Tracy Says Green Will Stay in Cleanup Spot

Despite possessing the lowest batting average among the Dodger regulars and ranking fourth in runs batted in, Shawn Green appears in little danger of losing his spot as the cleanup hitter.

“We’ve seen this in the past,” Manager Jim Tracy said of a slump in which Green is hitting .158 in May after going hitless in three at-bats Tuesday night during the Philadelphia Phillies’ 8-7 victory at Citizens Bank Park.

“What we won’t do is overreact to it in a negative manner to create uncertainty or doubt. I don’t do things like that with my players. I make sure my players know that they have an area of support from the guy that sits in here.”

Green’s slide has left him with a .226 average. He hasn’t hit a home run since May 8 and has seven during a season in which he is coming off surgery on his right shoulder. Green said his shoulder feels fine and attributed his slump to nothing more than a bad series against the Cincinnati Reds in which he went one for 11.

Tracy declined to address whether he would move Green in the batting order if his funk continued for another month, saying “it won’t continue, and eventually he’ll get hot.”

Green interrupted a reporter asking about his role as the cleanup hitter, saying, “No, none of that stuff now.”

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Tracy said he did not need to address anger management issues with Milton Bradley, who was almost ejected for the second time this season Sunday during an argument with home plate umpire Ed Rapuano after a called third strike. Bradley slammed his bat to the turf and tossed his batting gloves during the exchange.

“That young man cares an awful lot, and he wants to do really well for himself and for this ballclub and his teammates,” Tracy said. “And there’s a part of me that admires that.”

But isn’t part of doing well making sure you stay in the game to help your team?

“He didn’t get kicked out,” Tracy said. “I’m not going to get involved in a conversation where we’re going to try to make an issue out of Milton Bradley and how he conducts himself. We won’t talk about that.”