Green Holds It Together

Shawn Green is impressing teammates with his consistency, helping the Dodgers remain in the National League West race despite a rash of injuries.

“You can’t help but be impressed with what Greenie has done this year,” catcher Paul Lo Duca said. “We’ve had to overcome so much with all the injuries we’ve had, and Greenie is a big reason we’ve been able to stay in it.

“When you lose guys like [Kevin Brown, Andy Ashby and Darren Dreifort], plus all the other injuries we’ve had, you obviously need guys to step up and be consistent. Greenie’s definitely done that all season.”

Beginning play Friday, Green was batting .290 and leading the team with 35 home runs and 99 runs batted in.

He established career highs with three homers and seven RBIs in Wednesday’s 13-1 victory against the Montreal Expos at Dodger Stadium.

“The thing is, my swing feels really good right now,” Green said. “You can’t control the results, you just try to keep your swing consistent.”

Green had nine homers and 23 RBIs in 27 games in June, and 10 homers and 22 RBIs in the same number of games last month.

Through his first 14 games in August, Green batted .340 with five homers, 15 RBIs and a .720 slugging percentage.

“It’s very easy to get caught up in somebody being flashy, or somebody having a great month, great first half, great couple of months or even a great year,” first baseman Eric Karros said. “But the mark of a star, a player who gets a lot of respect among his peers, is somebody who goes out and does it day after day, month after month, year after year.

“He’s going on his fourth year now where he’s been very productive. You’d think, by now, that teams are starting to understand that he’s the guy. He’s carried us this year.”

Dreifort restructured his five-year, $55-million contract to help the club address payroll concerns, and Chairman Bob Daly appreciates his attitude.

“It was a very nice thing to do, and he didn’t have to do it,” Daly said. “No one put a gun to his head, he wanted to do it, and not a lot of people would have.

“He got hurt and he wanted to help. He’s taken a lot of shots, but this was something that shows what type of guy he is.”

Dreifort was eager to help.

“Whatever to help ‘em out,” he said. “If that helps ‘em out, great.”

Dreifort is optimistic he will pitch in 2002 after having undergone reconstructive elbow surgery for the second time.

“Right on schedule, man,” he said. “Ten months and two weeks to go.”

Left-handed reliever Jesse Orosco could not pitch again Friday because of a sore tailbone.

Orosco was not available for a key situation in Thursday’s 7-3 loss to the Expos.

“He had something like this earlier in the season,” Manager Jim Tracy said. “We’ll just have to see how it goes.”

Orosco is not worried.

“It’s just kind of a freak thing,” he said. “I really don’t think it will be too long.”

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ JAMES BALDWIN

(1-1, 3.27 ERA)

vs.

METS’ BRUCE CHEN

(5-6, 4.58 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7

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

Update--Baldwin was scratched from Wednesday’s scheduled start against the Montreal Expos because of a strained muscle on his rib cage. “I feel fine,” Baldwin said. “I really didn’t miss a start, they just pushed me back to give me a little more time. I’m ready now.”