DODGERS NOTEBOOK: SHUEY SET FOR REHABILITATION ASSIGNMENT.

Byline: Tony Jackson  Staff Writer

Dodgers reliever Paul Shuey is set to begin a minor-league rehabilitation assignment early next week, the final stage in his long road back after rupturing a tendon in his right thumb during a defensive drill the final week of spring training.

Shuey pitched his second simulated game in three days Friday. A final decision is expected today as to when and where he will begin his assignment.

``I think it's safe to say that he had as good or better an outing as he did on Wednesday,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. ``I think he's beyond where he was in spring training. This isn't even close to what we were dealing with in spring training because of his hip. Thank God he didn't damage the ligament in his thumb. But in a way, this was a blessing in disguise because it afforded him the opportunity to continue his rehabilitation on the hip.

``His drive from his lower half is much better now.''

Shuey underwent hip surgery last winter. Then he jammed his thumb into the ground while ducking out of the way of a thrown ball during a routine pregame drill March 31 in Vero Beach, Fla.

The initial prognosis had Shuey missing six to eight weeks.

Eleven weeks later, he finally is ready to start his assignment, which for pitchers is a maximum of 30 days. But even when Shuey is ready to be activated, it isn't readily apparent where the Dodgers will put him. The club has little flexibility in terms of minor-league options, so adding Shuey means someone likely will have to be designated for assignment.

That could change if another player is injured and goes on the disabled list. For now, there still is no timetable for Shuey's return or a projected length for his rehab assignment.

``That would be speculation, and I'm not going to go there,'' Tracy said. ``I don't know what's going to happen between now and then. There is no sense speculating on that.''

--Green back: After battling through one of the worst slumps of his otherwise-stellar career, Dodgers first baseman Shawn Green entered Friday night's game against the New York Yankees with a seven-game hitting streak, during which he was batting .500 (14 for 28).

Green was hitting .365 (19 for 52) during June with four doubles, a home run and eight RBI.

``It's getting better,'' Green said. ``I wouldn't say I'm locked in, but I feel good. If I'm locked in, I'm hitting home runs. But I am happy that I have been getting hits, obviously.''

Green said he turned the corner during last week's three-game series in Toronto, where he spent the first seven seasons of his career. He went there hitting .234, then went 5 for 11 in the series. Since then, he has raised his average 30 points.

``The fact he is getting base hits and driving in some runs the last couple of days, to me, says that he has gotten to the first point before going on to the next one,'' Tracy said. ``The next step will be seeing him drive some balls from gap to gap and possibly out of the ballpark.''

--Brown returns: Former Dodgers ace Kevin Brown, who was traded to the New York Yankees last Dec. 13 for right-hander Jeff Weaver, won't pitch in the series. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list this week with a strained lower back, tempering the excitement of returning to the city where he won 58 games over the past five seasons.

``I would enjoy being back here a lot more, obviously, if I were pitching or active,'' Brown said. ``But it's good. I had a chance to see some of the guys and talk with them, so that was nice. I'm looking forward to seeing some of (their) kids after the game and seeing how much some of them have grown.''

Tony Jackson,[phone]

tony.jackson(at)dailynews.com