BASEBALL : DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Griffin Explains His Baserunning Ploy

Alfredo Griffin had an unusual pregame meeting with former teammate Alejandro Pena, who pitches for the New York Mets.

Pena wanted to know what Griffin was doing when he tried to advance to second base Tuesday night on a walk.

“Pena told me, ‘Man, you are crazy!’ ” said Griffin, who was thrown out at second by Pena. “I told him, ‘Man, I’m just playing baseball, trying to get something started.”

Griffin, whose move raised eyebrows on the Dodger bench, said he decided to run for second as soon as he left home plate.

“I know that Pena is slow, and that he goes to sleep a lot,” Griffin said. “I saw all the infielders just standing around, so I decided to go for it. The only reason they got me was because (shortstop) Garry Templeton was moving toward second already because it was a bunt situation. Even then, I think I could have been safe.”

Said Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda: “It’s a great play if you make it, even though I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody try it before.”

The morning after he won his 14th game, Ramon Martinez was awakened at 8 by what he thought was a congratulatory phone call. Instead, he was the one soon offering congratulations when he learned his brother Pedro had been promoted from double-A San Antonio to triple-A Albuquerque.

The younger Martinez, 20, began the season at Class-A Bakersfield and has experienced one of the fastest rises in recent club history. He was 7-5 with a 1.76 earned-run average at San Antonio after going 8-0 with a 2.05 ERA for Bakersfield.

Ramon immediately phoned his brother’s San Antonio coaches upon learning of the promotion.

“I just wanted to make sure he was ready for it,” Martinez said. “They said he is ready, so it is fine with me. I am sure he will stay at triple-A the rest of year, where hopefully he will keep learning.”

Brett Butler is nursing a bruised ligament at the base of his right thumb, which he injured diving for a fly ball in the ninth inning Monday. . . . Vince Coleman was scratched from the starting lineup for the Mets with a sore left hamstring. . . . Mickey Hatcher has requested and received his release from his job as a player-coach for triple-A Albuquerque. Hatcher, who was released from the Dodgers’ major league roster this spring, was batting .160 in 17 games for the Dukes. He could return to the Dodgers organization as a full-time coach.