DODGERS NOTEBOOK: L.A. RETURN `NEAT' FOR KARROS.Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer Eric Karros Karros, the former Dodger, returned to Dodger Stadium • • [ for the first time as a Chicago Cub on Friday. ``It was neat coming down that elevator (to the clubhouse),'' Karros said. ``Obviously there was some adrenaline, some excitement. I never thought I'd be coming down that elevator and turning right. If that was something I was going to do, this is definitely the organization to do it with.'' Karros, who was traded to the Cubs in a four-player deal in December, didn't have much time to wander down memory lane as he was at a taping of ``The Best Damn Sports Show, Period!'' in the afternoon and arrived to the stadium later than usual. He recalled the first time he got in a game in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. as a pinch hitter pinch-hit intr.v. pinch-hit, pinch-hit·ting, pinch-hits 1. Baseball To bat in place of a player scheduled to bat, especially when a hit is badly needed. 2. in 1991. He got a laugh out of a large group of reporters when he said Tommy Lasorda
Karros is the Dodgers' all-time home run leader with 270 but struggled the past couple of years. He batted .271 with 13 home runs last year. He's revived his career in Chicago, where he's batting .319 with 10 home runs. Although he played with the Dodgers for 11 seasons, he harbors no ill will. ``I don't begrudge be·grudge tr.v. be·grudged, be·grudg·ing, be·grudg·es 1. To envy the possession or enjoyment of: She begrudged him his youth. See Synonyms at envy. 2. the organization at all,'' Karros said. ``I've said it before, the only thing I regretted was the way it ended, some of the comments that were made and some of the things that were said after I was traded or that I was a problem or something. That's water under the bridge. I addressed those issues with those people who made those comments. I've moved forward.'' --Fresh start: Former second baseman second baseman n. Baseball The infielder who is positioned near and to the first-base side of second base. Noun 1. second baseman - (baseball) the person who plays second base second sacker 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 also returned, but his situation wasn't as warm and fuzzy. Grudzielanek and Dodgers manager Jim Tracy
``Over the last few years, it was something that was probably needed,'' Grudzielanek said. ``It came to the point where we needed to go in a different direction or we were going to put our boxing gloves on.'' Grudzielanek is on the disabled list with a broken bone in his right hand and probably won't be able to return for three or four weeks, he said. --Injury report: Dodgers catcher Todd Hundley caught in the bullpen, meaning he's another step closer to returning. ``It was weird,'' Hundley said. ``I hadn't caught in a long time. But I felt fine. It was a lot better than I thought.'' Hundley had back surgery in May and has been taking live pitches in the batting cages this week. ``It's day to day,'' Hundley said. ``It's getting better. That's all I can ask.'' ... As expected, Fred McGriff ran the bases Friday. --News and notes: Odalis Perez will pitch against Florida rookie Dontrelle Willis on Monday. None of the Dodgers' four games at Florida are scheduled to be televised. ... The Dodgers signed second-round pick Chuck Tiffany, a left-handed pitcher from Charter Oaks High in Covina, and have signed three of their top 10 picks from the June draft. CAPTION(S): box Box: DODGERS vs. CHICAGO - Jill Painter |
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