DODGERS NOTEBOOK: TRACY UNFAZED BY GREEN SLUMP.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

PITTSBURGH - Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said he's willing to let Shawn Green work his way through his current slump and added he hasn't thought of giving his durable right fielder a day off. And Green said he's not about to ask for it.

Green went 1 for 4 with an RBI groundout in the Dodgers' 3-2 loss Thursday to Pittsburgh, culminating a three-game series in which he went 1 for 12 with five strikeouts. He hit one ball out of the infield.

Green is batting .220 with three homers and a team-leading 14 RBI. He also leads the Dodgers with 22 strikeouts in 22 games.

``I'm not feeling good up there, that's pretty obvious,'' Green said. ``It happens and you battle through it. I'll work through it. I'm not the type of guy who wants to miss a couple of games or not take batting practice. I try to work through it, maybe to a fault. It's worked so far in the past and I have confidence it will work again.''

That chance could come this weekend in Chicago because Green faces three right-handers in Kerry Wood, Juan Cruz and Jason Bere. Green has never faced Cruz, but he is a combined 7 for 15 (.467) with a homer and four RBI against Wood and Bere.

``I know he's one swing away from being really good,'' Tracy said. ``I just keep monitoring what's in front of me, knowing he can take one swing and everything will be good for about the next 500 (at-bats). So I don't worry about him. There's certain people on this club I don't worry about because I know their work ethic.''

--Daal request denied again: Peter Greenberg, the agent for lefty Omar Daal, again told Dodgers general manager Dan Evans his client wanted a trade, and again was told it was not in the best interest of the club to do so at this time.

Greenberg made the call Thursday afternoon, a day after Daal pitched six innings and allowed one run in what Tracy called a ``brilliant performance.'' However, with staff ace Kevin Brown readying to return Tuesday from elbow inflammation, Daal is being sent back to the bullpen.

Daal is 3-0 with a 1.31 ERA, and is 2-0 with a 0.73 ERA in two starts. He wants a trade because he believes he should be a full-time starter rather than a reliever.

``We both understand each other's situation,'' Greenberg said. ``Right now, they understand what Omar wants, but Dan said they cant acclimate one player's wish when it would be a detriment to the team.

The Dodgers don't want to trade Daal because it would leave them with no depth in the event of an injury to a starting pitcher.

``I'd like to have situation where we have some depth, but that's not the case right now,'' Evans said.

--Staying the course: When Dave Roberts starts in center field and bats leadoff, the Dodgers average 3.2 runs per game and are 7-8. When Marquis Grissom starts in center field and Cesar Izturis bats leadoff, the Dodgers average 5.43 runs per game and are 6-1.

And though Grissom is hitting the ball well and providing strong defense, Tracy said he's not ready to expand Grissom's role exponentially, particularly because of other factors. And most of it surrounds the leadoff situation.

Izturis, a switch-hitter, is batting .333 (10 for 30) and has a .375 on-base percentage from the leadoff spot, but Tracy has tried to limit Izturis' exposure in the leadoff role. Five of his seven starts in the leadoff spot came against left-handers, when Grissom plays in center.

``I think we're pretty much convinced of the fact that the strong side of the plate (for Izturis), offensively, is right-handed,'' Tracy said. ``So when you're entertaining the thought of leading him off, you're leading him off as a right-handed hitter.''

Izturis is batting .231 (6 for 26) right-handed and .286 (16 for 56) from the left side. He's 3 for 7 as a leadoff hitter from the left side. Roberts is batting .208 (11 for 53) with a .288 on-base percentage from the leadoff spot.

DODGERS vs. CHICAGO

Time: 12:20 p.m., Wrigley Field.

TV/Radio: Fox Sports Net 2; 1150-AM, 1330-AM (Spanish).

Matchup: On a starting staff that has a 2.90 ERA, LH Odalis Perez (2-1, 2.15 ERA) has thrown the best. He was a dropped ball away from his first shutout in his last outing, pitching 8 2/3 innings and allowing one run against San Diego. That came after a complete-game victory in Colorado. Perez has walked three batters in 29 1/3 innings and opponents are hitting .184 against him, but Cubs 1B Fred McGriff is 4 for 4 with two homers and four RBI off him. Cubs RH Kerry Wood (2-1, 2.38) hasn't allowed a homer this season and appears back to form after surgery.

- Brian Dohn

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DODGERS vs. CHICAGO (see text)