DODGERS - AUGUST OVERVIEW
2nd place in the NL West
77-56, 7 games behind the D’Backs
1st place in NL Wild Card
2.5 game lead over SF, 6.5 game lead over Houston


LAST TWO WEEKS RESULTS (9-3)
8/16: 3-2 win over Mets
8/17: 10-4 win over Mets
8/18: 2-1 win over Mets
8/20: 6-3 loss to Marlins
8/21: 4-3 win over Marlins
8/22: 6-2 win over Marlins
8/23: 4-3 win over Braves
8/24: 4-3 win over Braves
8/25: 7-5 loss to Braves
8/26: 6-3 loss to D'Backs (12 innings)
8/27: 6-1 win over D'Backs
8/28: 1-0 win over D'Backs

The AL and NL West have the hottest teams in baseball right now with Oakland, Arizona and LA all playing great baseball. The Dodgers have won seven straight series. The Dodgers have proved that they are the real deal with series wins over the first place Braves and D'Backs in back to back series.

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Since I've haven't reported in two weeks, I'll take a more broad look at the lineup and rotation with stats from the month of August.

THE LINEUP

Paul Lo Duca (C): .178, 5R, 1HR, 8RBI, .425 OPS
Paul has really struggled in August and may be distracted being the Dodgers player representative. He has been showing signs of life lately. In his last 7 games, Lo Duca has scored 4 runs, hit a homer and driven in 7 runs. Hopefully he can keep up his production for the stretch run.

Eric Karros (1B): .262, 9R, 1HR, 10RBI, .673 OPS
Karros has been about as unproductive as a corner infielder as you can get. He's been hitting in the 6 hole recently and is barely producing. If you take out his 3-run homer against Arizona, he's done even less. His homer on August 27th was his first since July 2nd. Look for Chin-Feng Chen to get some starts in September.

Mark Grudzielanek (2B): .315, 11R, 4HR, 9RBI, .815 OPS
After being the suprising hero of the week in my last article, Grudzielanek has cooled off over the past two weeks. Over the last week, Mark has hit .200 with only one run and no RBI. Don't expect much from him in September after a great August. He also may lose some time to Joe Thurston in September.

Alex Cora (SS): .339, 8R, 1HR, 9RBI, 3SB, .874 OPS
Cora has been a real surprise this season and has won back the starting shortstop job against right-handed pitchers. Cora has got back to a short, compact swing and has been hitting .300 all season and has played solid defense as well. He's worth a look in NL-only leagues if you're desperate at shortstop. Unfortunately, Cora was shaken up against the D'Backs on Tuesday night, see injuries below for his current status.

Cesar Izturis (SS): .297, 8R, 0HR, 2RBI, .721 OPS
Izturis is now starting only against left-handers. While his production has been good against lefties all season long, he carries little fantasy value as the weak part of a shortstop platoon. With Cora out for a few days, Izturis will pick up a few more starts for the week. Over the past week, Izturis is hitting just .188 (3-16).

Adrian Beltre (3B): .326, 15R, 3HR, 11RBI, 2SB, .887 OPS
Beltre has given the Dodgers much needed production from the hot corner. He continues to hit in the 3 hole in front of Shawn Green, which only helps his fantasy value. He's slumped a bit of late as he hasn't homered and has driven in only one run over the past 2 weeks; he has hit .279.

Tyler Houston (1B, 3B): .118, 3R, 0HR, 0RBI, .373 OPS
Houston has been horrible in the month of August. Over the past 2 weeks, Houston is hitting .071 (1-14) with no runs scored and none driven in. With Beltre playing solid ball, don't expect much from Tyler in September. If you have in, drop him.

Marquis Grissom (LF): .313, 17R, 4HR, 14RBI, 1SB, .891 OPS
Grissom has been great since Brian Jordan has been hobbled with a back injury. He hasn't produced much of late though with only 2 RBI over the last week and only 4 over the last 2 weeks. Grissom also struck out 5 times and went 0-6 on August 27th. Grissom is very streaky and is worth a look in NL-only leagues.

Brian Jordan (LF): .250, 0R, 0HR, 3RBI, .546 OPS
Jordan is on the DL (see below). He is not a good option for the rest of the year. He hasn't homered since July 6th. He's eligible to return from the DL on Sept 1.

Dave Roberts (CF): .274, 9R, 0HR, 7RBI, 9SB, .725 OPS
Jim Tracy says that Roberts has been the 3rd most valuable player on the team behind Green and Gagne. He has been a sparkplug at the top of the order all season long. With Jordan out of the lineup, Roberts is also starting against lefties (1-20 on the season); you'd be wise to sit him against the lefties. He continues to get on base and is a great asset if you need steals over the last month.

