DODGERS NOTEBOOK: TRACY FAMILIAR WITH EARLY WOES.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

The Dodgers totaled two runs and 12 hits in their first three games, but manager Jim Tracy declared it too early in the season to make wholesale changes and stuck with the same lineup Friday night against Colorado.

``There's no need to (change the lineup) three games into the season,'' Tracy said. ``Should I walk in there and push the panic button and have four guys batting in different spots than they've been hitting in for three days? I'm not doing that.''

Part of the problem is that there were no obvious changes to make. Entering Friday's game, no Dodger had more than two hits, so it's difficult to pinpoint who might be struggling more than others.

``I used to go through that (early struggles) as a hitter,'' Tracy said, ``and you get to the point where you get fed up and it's time to get down to business. You get tired of being mediocre and you do something about it.''

--Ready to go: Dodgers left-hander Kazuhisa Ishii makes his long-anticipated major-league debut tonight, and said he feels his confidence has improved after a poor spring-training start last Sunday against Seattle.

``Coming off the bad result in Seattle, I've had some time to think about it,'' Ishii said through interpreter Scott Akasaki. ``One thing I had to do was raise my confidence level, and I think I've been able to do that over the last couple games.

``The surroundings have been different, and that could have been (the problem). Hopefully the adjustments I've made up to now will help the team win.''

There had been questions as to whether Ishii would start the season in the bullpen after his poor spring, but Tracy said he wants to give Ishii a chance to succeed in the rotation, an opportunity Ishii said he was grateful to have.

``We need what kind of stuff he has, and if he gets it over the plate he's more than capable of giving you trouble,'' Tracy said.

--Good health: The highest batting average in the Dodgers' starting lineup at the start of Friday was the .286 of second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, an encouraging sign since Grudzielanek was hampered by a hamstring injury early in the spring.

``It's felt really good since the last few days of spring training,'' Grudzielanek said. ``I'm healthy, and I can't ask for more than that.''

Grudzielanek, batting eighth this season, was somewhat surprised to be part of a double-switch late in Thursday's loss to San Francisco.

``I thought (Tracy) would want my bat in the lineup, but he has to run the team the way he thinks is best,'' Grudzielanek said.

--Odds and ends: The Dodgers signed 16-year-old Dominican Republic pitcher Jonathan Corporan, a 6-foot-2 right-hander whose fastball has been clocked between 92 and 94 mph. He eventually will report to the Rookie League Gulf Coast Dodgers.

DODGERS vs. COLORADO

Time: 7:10 p.m., Dodger Stadium.

TV/Radio: Ch. 13; 1150-AM, 1330-AM (Spanish).

Matchup: LH Kazuhisa Ishii makes his Dodgers debut against Colorado RH Jason Jennings, who makes his first start of the season. Ishii struggled in the spring but has pitched in six of the past 10 Japanese World Series. Last season, Jennings became the first player in history to toss a shutout and hit a home run in his major-league debut. In seven starts he went 4-1 with a 4.58 ERA.

- Rich Hammond

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DODGERS vs. COLORADO (see text)