Fetters Likes Closer Role, but Knows It’s Shaw’s Job

In earning his first save as a Dodger--and his first since Aug. 7, 1998--on Thursday night, Mike Fetters feels good about his new role as Dodger closer. But he is also quick to point out that the role is also temporary until former closer Jeff Shaw, who has been battling a tired right shoulder, rights himself.

“Coming into this season, Jeff Shaw was one of the most consistent closers in the game, and there’s no reason why he can’t continue to do that, in my mind,” Fetters said before Friday night’s interleague game against the Oakland Athletics. “It makes us that much more potent in the bullpen when he’s the closer and myself and the rest of the guys are setup guys.”

Still, Fetters, whose last save came as a member of the Athletics, felt comfortable being on the mound for the game’s final out.

“Do I like closing? Of course I do. I wouldn’t be the competitor I am if I didn’t want to close,” he said. “But I also know that that’s [Shaw’s] job. My job is to do whatever [Dodger Manager] Davey Johnson wants me to do to help this team win. That’s all I want to do, is help this team win.”

*

Gary Sheffield said the Dodgers had to take a different mentality into Friday night’s game against Oakland. The game marked the second time this season that the Dodgers have faced three teams in consecutive days, having met the Texas Rangers Wednesday and the Houston Astros Thursday.

From April 23-25, the Dodgers played in three cities in as many days, against the Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets and Atlanta Braves. A game at New York was snowed out and one at Chavez Ravine was rained out to force the makeup games on previously scheduled days off.

“You’ve just got to go into it with a warrior attitude,” Sheffield said. “We can’t let this dampen our season or affect anything, so we have to block out what the schedule looks like until we get to the good part of the schedule.”

*

With so many of his players injured and/or battling nagging aches and pains, Johnson compared the trainer’s room to a certain sitcom based on helping the walking wounded.

“It’s like a M*A*S*H unit in there, you know,” Johnson said. “There’s no place to sit in there or even walk through. It’s usually packed. It’s like you need a number.”

Thus far, five of the nine players in the Dodgers’ opening-day lineup have spent time on the disabled list.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

KEVIN BROWN

(4-2, 2.45 ERA)

vs.

ATHLETICS’

OMAR OLIVARES

(3-7, 6.28 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7

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

* Update--Brown, who spent the first nine seasons of his 14-year career in the American League, is familiar with Oakland. He is 10-5 with a 2.92 ERA in 18 starts against the A’s. Brown is second in the National League in ERA and opponent batting average (.202). Olivares, who was tied for the AL lead in losses, is 2-4 with a 5.12 ERA in 13 career appearances against the Dodgers, including eight starts. Two of those losses came last season in interleague play when he was with the Angels.