Green (.220) May Be Trying Too Hard

Shawn Green leads the Dodgers with three home runs and 14 runs batted in, but the right fielder hasn’t been an offensive force. He’s batting .220, the lowest average of any regular, has more strikeouts (22) than hits (18), and has grounded into a team-high five double plays.

“He’s pressing a bit, trying too hard, trying to do too much--I know because I was in the same boat not too long ago,” left fielder Brian Jordan said. “He’s swinging at a lot of pitches, and I know he’s more patient than that.

“But sometimes when you’re trying to do too much, you start swinging at everything. It’s like you look at the strikes and swing at the balls. That’s when you know you’re pressing.”

Green’s hard first-inning single to center field Thursday against the Pirates snapped an 0-for-12 skid. He also knocked in a run with a fourth-inning groundout.

“He’s one swing away from being very good,” Manager Jim Tracy said. “He could take one swing, and everything will be good for the next 500-something at-bats. I don’t worry about this guy.... He’s struggling. I’ve seen this before. It’s not something we need to push the panic button about.”

Green, who bounced back from a similar season-opening, two-week slump last season to hit .297 with 49 homers and 125 RBIs, said he hasn’t felt very comfortable in the batter’s box.

“That’s pretty obvious, I think,” Green said. “I’m swinging at bad pitches and fouling off good ones to hit. I’ve got to battle through it. If I throw together a few good at-bats, that will be a good starting point. Right now I’m just trying to scratch and contribute where I can.”

*

No matter how hard pitcher Omar Daal or his agent pushes for a trade, the Dodger left-hander isn’t going anywhere right now. Daal, who is 2-0 with a 1.31 earned-run average in two starts for injured ace Kevin Brown, wants to be a full-time starter but will return to the bullpen when Brown comes off the disabled list, probably Tuesday.

“We just can’t consider it--it doesn’t make sense for our club,” General Manager Dan Evans said. “Until Brown and [Andy] Ashby are completely healthy and have thrown a number of games, it doesn’t make sense....”

*

Brown, on the disabled list because of an inflamed elbow, threw 61 pitches off a mound Thursday and reported no pain, no problems, and no increased swelling. The right-hander will throw another bullpen session Saturday and is expected to be activated Tuesday night.

ON DECK

Opponent--Chicago Cubs, three games.

Site--Wrigley Field, Chicago.

Today--12:15 PDT.

TV--Fox Sports Net 2 today, Channel 13 Saturday and Sunday.

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

Records--Dodgers 13-9, Cubs 8-12.

2001 Record vs. Cubs--2-4.

TODAY

DODGERS’

ODALIS PEREZ

(2-1, 2.15 ERA)

vs.

CUBS’

KERRY WOOD

(2-1, 2.38 ERA)

Update--The Cubs are among baseball’s biggest disappointments, a team that was expected to contend for the division title but has struggled because of an offense that ranks 13th in the NL in runs. Sammy Sosa is batting .320 with eight home runs but has only 12 RBIs. Cleanup batter Fred McGriff (.225) has struggled, and No. 5 hitter Moises Alou (.158) is off to a slow start after missing 14 games because of a strained right calf. Left-handers Perez, Kazuhisa Ishii and Daal are a combined 8-1 with a 2.37 ERA in 10 starts.

Saturday, 11:15 p.m.--Andy Ashby (1-2, 3.91) vs. Juan Cruz (0-4, 2.14).

Sunday, 11:15 p.m.--Kazuhisa Ishii (4-0, 3.57) vs. Jason Bere (1-2, 7.27).