DePodesta Remains Positive

General Manager Paul DePodesta isn’t one to panic, which is good for the Dodgers.

Had DePodesta been the type to make rash decisions, the Dodgers might be undergoing major changes.

But DePodesta played it cool during the Dodgers’ recent eight-game losing streak, focusing on positives. The Dodgers have remained atop the National League West despite their problems, and DePodesta figured things wouldn’t be perfect.

“I was prepared for this, even expecting it, because you’re never quite as good as you are when you’re winning or as bad as you are when you’re not,” he said. “I knew going into the year that there were going to be times when we struggled, because that’s just what happens over the course of 162 games.

“What’s happening now is probably just the normal ebb and flow of the season. Even teams that win 110 games have stretches when they don’t play well. The worst thing you could do is overreact when something like this happens.”

Not everyone at Chavez Ravine possesses DePodesta’s nerve.

Some in the organization, two team officials said, had encouraged DePodesta to change his plans and join the Dodgers on the trip after they were swept in Philadelphia, extending the losing streak to seven games.

DePodesta stayed the course, believing it would have sent a bad message about the state of the team, and Manager Jim Tracy’s job security, had he suddenly showed up in the middle of a trip, the sources said.

DePodesta declined to discuss his conversations with other Dodger officials.

As for Tracy, DePodesta supported the team’s field leader, who’s in the final season of his contract.

“I think he’s done fine,” DePodesta said. “In fairness to Trace, there are some things that have been out of his control.

“We’ve had some injuries, and we haven’t been getting the starting pitching that we were earlier in the season.”

Baseball executives said the trade market should begin to heat up soon, “but there isn’t a whole lot out there right now,” a National League general manager said.

DePodesta is expected to be a player in the market if the Dodgers remain in contention, but he said the team must look inward now.

“We’re still doing some things well,” DePodesta said, “we’re just not doing enough of them.”

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The Dodgers are considering putting injured starter Hideo Nomo on the disabled list Friday to make room for leadoff batter Dave Roberts on the 25-man roster.

Nomo, who suffered a split nail on his right index finger May 19 against the Philadelphia Phillies, was scratched from a scheduled start Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Dodgers said there was no timetable for Nomo’s return, and Roberts has recovered from a right hamstring injury. Roberts is scheduled to rejoin the team today and be activated before the Dodgers begin a six-game homestand.

“We haven’t decided on it yet,” Tracy said of Nomo’s situation. “A lot of it has to do with when he would be ready to pitch.”