A whole new world?

Odds and ends

A health update, because that's just inevitable.  Jason Schmidt didn't report any physical issues aside from general stiffness, which is to be expected, after a recent BP.  He'll head to Vegas tonight to throw about 70 pitches on Tuesday, then return to L.A. on Wednesday for another look.  Scott Proctor will see a doctor tonight to find out an ETA on throwing again.  For now, his recovery process has involved a lot of ice and aerobic work.  Gary Bennett is feeling better and will catch some bullpen sessions.  Juan Pierre is walking without crutches and generally not favoring it.  The next step (literally and figuratively) will come when he can bend the knee all the way.  Mark Sweeney may head to Vegas in the middle of the week.

With the trade deadline approaching, Torre identified the team's most pressing needs, not surprisingly, as shortstop and pitching.  "We'll see what's available, what it'll take.  For sure, we're not gonna make a deal unless we think it'll help us.  I think the magnitude of the deal will depend on what somebody has to offer us."  The 6 spot would be his list topper, but as Torre pointed out, "the most important part of what we do right now is pitching.   Thus, he's not hip on the idea of sacrificing much in the way of arms to get a shortstop.

Torre hopes fans will go a little easier on Andruw Jones in his first post-rehab home game than pre-surgery (where he was the type of boo magnet ghosts only dream about).  Torre acknowledged the fans' right to razz, having plunked down that ticket moolah, but couldn't deny how much that reaction, especially in his backyard, can get inside a player's head.  "You can't ignore it.  Players who say they don't care or don't hear it, that's not true."   Did Torre ever receive similar tough treatment in his own house?  Yep.   "In 1972, when I was one of the player reps back when we were on our first strike.  I was the MVP the year before and I got in the box the first game and they booed the heck out of me.  It hurt, but you understood why they did it.  We certainly gave them reason to do that.  We took away their baseball."

Finally, before the game, some members of "The Leap Frogs," The US Navy Parachute Team, descended from the sky into the Stadium.  Personally, I think it was a little irresponsible of the Dodger brass to allow Pierre to tag along, what with his bad knee and all. 

Kidding. 

Tonight's Lineups
Braves
Gregor Blanco - LF
Yunel Escobar - SS
Chipper Jones - 3B
Mark Teixeira - 1B
Brian McCann - C
Kelly Johnson - 2B
Mark Kotsay - CF
Jason Perry - RF
Jorge Campillo - P

Dodgers
Kemp - RF
Ethier - LF
Martin - C
Kent - 2B
Loney - 1B
Nomar - SS
Jones - CF
DeWitt - 3B
Kuroda - P

AK