Garciaparra's Injury is Genetic

Dodgers infielder Nomar Garciaparra said a genetic predisposition, one he didn't know he had until it was identified by a Boston physical therapist with whom he voluntarily consulted last week, is the reason his left-calf strain has been so long in healing. He shut down a minor-league rehabilitation assignment after one game when he woke up the next morning with more discomfort.

Garciaparra said the condition causes him to develop more scar tissue at the injury site than the average person, with that tissue limiting his flexibility and increasing the likelihood that he will aggravate the injury by playing on it.

"It would have been nice if I had found out a lot sooner that I had this," said Garciaparra, who likened the problem to trying to pull a rope through a hole when the rope has several knots in it. "That's why I keep straining different muscles."

Garciaparra has been on the disabled list five times in his three seasons with the Dodgers with injuries to two different muscles and two different joints. He said the only way to break up the scar tissue is through painful daily treatments he is receiving involving extreme stretching and bending.

"They give me a towel so I can bite on it," he said.

Garciaparra has been sidelined for almost two months with this injury, which he suffered just nine days after he returned from a right-wrist sprain he suffered in spring training. But despite last week's setback, Garciaparra is optimistic he will play again this season.

Notes and Quotes --The Seattle Mariners haven't asked for permission, but should the Mariners wish to interview Kim Ng or Logan White, Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti said he would grant permission happily. "They're both worthy," Colletti said. Ng, an assistant general manager for the last seven seasons with the Dodgers interviewed with the Dodgers before they hired Colletti. She would become the first female general manager in major league history. White has run the Dodgers' scouting department for the last seven seasons, the last two as an assistant general manager. He interviewed with the Houston Astros last year. White, who played in the Mariners' minor league system and scouted for the team, said he would be interested in discussing the position. "I don't ever close any doors," he said. "But I love the Dodgers, and I love being here. I've got a lot invested in the Dodgers, and we haven't accomplished what we set out to do." --RHP Chad Billingsley went five adequate innings, giving up three runs in the third, and was credited with his sixth win. All six have come over the course of his past 11 starts, beginning on April 30. During that stretch, Billingsley is 6-3 with a 2.77 ERA.

--Mark Sweeney has made a career out of pitch-hitting, as only Lenny Harris has recorded more pinch hits in his career in MLB history, but this year he has struggled. The 38-year-old left-handed hitter, who was batting a frustrating .105, hasn't found the groove the Dodgers were expecting when they acquired him from the Giants for Travis Denker in the offseason. "The thing about players when they get older, it's a series of adjustments," said manager Joe Torre. "I think that's what Mark is going through right now."

--1B James Loney extended his hitting streak to 10 games by going 2-for-4 with a two-run double. He is hitting .462 (18 for 39) during the tear. Loney has hit safely in 19 consecutive starts and would have a 19-game hitting streak if not for the fact he grounded out as a pinch hitter.

--CF Matt Kemp struck out twice in four at-bats in the game and six times in the three-game series. He had struck out only once in his four previous games. Kemp is the Dodgers' runaway leader in strikeouts with 75, and no other Dodgers player has more than 39.

--LF Juan Pierre went 3-for-4 with a stolen base, his 29th of the season. He has hit safely in 12 of his past 14 games, batting .317 (20-for-63) during that stretch. But Pierre is hitting just .264 (46 for 174) in the 42 games he has batted leadoff since Rafael Furcal went down with a back injury.

--LHP Joe Beimel gave up a two-out double to Jhonny Peralta in the seventh inning, just the second extra-base hit Beimel has allowed this season. He gave up a double to Jim Edmonds, then with San Diego, on April 11. Beimel has now made nine consecutive appearances without being charged with a run and hasn't given up a run in 33 of his 36 appearances.

By The Numb3rs: $68.918 million -- The total 2008 salary, including signing bonuses, of the eight players the Dodgers presently have on either the 15- or 60-day disabled lists. Only infielder Tony Abreu ($393,000) and catcher Gary Bennett ($825,000) are making less than $1 million this year, and every other player on the list is making at least $7.6 million (Hiroki Kuroda has a $5 million salary and is due a $2.6 million portion of his $7.3 million signing bonus).