Shawn Green (RF): .303, 17R, 10HR, 28RBI, 3SB, 1.152 OPS
Green continues to be the MVP of the Dodgers and is on pace to land near his numbers of last season. He currently has 38 homers and 101 RBI. He continues to mash the ball while pitchers have given him few pitches to hit. Since the break, Shawn has walked 32 times while striking out only 24 times. Over the last week, Green has walked 8 times, hit two homers and struck out twice. He's a superstar, enough said.

PITCHING STAFF

SPARKLING STARTERS
26 starts, 8-4, 168.2IP (avg 6.1IP/start), 3.04 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 113K

Hideo Nomo: 1-0, 3.81 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 33K, 33IP
Nomo has answered the call since Brown went down early in the year and has been the most consistent starter on the staff. Nomo has been solid all season and hasn't faded as many suggested. Over his last 3 starts, Nomo is 1-0 but could easily be 3-0. In the last 3 starts, he threw 20 innings allowing 16 hits, 4 runs, 6 walks and 19 strikeouts.

Odalis Perez: 2-1, 2.05 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 27K, 44IP
Perez has pitched brilliantly in the month of August but has only 2 wins to show for it. In his last start against the D'Backs, Perez pitched 8 shutout innings allowing only 5 hits and no walks. He also provided all the offense for the night with his first major league home run. In his 6 August starts, Perez has gone at least 7 innings and has allowed 3 or fewer runs in every start. His 9 day rest at the end of July seems to have worked wonders.

Andy Ashby: 2-0, 1.54 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 19K, 35IP
This is going to sound like a broken record but Ashby could easily have been 5-0 in the month instead of 2-0. Ashby didn't allow a home run in 35 innings in August. In his first start of the month, Ashby threw 7.1 shutout innings but took a no decision. He allowed 3 or few runs in all 5 of his August starts.

Omar Daal: 2-1, 2.60 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 14K, 34.2IP
No my brain isn't on a loop, the Dodgers starting pitching has been brilliant in August. Daal has been the insurance that the Dodgers needed and he has been solid as a starter since Brown hit the DL. In 5 August starts, Daal allowed 2 or few runs in every start. His only loss came in the Gagne ejection debacle against the Reds. Daal has been getting the job done with his soft tossing junk, which is a great contrast between Ashby and Nomo.

Kazuhisa Ishii: 1-2, 6.95 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 20K, 22 IP
Someone had to the goat on the staff and Ishii is the winner by a landslide of Reagan proportions. Ishii could easily be 1-4 for the month and if you haven't noticed Ishii's wildness by now, you're probably not reading enough of my writing. Ishii has won only 1 of his last 8 starts. Over his last 7 starts, Ishii's ERA has ballooned from 3.31 to 4.33. In his last start, he lasted only 1 inning allowing 5 runs on 2 homers to Atlanta. Ishii leads the majors with 100 walks. Ishii will have his next start skipped with an offday tomorrow; whether he stays in the rotation after that remains to be seen. Ishii said, "I think that has something to do with it but that's not the main reason. Everyone at this point is having... some fatigue and I think it's only natural that it affects every player." Stay away from Ishii.

Kevin Brown: 1-0, 6.00 ERA, 2.22 WHIP, 12K, 9IP
While Brown isn't back in the starting five, I think it is inevitable that Brown will be given a shot at the rotation soon enough probably at the expense of Ishii. Brown has pitched in 3 games as a reliever so far and hasn't been very sharp. His last effort against Atlanta was encouraging as Brown struck out 9 in just 4 innings of work. As long as he's healthy, he will back starting before long.

RELIEVERS
9-5, 12 saves, 20HLD, 3.81 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 71IP, 68K

Eric Gagne: 2-1, 10 saves, 3.24 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 25K, 16.2IP
Gagne set the Dodgers save record yesterday with his 45th save of the season, passing Todd Worrell's 44 set in 1996. He did blow 2 saves in the month and has been a bit more human. Gagne is still overpowering and arguably the most valuable closer in the game today.

Paul Shuey: 4-2, 1S, 4HLD, 4.30 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 9K, 14.2IP
After being roughed up in his first 11 appearances with the Dodgers, Shuey has settled in and is giving the Dodgers a very valuable 8th inning bridge to get to Gagne. Shuey hasn't allowed a run over his last 7.2 innings over 5 games, in which he's allowed one hit, 2 walks while striking out 4.

