Patience Still Is the Plan With Offense

The Dodgers are doing it the traditional way, relying on pitching and defense during their surprisingly strong start.

They have the major leagues’ lowest earned-run average, top fielding percentage and have committed the fewest errors.

And then there’s the Dodger offense.

Beginning play Sunday, the Dodgers were tied for the third-fewest runs in the National League at 132. General Manager Dan Evans and Manager Jim Tracy knew the Dodgers would not be among baseball’s top run producers, but they have performed below expectations because heart-of-the-order batters Shawn Green and Brian Jordan have struggled.

“It’s not important how many runs you score, it’s just that you outscore the opponent,” Evans said. “While our offense hasn’t been as good as our pitching and our defense, hitting is more cyclical than pitching and defense. Our pitching and defense has been very consistent and given us a chance to win almost every game we’ve played this year.”

Tracy has shuffled the lineup in an attempt to jump-start the offense, moving Paul Lo Duca to the cleanup spot behind Green and trying other combinations. However, Tracy is not ready to try anything radical, and Evans is preaching patience.

“We’re not concerned because, as the players have said themselves, we haven’t hit yet the way were going to hit,” he said. “Down the line we’ll hit. We won’t be an offensive machine, we’re not going to be the best offensive team in baseball and we knew that going in, but we do think that we’ve got enough hitting to compete here. Once some guys find their niche, we’re going to be pretty good.”

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Center fielder Dave Roberts said he suffered a right thigh injury while grounding out in the seventh.

Roberts, replaced by Hiram Bocachica in the eighth, will be reevaluated by team medical personnel today.

“I think it’s kind of the same thing I had in spring training that caused me to miss some time,” said Roberts, two for four with a run scored in Sunday’s 11-3 loss to the Florida Marlins at Pro Player Stadium. “I don’t know how bad it is. Hopefully, it’s not too bad.”

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Trade talks have not heated up because officials are still evaluating their clubs, but two National League general managers said Sunday they doubted the Dodgers would pursue the top available position players because of many factors.

Evans is still dealing with the payroll mess he inherited from the former regime, and will be beyond this season, limiting moves. The Dodgers, as in recent seasons, have many high-salaried players with no-trade clauses, further complicating the process.

At this point, the Dodgers are not willing to trade the few prospects in the farm system who interest other clubs, and third baseman Adrian Beltre is still on the untouchable list.

“We’ve only played [37] games, so you have to let some things play out a little bit,” Evans said. “We could use an extra hit here or there, but there’s a lot of clubs saying that same thing at this time of the year.

“Are we looking at things? We’re always looking at things, but right now I wouldn’t say there’s anything hot. Most clubs aren’t in a real trading mood right now. It’s a little too early in the season.”

ON DECK

Opponent--New York Mets, three games.

Site--Dodger Stadium.

Tonight--7.

TV--Fox Sports Net 2 all three games.

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

Records--Dodgers 21-16, Mets 19-18.

Record vs. Mets (2001)--2-4.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

ODALIS PEREZ

(4-1, 1.66 ERA)

vs.

METS’

SHAWN ESTES

(1-4, 4.71 ERA)

Update--Perez has been sensational, winning four in a row while limiting opponents to a league-low .164 batting average. The left-hander is second in the league in earned-run average.

Tuesday, 7 p.m.--Andy Ashby (2-3, 3.77) vs. Pedro Astacio (5-2, 2.94).

Wednesday, 7 p.m.--Kazuhisa Ishii (6-0, 2.93) vs. Jeff D’Amico (2-3, 4.03).