Quote to Note: "I wouldn't have gained anything by going out there and not working and getting lazy. Baseball is baseball, no matter where you play it, whether it's (Class AAA), the major leagues or the Dominican. A lot of the guys on that team looked to me as the veteran, so I got to teach them how to have fun and enjoy the game." -- Dodgers infielder Angel Berroa, on spending most of the past season-and-a-half with Kansas City's Class AAA Omaha affiliate.

*M*A*S*H* 4077 Report RHP Hiroki Kuroda (sore right shoulder) was scratched from his June 18 start. He had an MRI on June 18 that showed tendinitis but nothing else. Kuroda was placed on the DL on June 20, retroactive to June 13.

OF Andruw Jones (torn cartilage in right knee) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 24. He had arthroscopic surgery May 27, and he will be out four to six weeks. He took batting practice on June 20.

INF Nomar Garciaparra (strained right calf) went on the 15-day disabled list April 26, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 25. He continued to feel tightness in mid-May. He began a rehab assignment with Class AAA Las Vegas on June 17, but was sore and missed the June 18 game.

RHP Brad Penny (mild tendinitis and inflammation in right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 15. He should be able to return as soon as he is eligible to do so.

SS Rafael Furcal (lower back tightness) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 6. He was expected to be activated May 23 but was sore that morning. He hadn't resumed baseball activities as of June 17. He is unlikely to return before the All-Star break.

RHP Jason Schmidt (right shoulder surgery in June 2007) opened the season on the 15-day disabled list and was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 20. He began a rehab assignment May 11. He was hit in the calf with a line drive during a rehab start on May 31, and the "new injury" will extend his stay in the minors.

C Gary Bennett (plantar fasciitis in left foot) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 19. He had a setback in mid-June and there was no timetable on his return.

INF Tony Abreu (sore right hip) opened the season on the 15-day disabled list, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 13. He had season-ending surgery May 28.

PLAYER STATS through open date June 23

   Hitters

Andre Ethier, RF
                  BA   AB    R    H   2B   3B   HR   RBI   SB
Last Game       .000    1    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
Last 7 Games    .269   26    3    7    3    0    1    6    0
Season          .281  235   32   66   17    0    6   28    2

Rafael Furcal, SS
                  BA   AB    R    H   2B   3B   HR   RBI   SB
Last Game       .250    4    1    1    0    0    1    1    0
Last 7 Games    .375   32   12   12    2    0    2    5    2
Season          .366  134   34   49   12    2    5   16    8

Nomar Garciaparra, 3B
                  BA   AB    R    H   2B   3B   HR   RBI   SB
Last Game       .200    5    1    1    0    0    0    1    0
Last 7 Games    .240   25    6    6    0    0    1    5    1
Season          .226   31    6    7    0    0    1    5    1

Andruw Jones, CF
                  BA   AB    R    H   2B   3B   HR   RBI   SB
Last Game       .000    1    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
Last 7 Games    .143   21    2    3    0    0    1    2    0
Season          .165  133   18   22    6    1    2    7    0

Matt Kemp, RF
                  BA   AB    R    H   2B   3B   HR   RBI   SB
Last Game       .200    5    1    1    0    0    1    1    0
Last 7 Games    .267   30    5    8    2    0    2    5    2
Season          .291  258   34   75   16    2    7   43   13

Jeff Kent, 2B
                  BA   AB    R    H   2B   3B   HR   RBI   SB
Last Game       .250    4    0    1    0    0    0    0    0
Last 7 Games    .370   27    4   10    4    0    0    4    0
Season          .255  231   26   59   11    1    8   33    0

Andy LaRoche, 3B
                  BA   AB    R    H   2B   3B   HR   RBI   SB
Last Game       .333    3    0    1    0    0    0    0    0
Last 7 Games    .214   14    1    3    0    0    1    1    0
Season          .214   14    1    3    0    0    1    1    0

