to search for answers as to why he is not as effective as before June 11 back surgery.

``Mechanically, I don't have any problems,'' said Brown, who has a 7.20 ERA in relief. ``I've tried all kind of stuff mechanically, and I don't feel that's an issue. It's a matter of when it gets right, it gets right. I can't do anything more than I'm doing. I worked my (butt) off and I'm going to keep working my (butt) off, and when it happens, it happens.

``I would say it probably has something to do with having surgery and the fact that before I had the surgery, the stuff was there.''

--Scully to return soon: Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully missed his second consecutive broadcast because of a viral infection, but he could be back in the booth tonight for the series opener against Atlanta on Channel 13, Dodgers senior vice president Derrick Hall said.

``I spoke to Vin (Thursday) morning and he was feeling better,'' Hall said. ``He hopes to be back (today), but we don't want to rush him, because we want him back for the rest of the season. It's nothing to worry about.''

--Odds and ends: Right-hander Giovanni Carrara (forearm strain) will throw a simulated game today. He can be activated from the disabled list Monday. ... Tickets remain for this weekend's series against Atlanta, which will feature the return of Braves left fielder Gary Sheffield. Dodgers officials believe Saturday could sell out shortly. ... Mikki Hoffman, mother of Dodgers third-base coach Glenn Hoffman, accepted the Little League Parents of the Year Award from former President George Bush and wife, Barbara. The award, given to Mikki on behalf of her and her late husband, Eddie, was presented at an awards breakfast. Mikki and Eddie were deeply involved at various levels of Northwest Anaheim Little League

DODGERS vs. ATLANTA

Time: 7:10 p.m., Dodger Stadium.

TV/Radio: Ch. 13, TBS; 1150-AM, 1330-AM (Spanish).

Matchup: Dodgers LH Odalis Perez (11-8, 3.12 ERA) faces his former teammates for the second time since his offseason trade from the Braves. Perez allowed one run in eight innings in winning May 8 in Atlanta, but victories have been hard to come by lately. Perez is 1-1 in his past four starts despite a 2.17 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 29 innings. He is seventh in the league in ERA. Braves RH Greg Maddux (11-5, 2.63) is second in the league in ERA but has a 4.00 ERA in his past three starts. He is 10-5 with a 2.78 ERA in his career against the Dodgers. Saturday - Dodgers RH Andy Ashby (9-9, 3.46) vs. Braves LH Tom Glavine (16-6, 2.65); Sunday - Dodgers LH Kazuhisa Ishii (13-8, 4.05) vs. Braves LH Damian Moss (7-5, 3.31).

- Brian Dohn

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DODGERS vs. ATLANTA (see text)