Paul Quantrill: 1-1, 1S, 10HLD, 2.38 ERA, 1.76 WHIP, 8K, 11.1IP
Quantrill hasn't been especially good recently as his 1.76 WHIP attests to. He's been bailed out by the other relievers several times.

Jesse Orosco: 0-0, 5HLD, 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 5K, 4IP
What's not to like about a 45-year-old lefty specialist? Orosco can still get the job done and will be the first pitcher with a walker. He loves the game and that's that.

Guillermo Mota: 0-1, 6.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 2K, 3IP
Mota was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas to be eligible for the playoff roster. Whether he can pitch well enough remains to be seen.

POTENTIAL SEPTEMBER CALLUPS
With the Dodgers in a tight pennant race, don't expect much impact from any September callups. That could change if there were an injury to a starter, but barring injury, don't expect much playing time for the youngsters in LA.

Chin-Feng Chen (1B): 132G, .284, 85R, 26-2B, 25HR, 81RBI, 55BB, 154SO
Chen's stock has been slipping as he climbed the ranks of minor league ball. He was a 30-30 player back in 99 for Single-A San Bernadino. He was promoted to Double-A San Antonio in 2000, but didn't hit for as much power: .277-6-67-23. In 2001, he started the year back in Single-A but was promoted to Double-A midway through the year. He hit .313 with 17 homers and 50 RBI for Double-A Jacksonville. Despite decent plate discipline, Chen strikes out a lot and his strikeouts have increased every year. This season he's walked 55 times in 132 games and he's struck out 154 times! Not a good sign. Las Vegas is a also a hitters park so you can't expect him to hit that well in the majors, especially in Dodger Stadium. Chen is still only 24 years old, so he still holds a lot of potential. Expect Chen to get a few starts with the weak hitting Eric Karros at first.

Joe Thurston (2B): 132G, .334, 102R, 36-2B, 13-3B, 10HR, 50RBI, 22SB, 25BB, 59SO
Thurston, 22, has caught the eye of the Dodger brass with his strong work ethic and gritty style of play. He's added some power to his offensive arsenal and is considered the Dodgers second baseman of the future. Thurston was the Dodgers' 2000 Minor League Player of the Year. Thurston would be a great 2 hitter for the club and if Grudzielanek struggles in September look for Thurston to get even more playing time.

Bubba Crosby (OF): 73G, .262, 26R, 12-2B, 9HR, 36RBI, 19BB, 47SO
Crosby, 25, was the 23rd overall selection in the 1998 draft after a great career at Rice University which included 25 homers in his senior year. Crosby has battled injury problems in his minor league career but has been healthy for the past couple of seasons. Crosby is a line-drive hitter who uses all fields.

INJURIES

Alex Cora (SS) - Status: Day-to-day
Cora suffered a concussion when his head hit Tony Womack's knee on a head first slide into second base on the 26th. Cora was put on a stretcher and taken off the field in an ambulance for precautionary measures. He's been doing cardio work on a bike and should return over the next few days.

Adrian Beltre (3B) - Status: Active
According to The Los Angeles Daily News, Beltre has been slowed recently by sore hamstrings; however, he is set on playing through the pain. "It's definitely not 100 percent yet, so I have to play smart." He's stolen a couple bases in August so they can't be bothering him too much.

Brian Jordan (OF) - Status: 15-day DL (lower back)
Jordan was placed on the DL retroactive to August 17th and he is eligible to return September 1st. Jordan has been taking indoor batting practice and may be able to return next week. There is definitely a concern that Jordan may not be able to play effectively even if he returns due to the hardnosed style that Jordan is accustomed to. Jordan had the same back problem in 1997. Jolbert Cabrera was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas to fill Jordan's roster spot.

Giovanni Carrara (RP) - Status: 15-day DL (right forearm)
Carrara is eligible to return from the DL on August 26th. Carrara has thrown two simulated games and will return to the club when rosters expand on Sept 1st. He admitted that his arm was bothering him in early August more than he let on; perhaps a good excuse as to his August torchings.

A FINAL THOUGHT

Personally, I didn't really want to include any talk of an impending strike in my article because the strike talk makes me sick and frankly I don't want to know anything about it. The ultra-rich owners and multi-millionaire players need to compromise and quit their whining. This is a site for the fans and none of us want to hear this BS, we just want to see our favorite game played on the diamond.

