BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Puzzled Griffin Insists He Can Play

Alfredo Griffin was in uniform and walking without pain Saturday, which was unusual considering the Dodgers put him on the 15-day disabled list Friday because of a lacerated toenail and sprained thumb.

Griffin was among the puzzled.

“I can play with my toe, it just feels numb, but I can run with it,” Griffin said. “My thumb, it would be harder to play, but I have played with pain before. I can take anything for a couple of hours.

“Actually, I feel great. I’m not going to need any rehabilitation or anything. But doctors say I can’t play, so I guess I cannot play.”

Fred Claire, Dodger vice president, said: “Doctors were concerned that if Alfredo tried to play too soon with the toe, it could cause infection. We didn’t want to take any chances.”

With backup shortstop Mike Sharperson nursing a sore right leg, Claire said the Dodgers had no choice but recall Jose Offerman.

Griffin was batting .228 with seven errors in 24 games, the most of any player in baseball. Offerman was batting .375 after 20 games at Albuquerque with 11 runs batted in and 10 stolen bases.

Robert Woods, the Dodgers’ former team physician who was affiliated with the club from 1958-66, died Friday.