Players Look for Stability

As the dust settles on another difficult week for the Dodgers, many prominent members of the team urged officials to stay the course.

Players said they hope front-office decision-makers aren’t planning further shake-ups after the coaching staff reorganization Wednesday.

Popular pitching coach Charlie Hough was fired and replaced by triple-A pitching coach Claude Osteen. Coaches Rick Dempsey and Glenn Hoffman switched the third base and bullpen jobs, respectively.

With that done, the Dodgers figure the rest should be on them.

“Everybody seems to panic sometimes when there’s no reason to,” left fielder Gary Sheffield said Friday before a 4-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves. “Everybody knows that decisions are going to be made in this game when teams don’t play well, and people are going to get fired. It might not be right, but it’s as simple as that.

“But we don’t need any more changes now. Now, it’s up to every player on this team to look themselves in the mirror and ask if they’re doing everything they need to do. Coaches can help with the little things, like if a guy isn’t in the right position or something, but it all comes down to what the players do on the field.”

Concerned sports officials often make blockbuster trades when teams fail to meet high expectations. But the Dodgers hope General Manager Kevin Malone isn’t working the phones.

“We don’t need that,” right fielder Raul Mondesi said about possible deals. “We have all the talent we need right here. We’ve got E.Y. [Eric Young], E.K. [Eric Karros], Sheff, Devo [Devon White], Kevin Brown.

“You only need trades if you don’t have good players. We have all the players we need.”

If given a little more time together, the Dodgers believe they will prove their worth as a group.

“Basically, it’s been a tough situation so far because we’re still getting to know each other,” shortstop Mark Grudzielanek said. “This team hasn’t been together for 10 years but we’re going to get there. We just have to hope we get the chance to [from management].”

*

X-rays on outfielder Todd Hollandsworth’s rib cage were negative. Hollandsworth suffered a strained rib cage Thursday in a 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

He is not expected to play in the remaining two games of the series against the Braves.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ CARLOS PEREZ (1-6, 6.39 ERA)

vs.

BRAVES’ TOM GLAVINE (3-5, 5.54 ERA)

Turner Field, 4 PDT

TV--Channel 5 Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330)

* Update--Perez returns to the mound still trying to regain his form. The left-hander has been the Dodgers’ most disappointing starter because he has lost significant velocity on his fastball. Scouts said Perez’s fastball was clocked at 81 mph in his previous three starts. He threw in the high 80s last season. His inability to throw harder prevents Perez from setting up his slider. Dodger officials are unable to completely explain Perez’s decreasing velocity, though they insist his throwing shoulder is fine. Glavine can empathize with his fellow lefty. The Braves’ two-time Cy Young Award winner is trying to solve problems of his own. He is coming off the worst performance of his career Monday in a 10-7 road loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. He gave up 11 hits and a career-high nine runs in only 2 2/3 innings. Glavine lost in two of his last three starts.