DODGERS NOTEBOOK: IT SHOULD PAY OFF FOR GRUDZIELANEK TO JOIN DODGERS.Byline: Matt McHale Daily News Staff Writer Before Saturday's game, Mark Grudzielanek Mark James Grudzielanek (born June 30, 1970 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is a second baseman in Major League Baseball who currently plays for the Kansas City Royals. Previously, Grudzielanek played with the Montreal Expos (1995-1998), Los Angeles Dodgers (1998-2002), Chicago Cubs was the happiest guy in the room. The Dodgers' new shortstop arrived at Shea Stadium • • [ around 6 p.m. after flying in from Montreal with left-hander Carlos Perez and definitely seemed ready to put nearly four years with the cost-cutting Expos behind him. ``It was a frustrating situation to see all the great players leave year after year,'' said Grudzielanek. ``You look around this clubhouse and see all the talent they have assembled and it is incredible.'' Grudzielanek, 28, thought he was coming to the Dodgers last winter following the November expansion draft, but the club went with Jose Vizcaino, who has missed six weeks with a sprained right ankle. Grudzielanek went back to the Expos, whom he claims had offered him a multi-year contract. Instead, Montreal gave him $350,000. After this season, Grudzielanek will be eligible for salary arbitration and will receive a substantial increase. ``I know a lot of people say it's not about the money, but it was not about the money,'' he said. ``You just wanted them to build something. They had so much talent, but they kept getting rid of it. They could have won the World Series in 1994 if it hadn't been for the strike and suddenly all that was gone.'' Last season, Grudzielanek tied a major-league record for shortstops with 54 doubles. In 1996, he became just the second shortstop this century to hit .300, collect 200 hits and steal 30 bases in one season. Hall of Famer Honus Wagner He also led the National League in errors the past two seasons. Saturday night, he made a slick defensive play to save a run in the third but committed an error in the eighth that nearly tied the game. ``I went to my left and came up with it,'' Grudzielanek said after the Dodgers' 2-1 loss. ``On the error, I tried to turn two and didn't get one.'' Vizcaino is not expected to play for another 2-1/2 weeks because of the severely sprained right ankle that has sidelined him since June 20. When he returns, Grudzielanek probably will move to third in place of rookie Adrian Beltre. No Judd: Dodgers rookie right-hander Mike Judd Michael Galen Judd (born June 30, 1975, in San Diego, California) was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. Drafted by the New York Yankees in the 9th round of the 1995 MLB amateur draft, Judd would make his Major League Baseball debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers on was scheduled to pitch Saturday until the club acquired Perez on Friday. Even then Judd didn't know he was out until 6:15 p.m. when Perez informed manager Glenn Hoffman Glenn Edward Hoffman (born July 7 1958 in Orange, California) is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball and the current third base coach for the San Diego Padres. Previously, in 1998 he took over the managerial position for the Los Angeles Dodgers final half of the season when he could pitch. ``It was all right, I prepared for whatever might happen,'' said Judd, who would have made his first major-league start. ``You knew they were going to make a trade so I guess it was only a matter of time. I wanted to pitch, believe me, but I kind of knew this could happen.'' Young at bat: Eric Young Eric Young can refer to:
``When I came back from the (strained left thigh) before, I tried to ease my way back at the plate and I was lost,'' Young said. ``This time I took a lot of batting practice before I came back. I was going to be ready. I didn't want to go through that again.'' DODGERS vs. N.Y. METS METS Metropolitans (New York baseball team) METS Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard MetS Metabolic Syndrome METS Metabolic Equivalents (multiples of resting oxygen uptake) Time: 10:40 a.m., Shea Stadium. TV/Radio: Ch. 5; 1150-AM, KWKW-AM (1330 Spanish). Matchup: In the third of four games with the Mets, left-hander Brian Bohanon Brian Edward Bohanon (born August 1, 1968 in Denton, Texas), is a retired professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1990-2001. Pitching stats
Reynoso made his major league debut with the Atlanta Braves on August 11, 1991, and appeared in his final game on September 29, (1-0, 0.00). Former Dodger Hideo Nomo Hideo Nomo (born Aug. 31, 1968 , Osaka, Japan) Japanese baseball pitcher whose success with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995 created new opportunities for Asian players in Major League Baseball. was scheduled to pitch but was bumped back to Monday. The Mets will add right-hander Willie Blair William Allen Blair (born December 18 1965 in Paintsville, Kentucky) is a former journeyman right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1990-2001. Blair played baseball for Morehead State University before the Toronto Blue Jays drafted him in the 11th round of the , acquired from Arizona on Friday, to the rotation and wanted to put Nomo in proper sequence. Bohanon, the former Met, picked up his second consecutive victory Tuesday in Philadelphia. He allowed one earned run in seven innings. - Matt McHale CAPTION(S): Box BOX: DODGERS vs. N.Y. METS (see text) |
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