DODGERS NOTEBOOK: NOMAR MOVES TO THIRD EARLY.

Byline: TONY JACKSON 

Staff Writer

PHOENIX -- Friday came three days early.

After watching Nomar Garciaparra take grounders at third base on consecutive afternoons, Dodgers manager Grady Little decided not to wait until the team got back home this weekend to move Garciaparra across the diamond from first.

Instead, Garciaparra started at third Tuesday night in Arizona, making room at the other corner for rookie James Loney and his .448 batting average.

"This compared to Friday is going to be the same, because you can't simulate a game," Garciaparra said. "(Little) asked me what I thought about (doing it now), and I told him I would do whatever he wanted me to.

"It's not going to be easy. Even if you put me at shortstop (his natural position) right now, it wouldn't be easy, because it never is when you haven't played there in a few years."

Little said the Garciaparra move is experimental and reserved the right to reverse it after a few weeks if it doesn't appear to be working.

Garciaparra last played third with the Chicago Cubs in 2005.

"He is ready," Little said of Garciaparra. "So we're going to put him over there and go for it."

Although Little didn't say it, the move clearly was hastened by Loney, who has been on fire since he was recalled from the minors June10 -- and who had been mostly blocked from the big leagues for the past two seasons by the presence of Garciaparra at first.

Meanwhile, Garciaparra was dropped to sixth in the order, the first time in any of his starts this season he has batted anywhere other than third.

Garciaparra went 0 for 5 on Monday in his first game back after missing three games with an illness, and he has just onehome run this season.

"This is more about trying to put him in a position where maybe there isn't quite as much of a load on him," Little said. "We'll see if it gets him going offensively."

Russell Martin replaced Garciaparra in the No. 3 spot.

Mueller not sure: Interim hitting coach Bill Mueller said earlier this week that he is enjoying his new role. But when asked whether he has warmed to the possibility of doing it long-term, Mueller still seemed lukewarm.

"For me, family comes first," said Mueller, who got to live at his home in Mesa, Ariz., while in his previous role as a special assistant to general manager Ned Colletti.

Colletti spent the past twoweekends visiting minor- league affiliates. It isn't clear whether he has officially interviewed any candidates for the job, but roving hitting instructor Bill Robinson and Triple-A hitting coach Mike Easler are believed to be candidates.

Tsao ready: Reliever Chin-hui Tsao, who has been on the 15-day disabled list for a month with a strained right shoulder, will begin a rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Las Vegas today. He is expected to pitch an inning in tonight's game against with Tucson.

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DODGERS at ARIZONA

-- Tony Jackson