Frustration Slowly Building

The Dodger clubhouse isn’t a happy place these days, and players acknowledge it might become gloomier.

Although the Dodgers were furious at pitcher Odalis Perez for lashing out about their National League-worst offense, they acknowledge everyone feels the strain.

“I don’t think it’s that we’re falling apart; it’s more that there’s just so much frustration that things are going to be said,” said catcher Paul Lo Duca, who has emerged as a clubhouse force in only his third full season.

“There is a lot of frustration right now, and it’s pretty obvious with everything going on. You can’t lie about that; everyone has seen it for the whole year. Things are going to be said, that happens in everyday life, but you don’t want to point fingers.”

Players are grumbling about a variety of topics, including management’s handling of the team’s recent slide.

General Manager Dan Evans insists there is no reason to panic, and Manager Jim Tracy continues to accentuate the positive. Players are less convinced, considering 81 games are enough time to determine they’re probably not going to improve too much on offense.

Of course, consistent run production and another long winning streak might make things a lot easier.

“Things have been said, but we’re all friends in here, we’re not enemies and we want to win,” said Lo Duca, who shaved his head and wore a flamboyant purple hat before the game in an effort to lighten the mood.

“We need to put an emphasis on just winning games instead of scoring a ton of runs. Some guys are going up there trying to get 15, 20 hits all at once. We just need to get back to winning, whether it’s with one hit or 10 hits, it really doesn’t matter.

“It’s really not an anger thing where guys have problems with each other, it’s just a frustration thing where things are being said. But it’s still a tight-knit clubhouse.”

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Dave Roberts is probably headed back to the disabled list because of a right hamstring injury that has slowed him since April.

Roberts is scheduled to undergo an MRI exam today to determine the extent of the injury he aggravated in Tuesday’s 7-1 loss to the San Diego Padres.

Tracy said the Dodgers would wait for the results before deciding what to do, and Roberts is hopeful he might return to the lineup after a few days. However, many in the organization said Roberts, who relies on speed, is expected to be put on the 15-day disabled list, possibly as early as today.

“Honestly, it doesn’t feel real good right now, but we just have to wait and see what the MRI shows. That’s when we’ll know,” Roberts said.

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The Dodgers continue to explore many trade options in an attempt to bolster their struggling offense, including possibly re-acquiring outfielder Raul Mondesi, a Dodger official said.

Although trading for Mondesi is not at the top of Evans’ list, the Dodgers have spoken with the New York Yankees about the right fielder, traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1999 deal that brought right fielder Shawn Green to the Dodgers.

Trading for Mondesi would present public-relations problems for the Dodgers, considering he blasted former general manager Kevin Malone and manager Davey Johnson in an expletive-laced diatribe before leaving town.