Major League Baseball
NL notes: Dodgers' Tracy, coaches in line for extensions

E-mail this article Print this article Search archive Most read articles Most e-mailed articles

Pleased with the work of manager Jim Tracy and the coaching staff, Dodgers general manager Paul DePodesta said yesterday he probably would offer the group contract extensions.

"I'm really, really happy with the job they've done overall," DePodesta said. "I haven't made the decision, because otherwise it would be done, but I'm a lot closer than I was three weeks ago, in terms of making that call. And again, I'm happy with the job these guys have done."

Tracy, who has managed the team since 2001, is in the final season of his contract. Coaches Jim Riggleman (bench), Tim Wallach (batting), Jim Colborn (pitching), Glenn Hoffman (third base), John Shelby (first base), Manny Mota (special assignments) and Jim Lett (bullpen) have one-year deals.

DePodesta said making the playoffs would not necessarily be a factor in his decision.

"I had set aside August and September to make non-player-personnel decisions, looking at field guys, office people, all that kind of stuff, and it has been a focus of mine for the last couple of weeks," DePodesta said. "When I feel like I'm ready to make a decision, we're going to go ahead and do it, we're not going to wait.

"But I don't want to make one decision without having made the next five that I need to make. I want to have everything in my mind, clearly set, about what I'm going to do with everybody before I start rolling it (his plan) out."

• The most common question of the season is "How are the Giants still in the race?"

San Francisco ranks among the bottom five in the National League for earned-run average, and its defense is ordinary. Manager Felipe Alou is the reigning Cap'n Hook. The Giants began the weekend as the only major-league team that had more than 400 relief appearances. Alou had used at least four relievers in 57 games.

It helps to have a dominant offensive player in Barry Bonds. With Bonds, the Giants rank second in the NL for runs. St. Louis leads.

It also helps that the Giants have received an unexpected contribution from rookie left-hander Noah Lowry. He goes into his start at Atlanta tomorrow at 3-0 with a 3.28 ERA in eight starts.
 
Lowry barely breaks 90 mph with the fastball, but his changeup can make good hitters look bad.

• Arizona left-hander Randy Johnson goes into Tuesday's start against Los Angeles with 4,098 career strikeouts. Johnson is also only 38 strikeouts behind Steve Carlton, who is fourth on the all-time list.

Johnson has 10 double-figure strikeout games this season, putting him 14 behind Nolan Ryan's career total. Strikeouts are all Johnson has.

Johnson is 12-12 despite a 2.80 ERA. The lowly Diamondbacks have scored two runs or fewer in 10 of the losses.

Poor run support has dogged Johnson throughout his time with Arizona. The Diamondbacks have scored two runs or fewer in 33 of Johnson's 47 career losses with the club.

• Cincinnati outfielder Adam Dunn is left wondering as the Reds slide toward a fourth consecutive losing season. It will be the longest streak for the club since the 11 consecutive losing seasons of 1945-55.

"They called me up four years ago, and we haven't won since. I'm bad luck. If somebody tells me a fishing spot is hot one day and I show up the next day, nobody catches a fish."

• Montreal Expos manager Frank Robinson won his 900th game Wednesday, but he might not win many more this season now that All-Star second baseman Jose Vidro is done.

Vidro, who has suffered with patellar tendinitis since last season, will go on the disabled list Sept. 1 and have arthroscopic knee surgery eight days later to get ready for next season. After a slow start, Vidro was batting a team-high .294 with 14 homers and 60 RBI.

Hopefully, the Expos will have a home when Vidro returns — but don't hold your breath.

Seattle Times news services