DODGERS NOTEBOOK: LOWE SET TO START PLAYOFF OPENER.Byline: TONY JACKSON
Anthony (Antonio) Jackson, best known as Tony Jackson Staff Writer SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden -- Dodgers manager Grady Little William Grady Little (born March 30, 1950 in Abilene, Texas) is a manager in Major League Baseball. He guided the Boston Red Sox from 2002 to 2003, and has been manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2006. said right-hander Derek Lowe Derek Christopher Lowe[1] (born June 1, 1973 in Dearborn, Michigan)[2] is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He throws and bats right-handed. will start the club's playoff opener -- provided there is a playoff opener and Lowe isn't needed to start Sunday's regular-season finale. In saying so, Little conceded that if the Dodgers clinch the National League wild-card spot sometime today but still have a shot at overtaking San Diego in the NL West on Sunday, he won't put any extra effort into winning the division title. ``Our objective is to get into the playoffs,'' Little said. ``Once we (do), we will start setting ourselves up for the playoffs.'' In light of recent trends, the Dodgers might be better off with the wild card, anyway. That would mean they would open Wednesday at New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of . The Mets have lost Pedro Martinez for the rest of the season to a calf injury and have struggled to win games since clinching the East title early. Winning the West would mean a first-round matchup with either St. Louis, which entered Friday having lost eight of nine but won all seven of its games with the Dodgers this season, or Houston, which had won nine in a row before losing to Atlanta. Lowe (16-8) was the Dodgers' Opening Day starter, as well. Penny iffy if·fy adj. if·fi·er, if·fi·est Informal Doubtful; uncertain: an iffy proposition. [From if. : Little wouldn't guarantee All-Star right-hander Brad Penny will make the first-round playoff roster if his balky lower back doesn't hold up. Penny suffered stiffness for the second consecutive start Thursday at Colorado and left after one shaky inning in which he gave up four hits and a three-run homer to Garrett Atkins. ``It is a concern, but it's a day-to-day thing,'' Little said. ``We'll see how much improvement it makes. Right now, he isn't scheduled to pitch anymore unless we're in postseason play. It's a decision we'll make when the time comes Adv. 1. when the time comes - at the appropriate time; "we'll get to this question in due course" in due course, in due season, in due time, in good time .'' Penny, who will try to throw a side session today, also would be Little's preferred starter if the Dodgers face a tiebreaker tie·break·er n. An additional contest or period of play designed to establish a winner among tied contestants. Also called tiebreak. tie game on Monday. On ice: Dodgers clubhouse and equipment manager Mitch Poole said before Friday night's game with San Francisco that the team did have several cases of champagne stashed away somewhere at AT&T Park for the anticipated clinching celebration. ``It's taken care of,'' Poole said. ``But right now, it's out of sight and out of mind, because we still need to win.'' Poole declined to say exactly how many cases of bubbly the team had procured. ``But it's a lot,'' he said. |
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