Platoon System for Center Fielders

Dodger Manager Davey Johnson addressed his center field situation Wednesday, saying he’d use a “mixing and matching” platoon system, depending on the opposing pitcher.

Recently reacquired Tom Goodwin, who bats left-handed, will play against right-handers, and switch-hitting incumbent Devon White will start when the Dodgers face left-handers. He’ll also start when the Dodgers face a pitcher that White has a good track record against.

White, 37, was on the disabled list from May 3 to July 22 because of a partial tear in his left rotator cuff. He suffered the injury diving for a ball in the Dodger Stadium outfield. With Todd Hollandsworth being traded to the Colorado Rockies July 31, the feeling was that White, in the second year of a three-year, $12.4-million contract, had won the everyday center field job by attrition. But Hollandsworth was dealt, in effect, for Goodwin.

“It’s not what he wanted to hear, I’m sure, but he’s not 100%,” Johnson said of White’s reaction to the platoon plan. “Goodwin is more of a prototype leadoff hitter. That’s nothing against Devo. I just wish I had him healthy all year long because he can bat in the middle of the lineup too.”

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Maybe Mike Fetters will stow his carry-on luggage in the space under the airplane seat in front of him on the next Dodger trip.

The setup man had a freak mishap when the Dodgers returned from Pittsburgh last week, ripping off part of the nail on the middle finger of his right [pitching] hand trying to grab his belongings from the overhead bin.

Fetters said the remaining part of the nail was digging into the tissue, causing discomfort and not allowing him to get a proper grip for his forkball.

“It’s never been a problem before,” Fetters said. “It doesn’t affect me when I throw my fastball . . . but it turns my forkball into a hanging changeup.”

Fetters has given up two home runs in his last two appearances, a two-run, 10th-inning game-winner to the Milwaukee Brewers’ Henry Blanco on Saturday, and an eighth-inning solo shot to the Chicago Cubs’ Jeff Reed Tuesday.

Still, Fetters did not blame the home runs on his aggravating injury.

“They were both on fastballs,” he said. “But it does turn you into a one-pitch pitcher, which isn’t good.”

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The Elias Sports Bureau concluded that the four home runs hit by the Dodgers in the fourth inning of their 7-5 victory over the Cubs Tuesday established a Los Angeles franchise record for home runs in an inning. But research is still inconclusive as to whether the Dodgers accomplished the feat when they called Brooklyn home.

Kevin Elster, Darren Dreifort, Gary Sheffield and Shawn Green all homered in the record-setting inning.