DODGERS NOTEBOOK: ROBLES IS BACK IN BLUE.

Byline: TONY JACKSON  Staff Writer

MILWAUKEE -- Last year, Oscar Robles was the feel-good story of a feel-bad season for the Dodgers, performing well both at the plate and at all three positions he played after being purchased from the Mexico City Red Devils.

This year, with a new regime in place, the utility infielder became the organization's forgotten man.

With Ramon Martinez and eventually Julio Lugo and Marlon Anderson in the majors to do exactly what Robles did last year, Robles languished all year at Triple-A Las Vegas, except for a three-week stint in the majors that ended May 9.

``To be honest, I was scared,'' Robles said. ``I thought I might not ever wear this jersey again. They have a lot of good ballplayers right now. That's when I started to wonder if I might never get another chance.''

Robles got one Tuesday, when he officially was recalled along with Las Vegas outfielder Delwyn Young for the September roster expansion. The 51s' season ended Monday, but not before Robles hit .287 for them, striking out just 20 times in 275 at-bats.

Robles turned down a chance to play for his native Mexico in the World Baseball Classic during spring training on the belief that he would enhance his chance of making the Opening Day roster if he stayed in camp, a notion manager Grady Little had hinted at one morning while talking with reporters.

Although he still didn't make it, Robles said he has no regrets.

Young, whose 98 RBIs for the 51s were the most by a Dodgers minor leaguer since Phil Hiatt had 99 in 2001, will be making his major-league debut.

Las Vegas pitching coach Ken Howell also joined the major-league staff and will stay for about two weeks before beginning his stint as the pitching coach for the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League. At that point, Jacksonville manager John Shoemaker will join the staff for the rest of the season.

It's Kuo: With rookie Chad Billingsley still unavailable because of a mild oblique strain, left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo will pitch Friday night's game against the New York Mets.

It will be Kuo's first big-league start, but he has 32 relief appearances, including a perfect ninth inning against Colorado on Saturday night, when he struck out all three batters.

Before being called up Aug. 29, Kuo made nine starts for Las Vegas, going 3-3 in those games with a 2.61 ERA. For now, only Brad Penny, Derek Lowe and Greg Maddux are set in the rotation, and the other two spots will be filled on a case-by-case basis.