Search for Help Turns Inward

The Dodgers are not oblivious to the situation.

As they begin a three-game interleague series tonight against the Angels at Edison Field, the Dodgers are last in the National League in runs, home runs, runs batted in, walks, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Oh, and they’re next to last in batting average.

They acknowledge their lack of production has been a burden, stirring clubhouse concern about qualifying for the playoffs, even though the Dodgers have the major leagues’ top pitching staff.

Some players even wonder whether trading for a middle-of-the-order hitter -- which General Manager Dan Evans hopes to do -- would be enough, considering so many key players are performing below their career standards.

So, what’s the solution?

“We just have to start doing what we’re capable of,” said catcher Paul Lo Duca, leading Dodger regulars with a .324 batting average.

“I know that might sound funny, because if it’s that simple I guess we should have been doing it all along, but it’s not like we don’t have the talent in here. If you look in this clubhouse, you have a lot of guys who have had big years, but we’ve struggled as a team so far.

“Danny put together a good team, and it’s really up to us to go out and play up to our ability. If we were playing the way we know we can, and still weren’t getting it done, then that would be one thing. But there isn’t a guy in here who doesn’t think that we could, and should, be doing a lot more than we are.”

Of course, it still might not happen.

“Based on what we’ve done as an offense, you could definitely understand if management decided to make a move,” center fielder and leadoff batter Dave Roberts said. “But I don’t think anyone in here is looking for help from the outside.

“We’ve got a lot of pride as a group, and we believe we can get it done. If a move is made, that’s out of our control, but maybe Danny won’t feel he has to do something if we just do what we know we can.”

*

An MRI exam confirmed left fielder Brian Jordan has a strained left patella tendon, a Dodger spokesman said.

Jordan, who underwent off-season surgery on the tendon, aggravated the injury on an infield single in the sixth inning of Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants, and sat out Wednesday’s 6-0 victory.

Jordan, slowed by the injury throughout the season, is listed as day-to-day. The Dodgers have not ruled out more surgery.

“The way I am, I’m just going to keep going out there until it won’t let me go,” Jordan said recently. “The doctors tell me it’ll be fine by the off-season.”

*

Because of a death in his family, Bob Watson, baseball’s administrator in charge of on-field discipline, said his investigation into Odalis Perez’s conduct with umpires might not be completed as soon as he would prefer.

“We’re still going to try to get [a decision] out as soon as possible, but with a death, I’m going to have to turn some of this over to other people right now,” Watson said. “We’re still reaching out to people to get a clear picture, but I’ve only talked to about half the people I need to.”

Perez received a token fine of $400 for being ejected and arguing with an umpire June 13 at Cleveland, and is expected to be fined again after being tossed for the second time in three starts in Tuesday’s game.

Upset that first-base umpire Angel Hernandez called a balk in the sixth inning when it appeared he had Ray Durham picked off first base, Perez erupted in anger after the inning, prompting Hernandez to send him to the clubhouse.

Although Perez potentially could be suspended for multiple outbursts and ejections in a three-start span, Watson did not indicate he was leaning in that direction.

“I don’t know about that,” Watson said about the possibility of suspending Perez. “I think that’s an option, and you hold up all options and wait to talk to all the people. We’ll see.”

*

Starter Hideo Nomo needs only 16 1/3 innings to trigger a vesting clause in his contract for 2004. An $8-million club option for next season becomes guaranteed if Nomo pitches at least 360 innings in 2002 and ’03 combined.

After working seven scoreless innings Wednesday, Nomo (9-6, 2.41 earned-run average) is second in the major leagues with 123 1/3 innings. He worked 220 1/3 innings last season.

If Nomo pitches another 56 2/3 innings this season, his pay increases from $7.25 million to $9 million this season.