Paul Lo Duca, the Dodgers player representative, has been the only player that I've heard acknowledge the fans (and that was after he was talking strongly of the impending strike). He said, "The fans have been great, and I do apologize. I'm not greedy. I don't want the fans to perceive me that way ... these fans, they've been on a roller coaster for a while, and I can understand their frustration."

Hopefully our frustration and pain won't continue past this Saturday. Play Ball!!!

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Chris Wang
Dodgers Correspondent

DODGERS - 8/16/02
2nd place in the NL West
68-53, 8 games behind the D’Backs
1st place in NL Wild Card
1 game lead over SF, 4.5 game lead over Houston


LAST WEEK'S RESULTS
8/9: 7-6 win over Phillies
8/10: 10-8 win over Phillies
8/11: 6-3 loss to Phillies
8/13: 4-3 loss to Expos
8/14: 5-2 win over Expos
8/15: 1-0 win over Expos

A solid 4-2 week for the Dodgers; however they gave up 2 more games in the standings to the D'Backs, who have won 6 straight games. The Dodger bullpen continued to struggle. The latest victim was closer Eric Gagne, who allowed a 2-run homer to Montreal's Troy O'Leary. Gagne, who took his first loss on the season, did follow up with saves over the next two nights. Paul Shuey went 1-1 for the week with a blown save. He was torched by the Phillies on two occassions. On the 9th, Shuey gave up a grand slam to Pat Burrell turning a 4-2 lead into a 6-4 deficit. On the 11th, Shuey was rocked for 3 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks in only two thirds of an inning. Shuey has really struggled since being acquired from the Indians; in 7.2 innings, Shuey has allowed 12 hits, 12 walks and 8 runs.

IS IT A BIRD? IS IT A PLANE?
NO IT'S MARK GRUDZIELANEK!!!!
6 games: .347 (8-23), 3 homers, 6 RBI, 1.129 OPS
Though he didn't fly, Mark Grudzielanek was wearing a cape this week as he hit two huge homers against the Phillies. It started last Friday night when Paul Shuey allowed a grand slam in the 8th inning turning a 2-run lead into a 2-run deficit. But in the bottom of the 8th, Grudzielanek electrified the stunned LA crowd with a 3-run homer over the center field wall off Mike Timlin to give the Dodgers a 7-6 lead and ultimately a victory. The following night, the Phillies led 8-5 heading into the 7th when Mark struck again. This time the victim was Rheal Cormier. Grudzielanek hit a 2-run opposite field homer to tie the game; later in the inning Marquis Grissom would single in the game winning run. Mark has been solid since the All-Star break, hitting .347 with 4 homers and 15 RBI.

LATEST NEWS
Kevin Brown was activated off the DL on August 15th. Brown will initially work from the pen, but as long as Brown stays healthy, he will find his way back into the starting rotation. But for now, Jim Tracy wants to use Brown in non-pressure situations to let Brown find his rhythm and command. The good news is that Brown says that his arm feels like his pre-2000 days. If Brown is fully healthy, he is a valuable fantasy player and potentially is on the FA wire.

So who could get sent to the pen? The most likely candidates are Omar Daal and Kazuhisa Ishii. Daal pitched brilliantly out of the pen to start the year; however, he's been the better starting pitcher of late. Daal pitched a great game against the Expos last night; throwing 7 shutout innings allowing only 4 hits. In his last 5 starts, Daal is 3-0 with a 1.89 ERA. On the other hand, Ishii has had control problems for much of the year but came up with a solid start last week against the Expos. He allowed 3 hits, 4 walks, 0 earned runs and 4 strikeouts over 6 innings. It was his first victory since July 14th. He leads the majors with 95 walks in 139 innings.

The hot hitting Adrian Beltre was moved to the 3-hole in the order, batting in front of Shawn Green. This should get Beltre even better pitches to hit as Green has been hitting the long ball recently, 4 homers in the last 7 games. Beltre has been the Dodgers best player since the All-Star break and is giving the Dodgers a much needed offensive weapon. Batting 3rd, Beltre is hitting .375 with 7 runs scored.

Brian Jordan has been battling a back injury (see injuries below) and has missed the last week. Marquis Grissom started in his place and had a huge week hitting .400 with 3 homers and 7 RBI. Grissom is extremely streaky and may be worth a look especially in NL-only leagues. Grissom hit a putrid .191 in June.

Odalis Perez pitched his 3rd straight quality start, but came away with a no decision after Paul Shuey got rocked and the Dodgers lost 6-3. Perez threw 7 innings, allowing 3 runs (2 earned), 9 hits, 3 walks and 4 strikeouts. In his last 3 starts, Perez is 0-1 with a 2.04 ERA.

