A Little Pregame Small Talk of No Help to Dodgers

Nearly two hours before the start of Atlanta’s final game against the Dodgers this season, Brave outfielder Otis Nixon took time out to talk to old friends.

Among the Dodgers he spoke with were Gary Sheffield, Raul Mondesi and Eric Karros, three players who have taken their share of heat for the team’s dismal season.

Don’t think, however, that Nixon, who has played with nine teams in his 14-year career, offered the players encouragement before the Braves’ come-from-behind 5-4 victory in 11 innings Sunday night before 41,606 at Dodger Stadium.

“I know these guys and I know what they’re going through, but that wasn’t our conversation at all,” said Nixon, who played 42 games with the Dodgers in 1997. “When things are going like they are [for the Dodgers], fresh conversations not about baseball is good. It’s frustrating when you have a team that is expected to do [well] and you don’t do it.

“That’s why I don’t like to get involved with the day-to-day stuff. They are my friends and it’s refreshing sometimes not to talk about baseball. I own two other businesses and I was talking to them about installing home theaters into their homes.”

Not a bad idea, considering that the Dodgers will probably be watching this year’s postseason action from home.

Ismael Valdes pitched well against Atlanta’s Tom Glavine on Sunday, but the Dodger bullpen failed to get enough big outs to help end his personal four-game losing streak.

Valdes, who did not get a decision, gave up three runs and seven hits and left with a 4-3 lead after seven innings, but the Dodgers (53-65) walked home a tying run in the eighth and then the Braves scored the winning run on a single by infielder Jose Hernandez in the 11th.

Right fielder Raul Mondesi’s love-hate relationship with Dodger fans continued. Mondesi received more boos, especially when he struck out with the bases loaded and no outs in the fifth inning. But he triggered cheers with a run-scoring single in the first inning. That was Mondesi’s lone hit in four at-bats to go along with an intentional walk in the ninth inning.

Second baseman Eric Young, who was rested by Manager Davey Johnson on Saturday, had his second strong game since being reinstated after recovering from a left ankle injury. Young, who reached base three times Friday, had two hits and scored twice to go along with his team-leading 36th stolen base.

Glavine, last season’s NL Cy Young winner, had won seven of his last nine decisions for the Braves (72-47), who are tied with the New York Mets for first place in the East. Glavine gave up four runs and 11 hits in 7 1/3 innings. Mike Remlinger (4-1), who replaced Rudy Seanez to start the ninth, pitched two innings and earned the victory. John Rocker pitched a scoreless 11th to earn his 26th save for Atlanta.

The Dodgers left 12 men on base and twice left the bases loaded. Which, of course, was of no help to Valdes.

Johnson said that it will be important for some of the Dodgers’ young pitchers to step up over the final weeks of the season because they definitely will get an opportunity.

“We’re always looking for starters to show some consistency,” Johnson said. “Except for Brownie and maybe Valdes, the rest of the rotation has been spotty. I think that you have to have competition for the starting spots.

“If somebody got hurt, you have to have people ready to start. That’s why I’m looking at other options in case something did happen to our starters.”

Johnson will give rookie pitcher Mike Judd another look. Judd, who earned a victory in his first start last Thursday against Montreal, will start Tuesday night against the Florida Marlins.

“You constantly are looking at pitching because you can always can get better pitching,” Johnson said. “You can never have enough . . . That’s No. 1 on the list.”