News
LA's Blake misses fourth straight start
Lefty Kershaw receiving treatment on right shoulder
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com
09/08/09 9:11 PM ET
PHOENIX -- Modest improvement was reported Tuesday with a trio of injured Dodgers.Starting third baseman Casey Blake missed his fourth start with a left hamstring strain. He stepped up his workload and tested the leg jogging for a second day. Manager Joe Torre said Blake was "a lot better but still can't run" full speed and likely wouldn't be used in a pinch-hitting role if running hard to first base was essential.
The thought of losing Blake during a pennant race could have been devastating, except for the play of his replacement, recent acquisition Ronnie Belliard, who is hitting .370 with two homers and six RBIs in eight games. Tuesday night was his fourth consecutive start at third base.
Belliard's contributions are reminiscent of Marlon Anderson, acquired for pinch-hitting by the Dodgers on Aug. 31, 2006. He essentially inherited a starting outfield job from Andre Ethier that September and slugged seven homers in one month as the Dodgers made the playoffs.
Clayton Kershaw, already scratched from his scheduled start Saturday night in San Francisco after a freak accident shagging fly balls on Sunday, continued to receive treatment on his injured right (non-throwing) shoulder. It's not yet clear if Kershaw will miss more than that one start.
"We're hoping one start, but we don't know," Torre conceded about Kershaw, whose injury continues to be described as a bruise, even though it seems to be a classic separation judging from the symptoms and Kershaw's body language.
For three days, Kershaw has kept the right arm limp by his side, even Tuesday when he made 50 throws before batting practice to keep his throwing arm loose.
Torre said Randy Wolf would start Friday night's series opener against the Giants. Torre said he would decide Wednesday who would start Saturday and Sunday. In order of the most rested, he has Hiroki Kuroda, Vicente Padilla and Tuesday night starter Chad Billingsley from which to choose.
Pinch-hitter Jim Thome, who felt his heel pop Sunday running to first base, "is still limping around," Torre said and it was unclear whether Thome was available for pinch-hitting Tuesday night. Thome has a history of plantar fasciitis problems, including earlier this year, one of several physical reasons why Thome is not considered an option for any first-base play.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