INJURIES
Kevin Brown (SP) - Status: Activated from DL
Brown has been activated and sent to the bullpen. Expect Brown to be back in the rotation before long. In his second rehab start, Brown threw 6 innings allowing 1 run and 5 hits. He hasn't been very sharp in two bullpen sessions following his start.

Brian Jordan (OF) - Status: headed to DL?
Jorand has a small protrusion in his lower back which could send him to the DL. He recieved a cortisone injection and the Dodgers will wait and see how his back responds. The doctors think it might be an old injury so they will wait to see before deciding their next action. Jordan has been struggling terribly at the plate; he hasn't hit a homer since July 6th.

Giovanni Carrara (RP) - Status: 15-day DL
Carrara was sent to the DL with a strained musle in his right forearm. Carrara is of little fantasy value unless your league counts holds.

WHO'S HOT (last 7 days)
Marquis Grissom (OF): .400 (10-25), 3 HR, 7 RBI, 1.263 OPS
Mark Grudzielanek (2B): .375 (8-23), 3 HR, 6 RBI, 1.129 OPS
Shawn Green (OF): .333 (8-24), 3 HR, 7RBI, 1.175 OPS
Omar Daal (SP): 2GS, 1.28 ERA, 14 IP, 11H, 3BB, 4K, 2ER

WHO'S NOT (last 7 days)
Paul Lo Duca (C): .230 (6-26), 1R, 1 RBI, .499 OPS
Eric Karros (1B): .230 (3-13), 2 RBI, .515 OPS
Paul Shuey (RP): 1-1, 1 BlSv, 13.50 ERA, 2 IP, 4H, 4BB


I am currently in NY and will probably not have my usual Friday update next week. Look for the next update on August 26th.
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Chris Wang
Dodgers Correspondent

DODGERS - 8/9/02
2nd place in the NL West
64-51, 6 games behind the D’Backs
1st place in NL Wild Card
.5 game lead over SF, 4 game lead over Houston


LAST WEEK'S RESULTS
8/2: 3-1 loss to Phillies
8/3: 8-6 win over Phillies
8/4: 4-3 win over Phillies
8/5: 7-5 loss to Phillies
8/6: 3-1 loss to Pirates
8/7: 4-0 win over Pirates
8/8: 10-5 win over Pirates

TURNING POINT?

After the crushing loss last week to the Reds where they coughed up a 4-0 ninth inning lead (Gagne also ejected), the Dodgers came out totally flat in the next game against the Phillies scoring only 1 run. In the next game the Dodgers were down 6-4 heading into the ninth and looking at their third straight loss. But the Dodgers season may have turned once again in Philadephia. With 2 outs, ex-Dodger Terry Adams had Dave Hansen down 0-2 but Hansen battled back and singled to centerfield. Larry Bowa went to the pen for the lefty-lefty matchup of Dan Plesac versus Shawn Green. Green had already homered in the game but he was down 0-2 in the count and it didn't look good for the Dodgers. After a close 2-2 check-swing which was ruled a ball, Plesac threw a curve which Green hit into the upper deck in right field. The Dodgers would eventually win the game in extra innings.

If the Dodgers are going to win the wild card, this is going to be a turning point. Green woke up his bat from his All-Star break slumber and he had a huge week. Green hit 4 homers and drove in 8 runs. With Beltre finally hitting the ball, the two could carry this Dodger offense the rest of the way. But the Dodgers must get production from Green and it appears he's streaking with power again.

LATEST NEWS

Adrian Beltre has awaken from a season long funk and has rewarded the Dodger brass for not trading him at the deadline. While many people want to credit Tyler Houston's arrival with Beltre's hot bat, they neglect the fact that Beltre had started to hit before Houston came to town. Whatever the case, the fact is that Beltre is the hottest Dodger hitter and finally giving the lineup the production that it needs from third base. Since the break, Beltre has been red hot. In 26 games, Beltre is hitting .340 with 9 homers and 26 RBI. In 88 games before the break, Beltre hit .238 with 7 homers and 29 RBI. If Beltre is available in your league, you would be wise to pick him up immediately.

Manager Jim Tracy finally came to his senses and has benched Cesar Izturis against right-handed pitchers. Izturis is batting a putrid .196 and .472 OPS against righties. Izturis has been starting against lefties (.303). There is talk of him batting only from his natural side, the right side; but that probably won't happen this season. Alex Cora now has the better side of the platoon and has continued to put up decent numbers. Cora is hitting .297 against righties with a .791 OPS. He may be worth a look in deep NL-only leagues.

