Mills Trade Upsets Herges

Matt Herges, the Dodgers’ 30-year-old rookie reliever, took Tuesday’s trade of fellow reliever Alan Mills to Baltimore the hardest in the Dodger clubhouse.

“I didn’t realize how much he meant to me until yesterday,” Herges said Wednesday. “When I heard, I just went into the bathroom, locked myself into a stall and bawled.

“I guess that’s pretty sad, a 30-year-old bawling like a baby, but that’s just a testament to the kind of guy he is.”

Herges, who took Mills’ locker and bullpen seat as a sort of tribute, said Mills was a calming presence in the Dodger clubhouse.

“I’m pretty new to this but wins come out of the clubhouse,” Herges said, “and, in my opinion, we just lost the best clubhouse guy in the history of the game. There’s definitely a hole in here.”

*

Injured reliever Gregg Olson, who was transferred to the 60-day disabled list May 19 with a forearm strain in his right (pitching) arm, threw a 20-pitch simulated game on the field before batting practice.

Olson faced four batters, including Adrian Beltre and Todd Hollandsworth, both of whom have strained right hamstrings.

“He threw the ball pretty good,” Dodger Manager Davey Johnson said. “We just have to see how he recovers from it.”

While Beltre remains on the disabled list, Hollandsworth, who did not go on the DL, will be available beginning tonight, Johnson said.

“Our training staff feels [Hollandsworth] is over the danger period as far as re-injuring it,” Johnson said. “And Beltre is feeling a little bit frisky but he’s still got some swelling in there.”

*

Geronimo Berroa, who was found to have a broken left foot Tuesday, two weeks after fouling a ball off it May 30, was frustrated with the timing of his injury.

“Especially with us playing so well right now and facing so many lefties,” said Berroa, who had been used as a pinch-hitter against left-handed pitchers. “They’re telling me four to six weeks, maybe even eight weeks [before I can come back].

“I knew something wasn’t right when I couldn’t even tie my shoe for two weeks. I just have to be patient.”

*

Dodger players who were fined and issued suspensions for their respective roles in the fight with Wrigley Field fans May 16 began meeting Wednesday with Bob Lenaghan, assistant general counsel for the players’ union.

The purpose of the meetings is to prepare the players’ appeals, which will be heard next week in Houston.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

KEVIN BROWN

(5-2, 2.41 ERA)

vs.

DIAMONDBACKS’

TODD STOTTLEMYRE

(8-3, 4.38 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7 p.m.

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

* Update--Brown is 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA in seven career starts against the Diamondbacks. He did not earn a decision in his showdown with Randy Johnson at Bank One Ballpark on May 10, a 2-1 Arizona victory. Stottlemyre, who is coming off the disabled list with tendinitis in his right (pitching) elbow, is 2-1 with a 3.16 ERA in eight career games against the Dodgers.