Dodgers pregame notes: Ramirez to return on Monday

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SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Manny Ramirez probably will return to game action Monday when the Dodgers face the Angels in Tempe, Manager Joe Torre said.

Ramirez ran without trouble today, which perhaps was why he was shouting, ‘Change the lineup!’ when reporters walked into the Dodgers’ clubhouse.

‘I’m going to play cricket,’ a smiling Ramirez said as he walked across the locker room. ‘They’ve got better trainers.’

That prompted Orlando Hudson to shout at him: ‘Go play cricket. You’re (awful) at baseball.’

The Dodgers are facing the Kansas City Royals tonight in a rare Cactus League night game. The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI single by James Loney.

This could be a big game for Claudio Vargas and Eric Milton, who are in contention to be the Dodgers’ fifth starter. Vargas and Milton are scheduled to pitch three innings each. Hard-throwing Josh Lindblom, who was called up from minor league camp on Thursday, will pitch an inning.

Muhammad Ali and Wayne Gretzky are in the building to take in the game.

The Dodgers’ lineup:
Matt Kemp CF
Brad Ausmus C
Andre Ethier RF
James Loney 1B
Mark Loretta 3B
Blake DeWitt 2B
Delwyn Young DH
Xavier Paul LF
Juan Castro SS
Claudio Vargas RHP

-- Dylan Hernandez