Kevin Brown is slating next week for his return to the majors, which is ahead of the September outlook of about a month ago. Brown had his first rehab start last Friday for Triple-A Las Vegas. He threw 32 of 50 pitches for strikes. He went 3.2 innings allowing 1 hit, 1 run, 2 walks and 3 strikeouts. He threw again on Wednesday with no problems. He will pitch again tonight as he is expected to throw about 80 pitches. He will likely return to the rotation Wednesday or Thursday in Montreal. The question now is will be who will get bumped from the rotation. My first instinct would be Omar Daal, who was extremely effective in that role to start the year. However, Daal is 2-0 in his last 3 starts and has been solid as a starter. The L.A. Times is reporting that the Dodgers are leaning towards moving Kaz Ishii to the pen. Ishii is 0-2 in his last 4 starts and could easily be 0-4 if not for great offensive support of 18 runs in his last 2 starts. Ishii leads the majors with 91 walks in 133.1 innings.

Newly acquired set-up man Paul Shuey has struggled adjusting to the NL. In 5.2 innings, Shuey has allowed 8 hits, 5 runs, 8 walks and struck out 8. He has a 7.94 ERA. Shuey has said that NL hitters have been more patient and have been taking his splitter for balls. He vows to go to his fastball more. Expect him to get back on track very soon.

Andy Ashby has been a victim of poor run support. Ashby is 1-1 in his last 3 starts despite allowing only 2 runs over 20.1 innings. Ashby won his last start, which was his first win since June 23rd. He's been inconsistent all year, volleying between great performances and 4-5 run pummelings. Expect the trend to continue.

Odalis Perez hasn't won a game since July 5th and has lost 4 straight decisions. But upon closer inspection, Perez has pitched well over his last 2 starts and he will put wins on the board soon enough. He was a victim of Gagne's ejection in Cincinnati as he had pitched 7 shutout innings. In his last start, Perez gave up 3 runs over 8 innings but the Dodgers were only able to score 1 run. Expect better luck for Perez in his upcoming starts.

Paul Lo Duca was given the night off Thursday night despite left-hander Jimmy Anderson being on the hill. Lo Duca has struggled since the break and is just 2 for his last 27. He has only 9 RBI since the break. Don't worry about Lo Duca, who has been hitting the ball hard of late but right at people. "I feel great physically - I'm actually healthier than I've been all year," said Lo Duca. Keep him in your lineups.

Brian Jordan has been miserable since the break and you have to wonder if his knee is bothering more than he lets on. Since the break, Jordan is hitting only .258 with no homers and only 6 RBI. His OPS is only .590 after being .834 before the break. Jordan's last homer was on July 6th. Bench him for now

Eric Karros has been just as bad as Jordan, though he doesn't seem to realize it. Since the break, Karros is hitting .235 with no homers and 6 RBI. His OPS is .647 after being a sub par .768 in the 1st half. Here's Karros quote a few days after the Houston acquistion - "I would be very shocked if I was in any kind of rotational system unless my play warranted that." Well guess what Eric, a .235 average with no homers (since July 2nd) and 6 RBI from a corner infield position in 23 games is not going to cut it. If Karros continues to struggle, look for Tyler Houston (who got only one start this week) to get more starts at first.

INJURIES
Kevin Brown (SP) - Status: DL, expected back mid-week
Brown is expected to pitch against the Expos on Wednesday or Thursday this week.

Darren Dreifort (SP) - Status: DL
Dreifort had arthroscopic surgery on his knee in the last week of July. He has regained almost full range of motion in his right knee. Don't expect him to pitch this season.

Jeff Reboulet (IF) - Status: DL (back)
Reboulet has begun playing at Triple-A Las Vegas but isn't expected to be back on the roster until September 1st. He has no fantasy value.

ON THE FARM
Kevin Beirne was called up by the Dodgers and Victor Alvarez was optioned to Triple-A. Beirne was 10-3 with a 4.15 ERA in 125.2 innings. Beirne is expected to serve as a long reliever with the club.
Joe Thurston (2B) has been solid this season batting .331 with 9 homers, 43 RBI and 17 stolen bases. He has walked 21 times and struck out 53 times in 113 games. He is looking like a solid replacement for Mark Grudzielanek.
Chin-Feng Chen (1B) has not shown the increased plate discipline that Dodger management would like to see from this power hitting first baseman. He's hitting .274 with 24 homers and 72 RBI; however he has struck out 130 times in just 115 games.

