Prokopec Discounts Rookie-of-Year Talk

A day after the most dominating start of his career, rookie right-hander Luke Prokopec was downplaying talk of his name being in the mix of National League rookie-of-the-year candidates. He was, however, happy to talk about hitting a bird with a pitch while warming up.

“It’s not like I think about it at all,” Prokopec said of the award talk. “If you go out there and pitch well, good things are going to happen.

“But people are saying it’s a good thing and a big deal, and I’m sure it is, especially with the tradition of the Dodgers. What was it, five back-to-back rookies of the year? I mean, it would be awesome to win an award like that and it would be prestigious but what concerns me is going out there and playing well.”

The Dodgers have had 16 rookies of the year, including five in a row from 1992-96. But of Eric Karros, Mike Piazza, Raul Mondesi, Hideo Nomo and Todd Hollandsworth, only Karros remains with the club.

Prokopec, who would be at triple-A Las Vegas if not for Andy Ashby’s elbow problem, won his sixth game in seven decisions Saturday night and was within a strike of his first complete game while lowering his earned-run average to 3.33.

It’s only Memorial Day, but Prokopec and St. Louis Cardinal third baseman Albert Pujols, batting .356 with 14 home runs and 48 runs batted in, are the early-season class of the NL rookies.

“He’s got great stuff, obviously, a plus-fastball when it’s 93-94-miles per hour, and a couple of good breaking balls to complement a good changeup,” catcher Chad Kreuter said. “And he’s got the [mental] makeup of a competitor. . . . Whether he’s getting beat around or whether it’s a one-run game, he’s out there with the same fire in his eyes. He wants to keep achieving even when he’s doing well.”

Even when he thinks he’s jinxed after inadvertently killing a bird.

While warming up for the third inning, Prokopec hit a bird in the same fashion Arizona’s Randy Johnson did in spring training, though Prokopec’s bird didn’t turn into an explosion of feathers.

In fact, Prokopec had just seen video of Johnson’s pitch on Wednesday and was talking about it with Dodger first-base coach John Shelby on Friday night.

“I sat back and said, ‘Ah, that ain’t ever going to happen again, guarantee it, no chance,’ ” Prokopec said. “And then the next day you go out on the mound and you hit one. That’s crazy stuff. To be talking about it the night before and then go out and do it, that’s some sick stuff there.”

Ashby completed his second bullpen workout in three days, throwing 45 pitches, 10 more than he did Friday. He plans on another bullpen workout Tuesday in which he’ll attempt to throw curveballs.

ON DECK

Opponent--Colorado Rockies, three games.

Site--Dodger Stadium.

Today--1 p.m.

TV--Channel 5 today, Fox Sports Net 2 Tuesday and Wednesday.

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

Records--Dodgers 28-22, Rockies 25-25.

Record vs. Rockies--1-2.

TODAY

DODGERS’ ERIC GAGNE

(1-3, 5.15 ERA)

vs.

ROCKIES’ PEDRO ASTACIO

(4-5, 4.43 ERA)

Update--Gagne had no decision in the Dodgers’ 11-8 loss at Colorado last Tuesday after giving up six runs in 4 1/3 innings. Astacio, a former Dodger, took the loss in the Dodgers’ 6-4 win Wednesday.

Tuesday, 7 p.m.--Kevin Brown (6-2, 1.96) vs. Brian Bohanon (1-4, 9.40).

Wednesday, 7 p.m.--Chan Ho Park (5-4, 2.95) vs. Mike Hampton (7-1, 2.65).

Tickets--(323) 224-1448.