Hits, Not Walks, Important to Kent

Jeff Kent walked 17 times in April while batting .333. He has walked only six times in May while batting .196.

It’s something of a chicken-egg conundrum: Did the greater number of walks contribute to him hitting well, or did hitting well cause pitchers to walk him more often? And lately, are a reduced number of walks a result of his impatience or are pitchers challenging him because he isn’t swinging the bat as well?

Kent doesn’t involve himself in those kinds of mental machinations. He has a hitting approach that has worked for 14 years, and he’s sticking to it.

By the way, it doesn’t include walks.

“Getting on base, for me, is not a priority,” he said. “I don’t walk. I love to swing the bat.”

The fact that Dodger General Manager Paul DePodesta places a premium on on-base percentage is meaningless to Kent. He is the cleanup hitter, with all it entails.

“I’d rather get a hit,” he said. “I’d rather drive in a run.”

So noted. Kent has driven more runs in May (20) than in April (18) despite reaching base little more than half as often.

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The Dodgers are unsure who their starting pitcher will be in three of the next 10 games. Up for grabs are games Thursday and Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers and June 7 against the Detroit Tigers.

Two pitchers on the disabled list, Odalis Perez and Elmer Dessens, definitely won’t be ready Thursday, although Perez is a possibility for June 7.

Wilson Alvarez, who will make his second start Monday, is an option that Manager Jim Tracy would rather not use too often.

Derek Thompson is a candidate Thursday, as are current bullpen members Duaner Sanchez, D.J. Houlton and Scott Erickson.

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Tracy has prepared for the last two games with one eye on the television in his office, watching Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount slug it out for the West Coast Conference title. His second son, Chad, is the Pepperdine catcher and was conference player of the year.

The final game is today at roughly the same time the Dodgers face the Diamondbacks.

“We’ll tape it,” Tracy said.