WHO'S HOT (last 7 days)
Adrian Beltre (3B): .440 (11-25), 7R, 3HR, 7RBI, 1SB, 1.301 OPS
Shawn Green (RF): .333 (9-27), 6R, 4HR, 8RBI, 1SB, 1.270 OPS
Mark Grudzielanek (2B): .346 (9-26), 2R, 1HR, 2RBI, .846 OPS
Andy Ashby (SP): 1-0, 14.1 IP, 9H, 5BB, 12K, 0R, 0.00 ERA
Eric Gagne (RP): 1-0, 2 saves, 4.1 IP, 4K

WHO'S NOT (last 7 days)
Paul Lo Duca (C): .076 (2-26), 0R, 0RBI, .187 OPS
Dave Roberts (CF): .217 (5-23), 2R, 1SB
Kaz Ishii (SP): 0-0, 8.10 ERA, 10 IP, 10H, 7BB, 9R, 3HR
Paul Shuey (RP): 0-1, 8.10 ERA, 3.1 IP, 3H, 5BB, 5K

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Chris Wang
Dodgers Correspondent

DODGERS - 8/2/02
2nd place in the NL West
60-48, 5 games behind the D’Backs



DEADLINE DEAL

After picking up 3B Tyler Houston to help bolster the offense (see last week's report), GM Dan Evans focused on strengthening the team's bullpen for the stretch run. He pulled the trigger on RP Paul Shuey, who is a veteran power set-up man with one of the nastiest splitters in the game. Shuey's acquisition came at the high price of Terry Mulholland and minor league pitchers Ricardo Rodriguez, LA's top pitching prospect, and Francisco Crucetta. Shuey will be the 8th inning bridge to get the ball to Eric Gagne. Shuey, 31, is 3-0 with a 2.41 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and has 39 strikeouts in 37.1 innings. With the acquisition, the Dodgers sent Guillermo Mota down to Triple-A Las Vegas as they didn't see Mota as a long reliever and wanted to get him regular work. To fill Terry Mulholland's roster spot, the Dodgers called up left hander Victor Alvarez.

GAME RECAPS

Thursday 8/1: Cincinnati 6, LA 4 (13 innings)
The Dodgers were up 4-0 heading into the 9th with Eric Gagne on the mound and it looked like a sealed deal (the Dodgers were 55-0 when heading to the 9th with a lead this year). However, Gagne allowed a hit to Todd Walker and then a homer to Aaron Boone to cut the lead in half. Gagne's next pitch hit Adam Dunn on the right arm and home plate umpire Dan Iassogna (called up from the minors) ejected Gagne. It was one of the worst judgement calls that I've seen in my life as Gagne was not trying to hit Dunn and bring the tying run to the plate. Gagne didn't even hit Dunn in the back or in the legs which would make it look intentional. Manager Jim Tracy said, "I don't know what to say, really, except that was the grossest error in judgement in quite possibly the history of the game." The Dodgers went on to lose the game on a Ken Griffey 2-run homer off of Omar Daal.

Odalis Perez was robbed of the victory but had his best start since June after having 9 days off to rest his arm. Perez was very sharp and went 7 innings while allowing only 2 hits, 2 walks and striking out 5. Perez is much better than his 7.59 July ERA.

While the Dodgers cried about the ejection, they still should have won the game. Jesse Orosco struck out Ken Griffey Jr and retired Reggie Taylor on a ground out. However Giovanni Carrarra hung a 2-2 curveball to the light hitting Jason LaRue, who doubled into the corner to bring in two to tie the game.

Wednesday 7/31: LA 11, Cincinnati 5
Despite giving up 2 runs in the first, Hideo Nomo settled in and threw 6 effective innings to pick up the win. It wasn't his best outing but he worked out of trouble and allowed 5 hits, 2 runs, 4 walks and 2 strikeouts. Paul Lo Duca and Shawn Green hit back to back homers; and Adrian Beltre went 3-5 with 2 homers and 5 RBI.

Tuesday 7/29: Cincinnati 12, LA 4
Kaz Ishii had his worst outing of his major league career. Ishii lasted only 2.2 innings. He gave up 8 runs (all earned) on 5 hits (2 homers) and 6 walks. Ishii threw 71 pitches but only 35 strikes. He's allowed a major league leading 84 walks in 123.1 innings. He's walked 3 or more in 20 of 21 starts; and has walked 4 or more in 12 of 21 starts. His WHIP now stands at 1.56 and his ERA has risen to 3.87.

