DODGERS NOTEBOOK: STARTING LINEUP MISSING PIERRE.

Byline: TONY JACKSON 

Staff Writer

Although manager Grady Little promised that Juan Pierre's consecutive-games streak would be extended to 508 sometime Saturday night, the Dodgers center fielder wasn't in the starting lineup for the first time this season.

Little said the decision was a combination of the fact Pierre came in a career 2 for 18 against San Diego starter Jake Peavy and Pierre was hitting just .186 for the season.

Predictably, Pierre didn't take the news well.

"(Little) is the manager," said Pierre, who entered Saturday's game as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning. "Until I make out the lineup, I can't do anything. But it's nobody's fault but mine. If I was doing my job, we wouldn't be talking about this."

Pierre was traded from Florida to Chicago two winters ago, and he started slowly for the Cubs last year, batting just .240 through the end of May before rebounding to end the season with a .292 average. He came to the Dodgers as a free agent, signing a five-year, $44 million contract in November, and has started even more slowly this year. He appeared to be getting untracked last week, putting together a five-game hitting streak, but that ended when he went 0 for 5 Friday night in his first game hitting behind Rafael Furcal.

Pierre scoffed at the notion he put pressure on himself to start quickly the past two seasons to make a good impression on his new teammates.

"If I was a rookie, yeah," he said. "But I have a little bit of history in this game. It's just that the last two years, I happened to start off slow.

"But I feel like I can do something every night to help this team win. I know I haven't been showing it much, but even if I'm 0 for 25 and facing Bob Gibson, I still think I can find a way to beat them. That's just my mentality."

Brady Clark, who went 2for3 with a double in his first start of the season Friday night and came in 3 for 8 against Peavy, started in place of Pierre in center.

Kemp update: Outfielder Matt Kemp, who has been sidelined since crashing into the right-field scoreboard and bruising his right shoulder Monday, played catch for the first time and took batting practice in the indoor cage.

"I tried to throw (Friday), and I couldn't," Kemp said. "But today, I threw at about 70 feet, and it felt pretty good.

"I really let go on two or threeof them. I'm still a little stiff, but I swung the bat and felt pretty good. I'm pretty happy about it."

Kemp won't be eligible to return until April 25.

Jackie's day: Today is the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's breaking of baseball's color barrier. While Major League Baseball will commemorate the event at all 15 of its games, tonight's nationally televised game between the Dodgers and Padres will be the most grandiose. It will feature a half-hour pregame ceremony to be attended by commissioner Bud Selig and Robinson's widow, Rachel. Also, every Dodgers player will wear Robinson's No. 42.

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Dodgers pitcher Jason Schmidt receives the ball from Nomar Garciaparra. Schmidt gave up six runs in the first two innings.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

Box:

DODGERS vs. SAN DIEGO

- Tony Jackson