DODGERS NOTEBOOK: ALVAREZ OK IN THE MIDDLE.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

Starting pitchers and relievers have stark differences in the way they approach games, spanning everything from off-day conditioning to pregame stretching. Then there's Wilson Alvarez, stuck squarely in the middle.

Alvarez was brought up as middle-innings insurance when Darren Dreifort's knee injury forced Andy Ashby into the rotation. Alvarez is now in an unofficial competition for the No. 5 starter's spot, although he's in the strange situation of trying to make an impression without regular outings.

If Ashby falters in the early innings Saturday against the Angels, Alvarez will get the call. Should Ashby make it to the seventh, Alvarez won't leave his seat.

``I don't see it like I'm competing,'' Alvarez said. ``Ashby, he deserves to start. He's been here longer than me, and I told (manager Jim) Tracy at the start of spring training that I'd do whatever they wanted me to do. Long reliever, short reliever, I don't care. I'm just here to be part of this team and hopefully to win. That's all I want.''

Alvarez has successfully filled his role so far. In Ashby's first start, Alvarez entered in the fifth inning and allowed two runs on six hits in five innings. A week later, Alvarez allowed one hit in four shutout innings and struck out six.

So if the situation is difficult for Alvarez, a starter for most of his 11-year career, he's not letting on. Alvarez said he treats the start of every long-relief appearance as though he's starting the first inning, and he said he doesn't need to make a start in order to feel important to the team.

``It's been fine,'' Alvarez said. ``I don't know what it's like to be out there to face just one or two hitters and come in with the bases loaded or something like that. I've never done that, so that would be a little different, but coming in in the middle of the game, for four or five innings, that's no problem for me.''

--Injury update: Tracy said Kevin Brown reported no problems with his minor left-groin strain and remains on track to start Sunday against the Angels. Brown is scheduled to throw a between-starts bullpen session, which is not considered important by Brown or Tracy.

``If in fact he's uncomfortable with it, he will shut it off, but he will pitch Sunday,'' Tracy said.

Fred McGriff (strained right groin) missed his fifth consecutive game, but Tracy said he expects McGriff will be available during the next three games and has ruled out putting him on the disabled list. McGriff did some running in the outfield before Thursday's game.

Mike Kinkade, who along with Daryle Ward has been filling in for McGriff, suffered an oblique strain on the right side while running from second base to third in the sixth inning Wednesday night and was unavailable Thursday.

``The good thing for us is that it's on the right side and not his power side,'' Tracy said. ``We'll check and see where he's at (today) because as the (spasms) subside, we'll have a much better idea as to what he's dealing with.''

--No big deal: The Angels come to Dodger Stadium for a three-game series beginning tonight, but Tracy said he doesn't see it as a particularly big deal, even though the Angels are crosstown rivals and the defending World Series champions.

``We don't put any additional emphasis on any one game or series in particular,'' Tracy said. ``That's ludicrous to do that. It's a three-game series against the defending world champions, and that's what it is.''

Rich Hammond, [phone]

rich.hammond(at)dailynews.com

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DODGERS vs. ANGELS

- Rich Hammond, Gabe Lacques