Cora Is Given Start at Second Base

The question has been asked of Manager Jim Tracy almost every day for the last week: Why isn’t reserve infielder Alex Cora, a rangy defensive player who was batting .319 before Wednesday night’s game, playing more second base in place of struggling starter Mark Grudzielanek?

Cora did start against the Rockies on Wednesday night, but Tracy insisted that Grudzielanek would play tonight against Colorado and this weekend against the Angels, and that he wasn’t moving toward a time share at second base with Cora, who bats left-handed, and Grudzielanek, who bats right-handed. Cora went 0 for 3 to drop his average to .307.

But Grudzielanek, who is batting .238 with four homers and 24 runs batted in, and is five for 33 with one RBI in his last 10 games, knows that unless he snaps out of his funk soon, he will be in a platoon.

“Of course I wouldn’t be happy about that; I like being in there every day, and that fits my attitude,” said Grudzielanek, who has a .278 on-base percentage, 46 strikeouts and 11 walks in 248 at-bats. “But I’m not hitting very well.

“The last thing I want to do is hurt the team, but if it gets to that point, then absolutely, no question [Tracy has to make a move]. I hope it doesn’t get to that point. If it does, then I’ll probably look for employment elsewhere, or they wouldn’t want me around. But I think we’re far away from that point now.”

Grudzielanek has been slowed by hamstring and lower-back injuries, and he’s had fluid-filled bumps on the back of his right hand drained several times. But he believes his problems can be traced to one missing element.

“I’m not seeing the ball well out of the pitcher’s hand, and when that happens, you tense up and lunge forward too early,” Grudzielanek said. “I haven’t had a run all year where I’ve felt good several days in a row. It’s to the point now where it has to get better.”

Tracy, as he did with Shawn Green when the right fielder struggled for the first six weeks, has stuck with Grudzielanek. Tracy was the bench coach in Montreal when Grudzielanek hit .306 in 1996, and he was the bench coach in Los Angeles when Grudzielanek hit .326 for the Dodgers in 1999 and .279 in 2000.

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There are 35 shopping days until the July 31 trade deadline, and there could be some big-ticket items such as Scott Rolen, Carlos Delgado and Cliff Floyd in store windows, but Dodger General Manager Dan Evans doesn’t seem ready to break out the credit cards.

“The key thing for our staff is to remain focused on the big picture, what we’re trying to accomplish in years to come, and not just 2002,” Evans said. “I think clubs put themselves in a bad situation when they mortgage the future trying to win one or two extra games.”

It’s easy for Evans to say that now--the Dodgers don’t have the kind of minor league prospects other teams covet, and that will tie his hands in trade talks.

The Dodgers would like to add some pop to the bench and bolster their bullpen, though the potential return of Darren Dreifort could help the pitching staff. They have no interest in Cub reliever Antonio Alfonseca, who is available, and little interest in Rolen, the Philadelphia third baseman who will most likely be traded.

It’s doubtful Evans will be able to extend the Dodgers’ $102-million payroll much, so players such as Delgado, the Toronto first baseman, and Floyd, the Florida outfielder, are not good fits.

“We’re playing well, but we’re not going to do anything to jeopardize our goal of winning games and having flexibility in the future,” Evans said. “This has got to be a long-term look for this club.”

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The starting time for the Dodgers’ game against the Houston Astros on Sept. 8 has been moved to 4:10 p.m. so it won’t conflict with the city’s annual triathlon. Part of the triathlon course goes near Dodger Stadium.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

OMAR DAAL

(5-3, 3.84 ERA)

vs.

ROCKIES’

DENNY NEAGLE

(4-4, 4.82 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 6 p.m.

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

Update--Daal, who ended a string of three horrendous starts with a six-inning, three-run, three-hit win over Boston on Saturday, has had trouble with Colorado outfielder Benny Agbayani, who has a .500 lifetime average (11 for 22) with three homers and eight RBIs against the Dodger left-hander. Neagle is 0-2 with a 7.13 ERA in his last four starts and hasn’t won since May 30 at San Diego.