One Dodger after another approached Andy LaRoche during batting practice, giving him hugs and smiles. LaRoche later said it was the people in the Dodgers organization he missed. "I don't miss not playing," he said. "That's one of the things I like here better." LaRoche is hitting only .161 for the Pirates since the trade and missed time after reinjuring the thumb he tore a ligament on in the spring, but in Pittsburgh he gets to play and live with his brother. He still watches the Dodgers on television after his games on the East Coast, texting Russell Martin and former roommate Delwyn Young before the Dodgers play. He wasn't upset by the trade. On that day, he said Ned Colletti told him nothing against you, and LaRoche said there were no hard feelings. "Maybe if they had traded me for a box of bats, but it was a trade they had to make." And the best part? "If you guys go to the playoffs, I definitely get a little bit of the bonus, too."
Also...
Andre Ethier isn't in the lineup and isn't here yet, but could be with the team during the game. "We'll all be surprised when he gets here," Manager Joe Torre mused.
Hong-Chih Kuo is unavailable again after feeling more discomfort coming out of his outing yesterday. "I can't say he's not hurt, but he's not out of the mix," Torre said. "We have to be a little more careful of his usage." Scott Elbert could fill the role of the power lefty out of the bullpen.
Casey Blake is out of the lineup with back stiffness.
Takashi Saito and Brad Penny could pitch tonight with Kuo and Cory Wade unavailable.
Jeff Kent resumed taking batting practice in Los Angeles.
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