James Loney, 1B
                  BA   AB    R    H   2B   3B   HR   RBI   SB
Last Game       .400    5    0    2    1    0    0    1    0
Last 7 Games    .464   28    6   13    5    0    1    5    0
Season          .308  273   36   84   17    4    6   37    2

Russell Martin, C
               BA   AB    R    H   2B   3B   HR   RBI   SB
Last Game       .600    5    1    3    0    0    0    0    0
Last 7 Games    .333   27    5    9    4    0    1    4    0
Season          .316  253   37   80   14    0    6   33    6

Juan Pierre, CF
                  BA   AB    R    H   2B   3B   HR   RBI   SB
Last Game       .000    5    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
Last 7 Games    .242   33    1    8    1    1    0    6    2
Season          .276  246   28   68    9    1    0   24   28

Delwyn Young, LF
                  BA   AB    R    H   2B   3B   HR   RBI   SB
Last Game       .000    5    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
Last 7 Games    .261   23    1    6    1    0    0    1    0
Season          .284   67    4   19    6    0    0    3    0

   Pitchers

Joe Beimel	 ERA   W-L   Sv    G   IP    H   BB    K
Last Game       0.00   0-0    0    1    1    0    0    1
Last 7 Games    0.00   0-0    0    3    2    0    0    2
Season          1.17   3-0    0   35   23   24    9   17

Chad Billingsley ERA   W-L   Sv    G    IP    H   BB    K
Last Game       1.42   1-0    0    1   6.1    5    3    9
Last 7 Games    4.42   1-1    0    3  18.1   20    7   20
Season          3.54   5-7    0   16    84   73   41   91

Jon Broxton      ERA    W-L   Sv   G   IP     H   BB    K
Last Game       0.00   0-0    0    1    1     2    0    1
Last 7 Games    0.00   0-0    0    3   3.1    3    2    5
Season          3.82   2-2    0   31  30.2   27   13   38

Hong-Chih Kuo    ERA   W-L   Sv    G   IP    H   BB    K
Last Game       0.00   0-0    0    1    2    0    1     3
Last 7 Games    1.35   0-0    0    3  6.2    6    1    12
Season          1.80   3-1    0   17   45   35   11   54

Hiroki Kuroda	 ERA   W-L   Sv    G   IP     H   BB    K
Last Game      23.14   0-1    0    1   2.1    5    4    2
Last 7 Games    7.71   1-2    0    3   14    16    6   13
Season          4.04   3-6    0   14  82.1   84   27   50

Derek Lowe	 ERA   W-L   Sv    G   IP     H   BB   K
Last Game       1.69   1-0    0    1   5.1    3    2    6
Last 7 Games    2.79   2-1    0    3  19.1   17    4   15
Season          3.90   5-6    0   16   97    98   26   67

Brad Penny	 ERA   W-L   Sv    G   IP     H   BB    K
Last Game      17.18   0-1    0    1   3.2    7    2    0
Last 7 Games    6.89   0-3    0    3  15.2   19    9   10
Season          5.88   5-9    0   15  85.2  101   36   47

Scott Proctor	 ERA   W-L   Sv    G   IP    H   BB    K
Last Game       0.00   0-0    0    1    0    3    2    0
Last 7 Games   33.75   0-0    0    3   1.1   5    3    4
Season          6.82   1-0    0   33  31.2  36   22   36

Takashi Saito	 ERA   W-L   Sv    G   IP     H   BB    K
Last Game      18.00   0-1    0    1    1     3    2    0
Last 7 Games    6.00   0-1    2    3    3     5    2    3
Season          2.64   3-3   10   29  30.2   29   10   41

Eric Stults	 ERA   W-L   Sv    G   IP    H   BB    K
Last Game       1.50   1-0    0    1    6    6    1    5
Last 7 Games    1.50   1-0    0    1    6    6    1    5
Season          1.50   1-0    0    1    6    6    1    5