Jim Eisenreich: That’s Enough of Mr. Nice Guy

Florida Marlin outfielder Jim Eisenreich is widely regarded as one of the nicest men in baseball, but the Dodgers can’t stand him.

It’s nothing personal, it’s simply that he tears up the Dodger pitching staff.

Eisenreich, who played the last four seasons for the Philadelphia Phillies, has a lifetime .430 batting average against the Dodgers. And last season, he hit .468 against them.

That’s why the Dodgers tried hard to acquire Eisenreich in a trade before the Sept. 1 postseason roster deadline last year.

“We wanted him,” Executive Vice President Fred Claire said. “We thought we put together a nice package for him.”

Said Eisenreich, “I had my bags packed. I figured I was going there.”

Then when Eisenreich became a free agent in the off-season, the Dodgers called again. And again Eisenreich thought he would be coming. But when he didn’t hear back from them, and the Marlins offered a two-year, $2.6-million contract, Eisenreich took it.

“I would have come to the Dodgers, but they told me they were waiting word from Brett [Butler],” Eisenreich said. “Once they signed Brett, they didn’t need me.”

The Dodgers could use a left-handed hitter in the middle of their lineup, but considering the way Butler is playing, they apparently made the right decision. Butler is batting .358 and leads the team with a .456 on-base percentage.

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Former Dodger pitching star Joe Black telephoned Cincinnati shortstop Barry Larkin to thank him and his teammates for cutting their uniform sleeves short to honor Jackie Robinson. And to set the record straight.

“I want to congratulate you and the team for what you’re doing,” Black told Larkin. “But I have to tell you, Jackie never wore his sleeves short.”

And, indeed, the Dodgers have no pictures in their archives of Robinson with short sleeves.

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Perhaps in any other year the Marlins would be satisfied with their 10-9 start, but having pumped $167 million into the player budget, the expectations are higher.

“This team’s not playing as aggressive or confident as I think it should,” Manager Jim Leyland said.

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Butler is earning a base salary of $500,000, but the way he’s playing, the Dodgers may wind up paying him $2 million. Coming back from cancer, he has incentive clauses that pay him $3,500 for each day he’s on the major league roster up to $600,000; $1,000 per plate appearance up to $500,000; and $3,333.33 each game he starts up to $400,000.

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ON DECK

* Opponent--Florida Marlins, three games.

* Site--Pro Player Stadium, Miami.

* Today--4 PDT.

* TV--Channel 5, Saturday; ESPN, Sunday.

* Radio--KABC (790), KWKW (1330).

* Records--Dodgers 11-7; Marlins 10-9.

* Record vs. Marlins (1996)--7-6.

TONIGHT’S GAME

DODGERS’ HIDEO NOMO (2-1, 3.28 ERA) vs. MARLINS’ AL LEITER (2-1, 4.71 ERA)

* Update--The Dodgers will learn where they stand among the National League’s elite in their next five games against the Marlins and Atlanta Braves. The Marlins, who spent $167 million in the off-season on free-agent signings and contract extensions, have been one of the disappointing teams, having lost five consecutive games and eight of the last 10. In that 10-game stretch, leadoff hitter Luis Castillo is hitting .230, No. 3 hitter Edgar Renteria is hitting .100, and the heart of the order--Gary Sheffield, Bobby Bonilla and Devon White--is hitting .142. The Dodgers are hoping the Marlins’ pitching staff still is shellshocked after the pummeling it received earlier this week by the Rockies. Pat Rapp was knocked around the hardest, yielding 13 hits and 10 earned runs in 2 2/3 innings in a 13-4 defeat.

* Saturday, 4 p.m.--Ismael Valdes (1-2, 2.49) vs. Alex Fernandez (2-2, 2.28).

* Sunday, 5 p.m.--Pedro Astacio (2-0, 2.35 ERA) vs. Pat Rapp (2-1, 5.64).