Tracy Refuses to Rush Brown Into Rotation

Kevin Brown will remain in the Dodger bullpen for now, Manager Jim Tracy said Friday, although Tracy acknowledged he and his staff have considered returning Brown to the starting rotation.

“The situation is going to have to be right in order for us to do that,” Tracy said.

Tracy defined right as, “where he’s at, how he feels, how he’s throwing the ball.” “Just because it’s Kevin, if it’s not right for him, and we don’t feel it’s right for him, it’s frivolous to go down that road,” Tracy added. “To do what, prove a point? We’re not going to do that.”

When Brown returned from back surgery in mid-August, the Dodgers’ plan was for him to work his way back into shape by pitching in relief. He has appeared in a variety of situations, including occasional mop-up work; Tracy praised his performance Tuesday as “brilliant.” In that situation, Brown struck out Greg Colbrunn--the only batter he faced--with the bases loaded in the sixth inning of a 3-2 victory over Arizona.

Brown is 1-0 with a 6.08 earned-run average in six relief appearances, and overall is 3-3 with a 4.53 ERA in 15 appearances.

“It’s been up and down,” Tracy said, “just like you’d expect from someone who’s had two major surgeries in a year’s time.”

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Left fielder Brian Jordan started despite having aggravated his tender lower back Wednesday while trying to rob Matt Williams of a home run in the first inning at Arizona.

Jordan, who missed three weeks in August because of a protrusion in his lower back, jarred his back when he landed after leaping to catch Williams’ drive. Before Friday’s game, he was two for 13 since being activated off the disabled list Sunday.

“I’m feeling all right,” he said. “I wouldn’t be playing if it was hurting.... I don’t see it being a problem down the road. I hurt it in ’97 and it wasn’t a problem until this year.”

Jordan, intent on avoiding surgery, maintains a regimen of stretching and exercises to strengthen his back and abdomen.

Mark Grudzielanek, who missed Wednesday’s game because of a tender right hamstring, started Friday.... The Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah began Friday night. Dodger outfielder Shawn Green was in the lineup--and unlike last year, when he sat out on Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, he and the Dodgers caught a break this year. Yom Kippur begins at sundown next Sunday, presumably after the Dodgers finish their scheduled day game at Colorado. They don’t play again until the next night, at home against the Giants, after the holiday ends.

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TODAY

DODGERS’

OMAR DAAL

(11-6, 3.45 ERA)

vs.

ASTROS’

CARLOS HERNANDEZ

(6-5, 4.73 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 1 p.m.

TV--Channel 11.

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

Update--Daal is 4-0 with a 1.87 ERA in his last eight starts, a span of 53 innings. He has given up two earned runs or fewer in each of those starts. He’s 1-6 with a 6.49 ERA in 23 appearances against the Astros. Hernandez is 1-1 with a 3.43 ERA over nine games, including seven starts, on the road.