Tracy Trying to Remain on Even Keel

The Dodgers. The Giants. A playoff race.

It doesn’t get much better than that.

“This is what we went to Vero Beach in February for,” Manager Jim Tracy said, “for the opportunity to be involved where we are at this juncture of the season. By the time we get there, there’ll be 20 games left. This is what it’s all about.”

But Tracy cautioned against looking at the teams’ three-game series, which begins tonight in San Francisco, as the only important series left.

“We keep talking about the Giants as if that’s all we’re looking at right now,” he said Sunday. “There’s a lot that can happen. The Diamondbacks can’t just sit back and say, ‘We’ll just coast to the finish line,’ because if they do, we’ve seen stranger things happen, where the team that decides to try to coast to the finish line ends up getting passed by two clubs that are right on top of them.”

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Tracy is asked every day about Kevin Brown’s status, and every day he appears a bit more exasperated.

But even before Kazuhisa Ishii was hit in the head by a line drive and suffered a skull fracture Sunday, Ishii’s struggles and Andy Ashby’s inconsistency made it logical to ask if Brown will return to the starting rotation during the final weeks of the season or in the playoffs. Tracy remained noncommittal about Brown, saying he’s doing “OK” in varied relief roles.

“If I know he’s not right, and the fact it’s still three weeks away, means I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about it,” Tracy said. “We’ve got to get [to the playoffs] first. We’re still striving to get there.”

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If the Dodgers are the wild-card team, they will host Games 3 and 4 of the division series at Dodger Stadium Oct. 5 and Oct. 6. If they win the NL West, they will host Games 1 and 2 and, if necessary, Game 5, on Oct. 1, Oct. 3 and Oct. 7.

Tickets will go on sale Saturday. Gates will open at Dodger Stadium at 7 a.m., and fans will get a numbered wristband in Lot 10 at 7:30 a.m. A lottery will determine the order of the ticket line. Tickets can also be purchased by calling (323) 224-1448, or through www.dodgers.com. Individual ticket prices will start at $10--but the Dodgers didn’t say where those prices end.

ON DECK

Opponent--San Francisco Giants, three games.

Site--Pacific Bell Park, San Francisco.

Tonight--7.

TV--Fox Sports Net 2 tonight, Tuesday and Wednesday.

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

Records--Dodgers 82-60, Giants 81-61.

Record vs. Giants--5-7.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

ODALIS PEREZ

(13-8, 2.92 ERA)

vs.

GIANTS’

LIVAN HERNANDEZ

(9-15, 4.36 ERA)

Update--The Dodgers are 4-2 against the Giants at San Francisco. Perez is 0-1 against the Giants this season with a 3.09 earned-run average in two starts. In his career, he’s 0-1 with a 5.48 ERA in four appearances.

Tuesday, 7 p.m.--Andy Ashby (9-11, 3.54) vs. Jason Schmidt (10-7, 3.58).

Wednesday, 12:30 p.m.--Hideo Nomo (13-6, 3.30) vs. Kirk Rueter (12-7, 3.05).