DODGERS NOTEBOOK: GREEN FALLS TO NO. 5 IN LINEUP.

Byline: Tony Jackson Staff Writer

ATLANTA - Dodgers first baseman Shawn Green was dropped to the fifth spot in the lineup for Friday night's game with Atlanta, a response by manager Jim Tracy to the fact the erstwhile cleanup hitter entered the day with five hits in his past 39 at-bats.

Although the move is expected to be temporary, it probably isn't just for one day.

``We'll take it day by day and see how it goes,'' Tracy said. ``My hope is that Shawn will get things worked out, and we can turn it right back to where we would definitely like it to be. My intention is to take some of the stress load off of Shawn.''

Green was replaced in the fourth spot by third baseman Adrian Beltre, who had been hitting fifth and came into the day batting .338 with 11 home runs and 31 RBI.

Green is a notoriously slow starter who over the course of his career has hit 19 points higher (.294) after the All-Star break than before (.275). But he came into Friday hitting .225 this season, 59 points below his career average, a sign this might be more than a simple, early-season slump.

But Tracy believes Green is closer to coming out of it than he appears.

``From what I'm seeing, I think the difference is that much,'' said Tracy, holding his thumb and index finger half an inch apart. ``But sometimes, finding that much is what becomes a very interesting pursuit in this game. But we have also seen what happens when he does find it, and it's awfully fun to watch when he gets there.''

If Green continues to struggle, Tracy might consider sitting him for a day.

``I don't think it's to the point yet where a day off would benefit him,'' Tracy said.

--Roberts update: One day after saying Dave Roberts might be activated today, Tracy said the left fielder won't play in this afternoon's game with the Braves even if he feels no residual soreness in his strained right hamstring after running the bases for the first time Friday.

``He came out of it extremely well,'' Tracy said. ``We'll talk about (possibly activating him) Sunday when he comes in (today).''

Tracy also said the Dodgers will stay with a 12-man pitching staff when Roberts comes back because right-hander Hideo Nomo, who has a split nail on his right index finger, won't be able to make his next scheduled start Tuesday night at Milwaukee. That means, in effect, that infielder Joe Thurston is the obvious odd man out when Roberts returns. Thurston is the only infielder or outfielder on the Dodgers' active roster who still has minor-league options.

--Shuey update: Reliever Paul Shuey, who has been out all season with a ruptured tendon in his right thumb, threw a 30-pitch side session Friday, the first time he has thrown off a mound since suffering the injury in the final week of spring training.

``It involved fastballs, changeups and splits,'' Tracy said. ``No curveballs just yet. He was still a little bit uncomfortable. But from everything I heard, his length of stride was dramatically improved, as far as his hip is concerned, from what we saw in spring training. That's very encouraging news.''

Shuey also underwent offseason hip surgery. He didn't appear during spring training to have fully recovered. There still is no target date for Shuey's return.

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