Young Tries to Stop Shaky Play

Concerned about yet another mediocre start, Dodger second baseman Eric Young called a team meeting Monday before a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium.

The leadoff batter believed the closed-door session was necessary because the Dodgers lost twice in a three-game weekend series to the lowly Florida Marlins, failing to execute in many areas. Young said the meeting was intended to help the club regroup--not assign blame.

“It’s not time to panic or anything like that, that’s not what this is about,” Young said. “We know we’ve got a good club and we can win this [the National League West division].

“But there are things we’re doing that we need to do better, stuff you can’t do if you’re a contending club. It’s not one guy, or even one thing, it’s a lot of little things that add up.”

The botched rundown play in the eighth inning of the Marlins’ 6-4 victory Sunday qualifies, though the Dodgers had bigger problems because pitcher Chan Ho Park couldn’t preserve a 4-0 lead entering the sixth. Young acknowledged the rundown obviously wasn’t textbook, but there have been other miscues too.

“You always have to play fundamental baseball, and there have been times when we’ve gotten away with things that we shouldn’t have,” Young said. “There are just things that we have to improve on--it’s as simple as that.”

Young points to the Atlanta Braves, saying the Dodgers need to emulate them to achieve their goals.

“The one thing about the Braves is that you know they’re never going to beat themselves,” he said. “You have to give them credit because they approach every game the same way no matter what.

“It’s like Sheff [Gary Sheffield] said the other day, we should be playing a lot better. The good thing is that the things we need to correct are all correctable.”

*

Center fielder Devon White sat out Monday’s game after leaving in the fifth inning Sunday because he experienced tightness in his right hamstring.

“The good thing is that I didn’t pop it,” White said. “If I had popped it, we’d be talking 10 days to two weeks.”

White is listed as day-to-day, but Manager Davey Johnson is leaning toward giving the 13-year veteran the remaining two games of the Chicago series off.

The Dodgers are off Thursday, opening a three-game weekend series at St. Louis on Friday. That would potentially give White four days to rest and receive treatment.

“He [White] and I will talk on a daily basis,” Johnson said. “But at this time of the year, and in the hamstring area, I don’t want to take any chances. It’s still awfully early.”

*

With White slowed, reserve Todd Hollandsworth moves into the lineup in center, leaving the Dodgers without an outfield safety net.

Fifth outfielder Jacob Brumfield was claimed on waivers last Friday by the Toronto Blue Jays. Infielder Tripp Cromer, who has played only one game in the outfield in his career, is the emergency outfielder.

Johnson would like to recall outfielder Trenidad Hubbard from triple-A Albuquerque. Hubbard, optioned to Albuquerque on the final day of spring training, is playing well for the Dukes.

In 21 games, Hubbard is batting .320 with three home runs and 15 RBIs. He was a valuable reserve last season, batting .298 with seven homers in 94 games.

Of course, Johnson can’t recall Hubbard at the moment. The Dodgers have no room on the 25-man roster because they are carrying 12 pitchers.

“Yeah, [Hubbard] is playing good down there right now, but how do I get him unless we go to 11 [pitchers]?” Johnson said. “I’d like to try to get Trenidad here, but how I can get him here is anybody’s guess.”

*

Park encountered trouble Sunday because he relied too heavily on his breaking pitches in key situations.

Park, who gave up three homers, repeatedly shook off catcher Paul LoDuca when LoDuca signaled for fastballs.

“He got cute at times,” Johnson said, “but he pitched well overall.”

Not well enough.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ CARLOS PEREZ (1-3, 5.65 ERA)

vs.

CUBS’ KYLE FARNSWORTH (1-0, 4.63 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7

TV--Fox Sports West 2. Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

* Update--Perez is scheduled to return to the rotation after missing his previous start last Wednesday in Montreal because he suffered a mysterious right thigh injury. Perez claims he does not know how the injury, which caused swelling around his right knee, occurred the night before he was scheduled to pitch. However, Perez and General Manager Kevin Malone have addressed speculation that Perez inadvertently fell while returning to the team hotel after a night on the town with several of his former Expo teammates. Team officials have turned the page, but they won’t be pleased if Perez suffers another unexplained injury. The left-hander earned his first victory April 30 against Philadelphia, giving up one run in seven strong innings. That marked the first time Perez had completed a seventh inning effectively this season.