DODGERS NOTEBOOK: GREEN WON'T PLAY FIRST.Byline: Tony Jackson
Anthony (Antonio) Jackson, best known as Tony Jackson Staff Writer VERO BEACH Vero Beach (vēr`o), city (1990 pop. 17,350), seat of Indian River co., E Fla., on Indian River (a lagoon and part of the Intracoastal Waterway); founded c.1888, inc. 1919. , Fla. - Almost every day this spring, Dodgers manager Jim Tracy
Green was a 1st round draft pick, and has been a two-time major league All-Star. has handled the move to first base, referring not only to Green's selflessness for agreeing to the move in the first place but also to his remarkably quick mastery of an unfamiliar position. Naturally, the Dodgers are moving Green back to right field. ``For the next couple of weeks, prior to heading west, we're going to do some different things,'' Tracy said. ``Shawn will be moving back. We have successfully done what we needed to do up to this point in the spring. He has not only passed the test at first base, but he has succeeded over there. But this is due to the offensive load Shawn Green has to carry with our club, and the fact we need him to be 100-percent comfortable.'' It probably also is due to the fact the Dodgers don't appear close to completing a trade for a cleanup hitter In baseball, the cleanup hitter is the hitter who bats fourth in the lineup. Strategy Cleanup hitters often have the most power on the team and are typically the team's best all-around hitter; their job is to "clean up the bases", hence the name. . Green moved to make room in right for newcomer Juan Encarnacion, leaving left field to be filled either by trade or by committee. Now, Encarnacion will move to left, and first base will become the position of many. Tracy made the announcement after an 11-9 Grapefruit League victory over the New York Mets
``Obviously, Robin Ventura
There will be days when Paul Lo Duca Paul Anthony Lo Duca (born April 12, 1972 in Brooklyn, New York) is a catcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the New York Mets. Previously, Lo Duca played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1998-2004) and Florida Marlins (2004-2005). and Jolbert Cabrera Jolbert Cabrera [HOLE-bert kah-BRAY-rah] (born December 8, 1972 in Cartagena, Colombia) is a baseball outfielder/infielder who until recently played with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in Japan's Pacific League. will play first and maybe days when Luis Garcia will, too. Tracy said he now wants to give Garcia more at-bats. Garcia got three more on Monday, hit another home run and is batting .667 (8 for 12). But there won't be any days when Green will play first base. ``Out of the question,'' Tracy said. That is, unless general manager Paul DePodesta does bring in a power-hitting outfielder before opening day. ``You will still see him working (at first base) in the mornings,'' Tracy said. ``There is no need for him to play there in any more games. Periodically, he can continue to do what he has done to this point. He will take ground balls periodically in case there is a situation where he can still fill a need there. I feel this has been successful to this point.'' --Staying put: With four high-ranking club executives having resigned and another having been fired since Frank McCourt bought the Dodgers from NewsCorp last month, Senior Vice President Tommy Lasorda said he intends to stick around. Lasorda also said he is comfortable in his current role. ``I help out in every department,'' he said. ``People in every department ask me to do things. I don't ever want to be someplace some·place adv. & n. Somewhere: "I didn't care where I was from so long as it was someplace else" Garrison Keillor. See Usage Note at everyplace. where I'm just a figure head. I want to contribute, and I will contribute. I don't want to be kept around here just because of what I have done in the past.'' --Cora update: Second baseman Alex Cora, who broke his right forearm in winter ball, might be ready by opening day. ``It may still be too early to determine that,'' Tracy said. ``But I'm very encouraged by the progress he has made. I think the fact he is taking live batting practice in the next day or two is a definite sign that he is ahead of schedule. But he's ready to play defensively. That's safe to say.'' --Minor signing: The Dodgers signed left-hander Derek Thompson to a minor-league contract Monday and invited him to major-league camp. Tony Jackson, (818) 713-3675 tony.jackson(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): box Box: BEYOND THE BOX SCORE |
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