Extra Innings Can Be Tiring

Players who say they’re exhausted only eight games into a season might raise eyebrows in some organizations, but the Dodgers are more understanding.

General Manager Dan Evans and Manager Jim Tracy said Tuesday they weren’t concerned that many players -- including team leaders Brian Jordan and Shawn Green -- have commented on being fatigued.

The Dodgers have a difficult season-opening schedule and played consecutive extra-inning games Sunday and Monday. In fact, Evans said players aren’t the only ones who sometimes feel the grind.

“Everyone, including those of us who are in a non-playing capacity, gets a little fatigued,” said Evans, who often accompanies the team on trips. “We’ve had an inordinate amount of innings the last couple of days.

“When you play extra-inning games on a getaway day, then come back and have a day game with extra innings the next day ... a lot of people are tired this time of year.”

Said Tracy: “I take a lot of credence into what some of those guys have said.”

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Beginning Thursday, Tracy will match wits with Felipe Alou for the first time since his mentor became the manager of the San Francisco Giants.

The Giants are off to a fast start under Alou, whom Tracy served under for four seasons as the Montreal Expo bench coach. In 2001, Tracy was 1-2 against Alou, but the stakes are higher now with Alou in the division and guiding the Dodgers’ archrival.

“It just adds to the flavor of the rivalry, but in no way will it ever change our relationship with one another,” Tracy said. “He realizes he has a job to do when that first pitch is thrown, and I realize I have a job to do, and that’s exactly the way we’ll go about our business.”

Alou is considered among the best in the business, and Tracy welcomes the challenge.

“It’s as much as a fun challenge for me as it is when I run into a Bobby Cox or a Tony La Russa -- the upper echelon people in this industry,” he said. “Knowing that man the way I do, he’ll do the best he can to put his team in a position to win, and I’ll do the best I can, like I feel I’ve done a very good job of for two-plus years, putting our team in a position to win. We’ll let the players decides who wins and loses.”

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The lawyer handling the Dodgers’ lawsuit against Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. said they are confident in their position, claiming Hartford owes them $4 million in unreimbursed insurance payments for pitcher Kevin Brown.

“The Dodgers are looking forward to getting a ruling in this case quickly,” said G. Andrew Lundberg of Latham & Watkins. “And getting it resolved.”