Coleman Rules in Favor of Dodgers

For the Dodgers, worn down by the pressures and demands of a long and often frustrating season, it doesn’t get much better than Monday.

They got a day off and they got a victory.

NL President Leonard Coleman has disallowed a protest filed by the New York Mets over a July 31 game, won by the Dodgers, 4-3.

The protest was based on a claim that the Dodgers were tardy in making roster changes.

It had been a hectic day for the team. They traded second baseman Wilton Guerrero and three minor leaguers to Montreal for shortstop Mark Grudzielanek, left-hander Carlos Perez and a minor leaguer.

With Guerrero gone, the Dodgers made an additional roster move, taking second baseman Eric Young off the disabled list and adding Tripp Cromer to that list.

As game time approached, Manager Glenn Hoffman still had a lineup card with Guerrero’s name on it. It was that lineup card that coach Mickey Hatcher took to home plate for presentation to the umpires.

But at that point, Hoffman called Hatcher back and fixed the card, replacing Guerrero with Young. The Dodgers also informed the umpiring crew of the roster moves.

In their protest, the Mets maintained that the Dodgers hadn’t followed proper procedure, failing to inform the league office of the roster switch. Not so, ruled Coleman.

“The requirements of the league constitution were met,” he said. “The home-plate umpire is the league representative.”

Coleman said he also had disallowed the protest because the Mets had not lodged it immediately.

ON DECK

* Opponent--Florida Marlins, three games.

* Site--Dodger Stadium.

* Today--1 p.m.

* Radio--AM 1150, KWKW (1330, Spanish).

* Records--Dodgers 60-58, Marlins 42-76.

* Record vs. Marlins--2-2.

* Tickets--(213) 224-1448.

TODAY

DODGERS’ DARREN DREIFORT (6-10, 3.72 ERA) vs. MARLINS’ JESUS SANCHEZ (5-6, 4.26 ERA)

* Update--The Marlins, making their only appearance of the season at Dodger Stadium, were 2-4 here last year. And that was when they had a team good enough to win the World Series.

* Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.--Carlos Perez (7-11, 3.85) vs. TBA.

* Thursday, 7 p.m.--Brian Bohanon (5-7, 2.79) vs. Kirt Ojala (1-2, 3.24).