Injury Is Frustrating to Prokopec

Luke Prokopec still has a bruise under the nail on his right middle finger, where a persistent blister helped land the rookie right-hander on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 9.

Sitting out has made his mood as blue as the splotch on his finger.

“I’ve been a [bear] to live with at home, pretty much,” Prokopec said. “But you just come here [to the stadium], you get your work every day. Nothing much different but it’s frustrating sitting on the bench doing nothing and you can’t contribute.”

Prokopec (6-6, 4.69 earned-run average) began the season 6-1 with a 3.33 ERA amid talk that he was an early season candidate for National League rookie of the year. But he has not won since May 26, a stretch of 12 games.

He is eligible to come off the disabled list Thursday, though he said he has no idea if he’ll rejoin the rotation or be sent to the bullpen. An opening in the rotation comes Saturday at Atlanta.

The fainting spell and ensuing overnight hospital stay last week put things in perspective for left fielder Gary Sheffield.

“It helped me as a reminder, just let me know what’s more important,” Sheffield said. “This game is far down the line, as far as things that are real important to me.”

In the weekend series against the New York Mets, Sheffield was seven for 11 with the three homers and nine runs batted in.

With his team-leading 37th home run Sunday, Shawn Green moved into third place on the Dodgers’ single-season home run list since the team moved to Los Angeles, behind Sheffield’s 43 homers last year and Mike Piazza’s 40 in 1997.

ON DECK

Opponent--Florida Marlins, three games.

Site--Pro Player Stadium.

Today--4 p.m. PDT.

TV--Fox Sports Net 2 today, Channel 5 on Thursday.

Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

Records--Dodgers 67-57, Marlins 59-64.

Record vs. Marlins--3-1.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ ERIC GAGNE

(4-5, 4.72 ERA)

vs.

MARLINS’ BRAD PENNY

(7-6, 3.86 ERA)

Update--Gagne, 25, will be making his second career appearance against the Marlins. The right-hander made his major league debut against Florida on Sept. 7, 1999, at Pro Player Stadium, pitching six scoreless innings without getting a decision in the Dodgers’ 2-1 loss. Penny is 1-2 with a 6.46 ERA in three career starts against the Dodgers.

Wednesday, 4 p.m. PDT--Terry Adams (9-5, 4.64 ERA) vs. A.J. Burnett (8-9, 4.07 ERA).

Thursday, 4 p.m. PDT--James Baldwin (1-1, 3.81 ERA) vs. Ryan Dempster (14-10, 4.46 ERA).