DODGERS NOTEBOOK: DODGERS HOPE TO PACE JORDAN.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

Brian Jordan's left knee was hurting. He played nine high-impact innings the night before and had a 14-hour turnaround from the conclusion of one game and the start of the next.

Jordan, on his own torrid streak and responsible for protecting Shawn Green in the batting order Wednesday, could last only into the sixth inning of the Dodgers' 4-3 victory over Milwaukee before the discomfort became unbearable and he had to leave the game.

This is how the rest of his season figures to be - touch and go - and it could impact the Dodgers significantly.

Jordan knows he needs surgery after a season with four long months and 109 more games to play. Twenty-two more times this season the Dodgers play a day game after a night game. Six of those games come in September, when a playoff position could be on the line.

``If it has to be like this and/or there are times when we have to give him a day occasionally, it gives an opportunity for one of our bench guys to get some at-bats,'' Tracy said. ``Our main focus is to keep this man healthy so we have him available and we don't do something foolish to where we lose him for a considerable length of time.''

Since returning from a six-game hiatus for a strained oblique, Jordan is batting .438 (14 for 32) with three homers, three doubles, a triple and nine RBI, pushing his average to .291. He hit his ninth homer, a two-run towering fly to left field, in the fourth inning after Green was walked. He doubled behind a Green walk in the sixth and then was removed.

``(Tuesday) night, that cold weather kind of stiffened me up a little bit,'' Jordan said. ``I was real sore (Tuesday) night, and to play nearly 12 hours later really didn't give me a chance to rest the knee. It was pretty sore today. I played as long as I could go. Hopefully, I'll be ready for Friday.''

Jordan's knee took an exaggerated pounding Tuesday against Milwaukee, particularly when he slid hard into third base in the eighth inning and bowled over Milwaukee's Tyler Houston before running home.

``It's the same soreness that we find out about each and every day, and we have to temper it and deal with it accordingly,'' Tracy said. ``That's it. The day off (today) will do him a world of good, quiet it back down, and we'll get back at it again Friday. But it's something we know is there, and it's something we'll deal with ... daily.''

--Orosco activated: As expected, lefty Jesse Orosco was activated from the disabled list and right-hander Dennis Springer was designated for assignment. Orosco's return is important because, with Omar Daal joining the starting rotation, he is the only lefty in the bullpen.

That should come into play this weekend when the Dodgers host lefty-dominated Arizona in a three-game series. The Dodgers are hopeful Springer will clear waivers by the weekend and report back to Triple-A Las Vegas.

--Minor testing: Allegations of steroid use in the major leagues are rampant. However, the clubs do not test members of their 40-man roster for the performance-enhancing drugs, and the players association would need to give permission before that changes.

However, the Dodgers, like many other organizations, regularly test their minor leaguers for a variety of substances, including steroids.

``We have a certain protocol we follow, but I'm not sure that's something we want to make public,'' Dodgers director of player development Bill Bavasi said. ``I'll say this: We test for illegal substances, and we test for education and for understanding.''

--Odds and ends: Second baseman Mark Grudzielanek struck out pinch-hitting in the seventh inning, his first action in three games. He said he would return to the starting lineup Friday against Arizona. ... If all goes perfect, Tracy said lefty Terry Mulholland could be activated from the disabled list for Sunday's series finale against Arizona. However, it's more likely Mulholland will be activated during the first half of the Dodgers' 10-game road trip that begins Monday in Colorado.