Prokopec Gets Nailed on First Day

Call it a case of nerves.

It was Luke Prokopec’s first day in a big league uniform and the pitching prospect, who was called up from double-A San Antonio earlier in the day, forgot to trim his fingernails. The right-hander ripped off a chunk of a nail as a finger dug in too deep as he threw a bullpen sinker.

“That’s Pitching 101--trim your nails,” Dodger Manager Davey Johnson said. “But he is one of the top two pitching prospects we’ve got in the system.”

Prokopec, 22, a native of Australia, is the leading candidate to be named the Texas League pitcher of the year after going 7-3 with a 2.45 earned-run average in 22 starts for the Missions. He had 124 strikeouts and walked 23 in 128 2/3 innings.

When asked if he might lean on Prokopec for a spot start in the season’s final month, Johnson said, “I’m not discounting anything at this point.”

Last year’s Texas League pitcher of the year, Eric Gagne, excelled with the Dodgers in his late-season call-up after bypassing triple A.

But Gagne struggled in spring training and never found his comfort zone with the Dodgers this season and closed out his season in the minors.

“He put too much pressure on himself and never really recovered from it,” Johnson said of Gagne.

Johnson also reiterated that the No. 4 and No. 5 spots in his pitching rotation have been his biggest source of frustration of late.

“It’s been taxing,” he said, “not being able to establish the other guys.”

While Chan Ho Park, Darren Dreifort and Kevin Brown have been constants at the top of the rotation, “The rest of the fabulous five has not really gotten in the groove, gotten it done,” Johnson said.

*

With rosters expanding Friday, the Dodgers recalled catcher Paul LoDuca and reliever Onan Masaoka from triple-A Albuquerque in addition to purchasing the contract of Prokopec. Also, infielder Chris Donnels was activated from the 15-day disabled list.

To make room for Prokopec on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers outrighted the contract of infielder Mike Metcalfe to triple A.

*

Todd Hundley was given the night off by Johnson as the catcher was the latest to get a touch of the virus that felled Gary Sheffield and Brown last week.

“He was dehydrated [Thursday in Milwaukee] but he said he was feeling better today,” Johnson said. “I just figured I’d give him a rest.”

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

KEVIN BROWN

(12-5, 2.71 ERA)

vs.

PHILLIES’

BRUCE CHEN

(6-2, 3.32 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7 p.m.

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

* Update--In two starts against the Phillies this season, Brown is 1-1 with a 4.14 ERA. He beat Philadelphia, 11-4, on May 26 at Dodger Stadium and lost, 3-0, on July 29 at Veterans Stadium. Brown, whose 2.05 ERA in home games leads the National League, is 6-5 with a 2.89 ERA in 13 career starts against the Phillies. Chen joined the Phillies in a July 12 trade with the Atlanta Braves. He was the winning pitcher in a relief role in the Braves’ 5-3 win over the Dodgers on May 2.