This Track Needs a Warning Label

Left fielder Brian Jordan was unavailable Wednesday night, the second consecutive game he sat out after straining his lower back while fielding a ball, stopping suddenly and throwing on the rubber-like warning track Monday night.

Though Jordan’s injury is not believed to be serious enough to send him to the disabled list, it renewed debate about the surface that surrounds the field, which was installed to alleviate irrigation problems during the stadium renovation in 2000 but has sparked numerous complaints from players.

“Your cleats just stick to it,” second baseman Mark Grudzielanek said. “It definitely could pose a danger because it’s like a rubber mat--it grips you real quick, and there’s no give to it. When your foot doesn’t move, your knee could rotate and pop. You definitely have to look out for it.”

A team official said it’s very unlikely the Dodgers would consider replacing the rubber surface with dirt, clay or gravel, and Manager Jim Tracy hasn’t pushed for a change--yet.

“I’m not going to get into the cosmetics of the ballpark,” Tracy said. “If it gets to a point where it becomes enough of an issue where it needs to be seriously discussed, it will be. In the meantime, I’ll let the stadium operations people do their job, and I’ll do mine.”

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Grudzielanek, the Dodgers’ union representative, has not been involved in discussions between owners and players on a new collective bargaining agreement, so he was stunned to hear that union officials have talked about setting a strike date.

“Wow,” Grudzielanek said. “We don’t want to strike, but if that’s what it takes, if that’s the last resort, and we’re all in agreement, we have to do it. Hopefully it won’t come to that. We don’t need it, the fans don’t need it, and the game of baseball would really be hurt by that.”

Baseball’s last work stoppage resulted in cancellation of the 1994 World Series, but the sport, despite predictions to the contrary, somehow survived. But can it weather another stoppage?

“We’ll survive,” Grudzielanek said of the players. “Will the game of baseball survive? I don’t know. You take that chance.”

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Left-handed reliever Jesse Orosco was put on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained oblique muscle.

The Dodgers recalled right-hander Guillermo Mota, who is 1-1 with a 2.91 ERA at triple-A Las Vegas.

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The Dodgers were forced to release triple-A catcher Todd Greene, who was batting .352 with 11 homers, and 41 RBIs in 12 games for Las Vegas.

Greene, a former Angel, signed a minor league contract with an out clause that allowed him to become a free agent if the Dodgers didn’t call him up by May 15. Greene exercised that option Wednesday and will pursue a job with another team.

“He’s a good player, but we didn’t have a spot for him today,” General Manager Dan Evans said. “We weren’t going to make a move just because of a deadline.”

ON DECK

Opponent--Montreal Expos, four games.

Site--Dodger Stadium.

Tonight--7 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports Net 2 tonight and Friday night, Channel 13 Saturday and Sunday.

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

Records--Dodgers 22-18, Expos 20-20.

2001 Record vs. Expos--2-4.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

KEVIN BROWN

(2-3, 3.45 ERA)

vs.

EXPOS’

TOMO OHKA

(3-2, 3.00 ERA)

Update--Dave Roberts (strained right quadriceps) did not start Wednesday night for the third consecutive game, but the Dodger center fielder and leadoff batter is expected to return to the lineup tonight.

Friday, 7 p.m.--Hideo Nomo (2-5, 3.91) vs. Tony Armas, Jr. (5-3, 3.53)

Saturday, 7 p.m.--Odalis Perez (4-1, 1.75) vs. Carl Pavano (2-5, 6.14).

Sunday, 1 p.m.--Andy Ashby (2-4, 3.49) vs. Bruce Chen (2-2, 4.11).