Sunday 7/27: SF 3, LA 1
The Dodgers were dominated by the Giants Jason Schmidt who allowed only 4 hits and struck out 10. Andy Ashby pitched a solid game, allowing only 2 runs on 5 hits in 6 innings of work.

Saturday 7/26: LA 5, SF 1
Omar Daal pitched solidly to pick up his first win in 4 starts. He threw 6 strong innings, allowing only 2 hits and 1 run. Beltre and Lo Duca both had 3 hits on the day

Friday 7/25: LA 11, SF 6
Offense was the story in this game. Tyler Houston made a splash in his Dodger debut going 4-4 with 3 runs and 4 RBI. Adrian Beltre also had a huge game going 4-5 with 4 RBI.
Hideo Nomo pitched effectively enough for the win.

LOCAL PERSPECTIVE
After yesterday's shocking defeat at the hands of the umps and Reds, the Dodgers look to bounce back against the Phillies. The Dodgers will face the aftershock of that game in the next 3-4 games. Omar Daal had to pitch in extra innings but was originally scheduled to start today. Andy Ashby will move up in the rotation to pitch Friday and Kaz Ishii will also move up to pitch Saturday.

Tyler Houston's fast start has caused some unrest in the clubhouse. Eric Karros, who rushed back from the birth of his second child, found himself to be left out of the starting lineup. Karros said, "I would be very shocked if I was in any kind of rotational system unless my play warranted that." I'll be the one to burst Karros's bubble; his 45 RBI rank him 18th in the majors for first basemen; and his .745 OPS ranks him 22nd. Karros is batting .285 with 9 homers and 45 RBI. Nonetheless, Houston will not be a everyday starter on this team, barring injury; but he will find starts at first base and third. However, Adrian Beltre has been the most productive Dodger since the All-Star break. Since the break, Beltre is hitting .306 with 6 homers and 19 RBI with a .973 OPS. The Dodgers will need his production to stay in the wild card lead.

Yes, Dodger fans are celebrating the departure of Terry Mulholland to Cleveland. However, personally I'm a bit disappointed as seeing Terry come into a game was almost guaranteed offense (for the other team of course). He allowed a run in 12 of 21 appearances (that's not including inherited runs to score). Terry was the anti-Cy Young award winner this year with Los Angeles. He allowed 10 homers in 32 innings for a 7.31 ERA and 1.62 WHIP. He's doing better in Cleveland so far: in two appearances, a 1.50 WHIP and 6.75 ERA. There's a golf course waiting for his retirement...

RUMOR MILL
GM Dan Evans made the moves that he wanted. He helped improve the offensive depth of the club with Tyler Houston and gave the bullpen a veteran arm to help close out games in Paul Shuey. I wouldn't expect the Dodgers to make any waiver deals unless a serious injury befalls one of their starters.

INJURIES

Kevin Brown (P) - Status: DL, rehab
Brown is recovering much faster than expected and will make his first minor league rehab start tomorrow for Triple-A Las Vegas. He will make at least 2 rehab starts, but a mid-August return is now possible barring any setbacks. His presence in the rotation would be a huge boost for the team and would also help the bullpen as Omar Daal would move back to a long relief role.

Darren Dreifort (P) - Status: DL
Dreifort underwent exploratory arthroscopic surgery on his right knee last Tuesday. He had cartilage chips removed from his knee. He is likely done for the year. Disappointing news for Dreifort who is trying to come back from his second "Tommy John" surgery.

Jeff Reboulet (IF) - Status: DL (back)
Reboulet seems to be fine but won't likely be activated until rosters expand Septermber 1st. This update is strictly for friends and family of Jeff.

WHO'S HOT (last 7 days)
Adrian Beltre (3B): .428 (12-28) 5R, 2HR, 10 RBI
Tyler Houston (1B/3B): .411 (7-17), 6R, 5RBI
Mark Grudzielanek (2B): .363 (8-22), 4RBI
Paul Lo Duca (C): .347 (8-23), 5R, 1HR, 4RBI
Jesse Orosco (P): 2.2IP, 5K
Odalis Perez (P): 7IP, 2H, 2BB, 5K, 0R

WHO'S NOT (last 7 days)
Cesar Izturis (SS): .136 (3-22), 2RBI
Eric Karros (1B): .166 (2-12), 3K
Kaz Ishii (P): 2.2IP, 5H, 6BB, 8R, 27ERA
Paul Shuey (P): 2.1IP, 5H, 3BB, 2R

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Chris Wang
Dodgers Correspondent