Dodgers decide to go Green with Furcal placed on the DL

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So they put three names into a hat and out game … Nick Green?

Not really, it just felt that way.

When the Dodgers officially placed Rafael Furcal and his sore hamstring on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday, they had to call someone up.

Why journeyman Green and not prospects Chin-Lung Hu or Dee Gordon?

Short answer: It’s only for nine games, so the Dodgers went for short-term experience and versatility over long-term potential.

Green was with the Dodgers on Tuesday when they opened a three-game series against the Brewers, though Jamey Carrollcontinued to start in Furcal’s absence.

Carroll has spent most of his career as a second baseman (408 games) and has played comparatively few games at shortstop (84). Green has played about half his games at shortstop. He has limited range, but has been solid of late.

Green started 74 games at shortstop last season when the Red Sox suffered injuries.

But he’s also 31, has no real upside and is not a good a fielder as Hu or Gordon.

‘He just brings more experience,’ Manager Joe Torre said. ‘Probably a little more of a utility guy right now.

‘My plan is still Carroll at shortstop. We’re freer to play Greenie at third and second, as opposed to Hu, who really would be in the middle only. Plus the fact that Hu should probably play every day.’

It’s not like Furcal’s replacement figures to see much playing time.

If Furcal was expected to be down longer, the Dodgers might have called Hu up. Torre said they never seriously considered Gordon, who is at double-A Chattanooga and is now considered a brighter prospect than Hu.

At triple-A Albuquerque, neither Green (.219 batting average, .242 on-base percentage, .438 slugging percentage) nor Hu (.227, .261, .242) was lighting it up.

But Hu had only one extra-base hit (a double), while Green had six doubles, a triple and two home runs in almost the identical number of at-bats.

Plus, Green was playing all over the field, cementing his place as a utility player. At Albuquerque Green had played shortstop, third, second and center.

‘And we’re talking probably about a week, so it’s probably in the best interest of the young kid not to disrupt him,’ Torre said.

--Steve Dilbeck