Grabowski Takes Choi’s Spot at First

Korean first baseman Hee-Seop Choi prefers to speak to reporters without an interpreter. Although he has gained a grasp of English mostly by watching television, he prides himself on responding to questions with meaningful, understandable answers.

There was a long pause before he replied Saturday night, however.

He was asked if he was frustrated at being left out of the starting lineup against a right-handed pitcher. The impression from General Manager Paul DePodesta and Manager Jim Tracy when spring training broke was that the left-handed-hitting Choi would be the everyday first baseman. On the infrequent occasions he would sit, it would be against a tough left-hander.

“I’m OK,” Choi said after contemplating the question for some time.

“Maybe tomorrow I’ll have my chance.”

Jason Grabowski, normally an outfielder, played first base for the first time this season and only the fourth time in his career. He did not play first during the spring.

Tracy hinted that San Diego Padre starter Adam Eaton throws too hard for Choi to handle.

“Eaton is a real power guy,” Tracy said. “I don’t want to expand on it any more than that because I don’t want the other side to file it away and use it later on in the season.”

Choi knows he would be in the lineup regardless of the opposing pitcher if his batting average were significantly higher than .130. He is three for 23 with one home run.

“If I hit good, I play every day,” he said.

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Closer Eric Gagne will not be ready to come off the disabled list for “a number of weeks,” Tracy said.

Gagne suffered a sprained right elbow in his last appearance of spring training. He was nursing a sprained knee at the time and might have rushed back too soon from that injury.

Wilson Alvarez, on the disabled list because of shoulder tendinitis, pitched one inning against minor leaguers in Vero Beach, Fla., giving up one run, two hits and one walk while striking out two.

He is scheduled to pitch two innings Tuesday and three innings Saturday, with a possible return to the Dodgers the following week.

Brad Penny, also on the disabled list, will start Monday for the triple-A Las Vegas 51 against Colorado Springs.

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DODGERS TODAY

DODGERS’ JEFF WEAVER vs. PADRES’ TIM REDDING

*--* THE MATCHUPS 2005 2004 VS OPP TEAMS/PITCHERS W-L ERA TEAM W-L IP ERA San Diego/Redding (R) 0-1 0.00 0-1 -- -- -- DODGERS/Weaver (R) 1-0 6.55 2-0 1-4 37.0 4.86

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Dodger Stadium, 1

TV -- FSNW2. Radio -- 980, 1330.

Update -- Which Weaver will it be? The right-hander pitched eight scoreless innings his first start, then gave up eight runs in three-plus innings in the home opener.

-- Steve Henson