Worrell Sets Sights on 300 Saves

Relief pitcher Todd Worrell isn’t worried about all the work his 37-year-old arm is getting.

After all, he soon will be retiring it. At least, that’s what he keeps reading and hearing.

“According to all the stuff that’s being written about me, I’ll have plenty of off days coming up,” he said, after having pitched Tuesday for the fourth time in the last five games.

Don’t believe the rumors, says Worrell, adding that his decision will be made after his final pitch of the season.

“Maybe I should retire,” he said. “I don’t know. But I think I’m still throwing well enough to stay in the game as long as I want.

“It’s just that I’m at a different point in my life. I’m switching gears. I want to spend more time with my family.”

Worrell and his wife, Jamie, have three sons and a daughter.

Worrell, acknowledges, however, that a personal goal keeps him going. With 26 saves this season, he has a total of 247.

“How many people have 300 saves within their grasp?” he said.

He also doesn’t want to hang up his jersey, then reach for it again.

“I don’t want to retire and six months down the road regret it,” he said. “I’ve seen that happen to a lot of guys. They try to get back in and it doesn’t happen.”

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The Dodgers are grumbling about having to take a break in their important 10-game trip, and a huge detour, to play the San Diego Padres in Monday’s Hall of Fame game in Cooperstown, N.Y.

But at least the regulars don’t figure to play much.

The Dodgers will call up seven minor leaguers to fill in.

Joining the club at Cooperstown will be right-handed pitcher Michael Judd, left-hander Jeff Kubenka, catcher Paul LoDuca and infielders Garey Ingram and Alex Cora from the double-A team in San Antonio, and right-hander Onan Masaoka and infielder Adrian Beltre from the Class-A entry in Vero Beach, Fla.

One regular, however, needs some work.

Ace right-hander Ramon Martinez, who has been out since mid-June because of a torn rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder, is scheduled to go at least four innings if his rehab start tonight in San Bernardino, his second, is successful.