Casey Blake rejoins Dodgers, hopes to be activated Wednesday
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Beginning Wednesday, those injured during spring training are eligible to come off the disabled list. The Dodgers have five players in that position.
Casey Blake wants to be first in line to return.
Blake has been out because a sore back and remained in Arizona to play in spring games when the Dodgers returned to Los Angeles. He joined the Dodgers in L.A. on Sunday and said he is ready to return.
‘I feel good enough to go out there and compete,’ he said.
The Dodgers are off Monday, then play two games in Denver against the Colorado Rockies, including Wednesday.
Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly would not fully commit to activating Blake on Wednesday, but no doubt he would like a healthy Blake in his lineup.
‘He sounds like he’s ready,’ Mattingly said. ‘He got a lot of at-bats there [in Arizona]. There’s nothing more to really do.’
Mattingly said his only hesitation would be playing Blake on Wednesday after he had not seen live pitching in three days.
Blake’s fill-ins, however, have struggled. Aaron Miles is one for eight and Ivan De Jesus Jr. is hitless in seven at-bats, with five strikeouts.
Blake’s absence was particularly felt Friday and Saturday when Juan Uribe, who has moved from second base to third base while Blake is out, sat out because of a sore left arm. Uribe is back in the Dodgers’ lineup Sunday for the game against the San Francisco Giants.
‘If I stay with the team, I’d like to play as soon as I can, which would be the sixth [Wednesday],’ Blake said. ‘I don’t make that call.
‘I don’t think they want me sitting around and not facing live pitching.’
The Rockies are scheduled to start right-hander Jason Hammel on Wednesday. Blake is five for 18 lifetime against Blake, with a home run.
Injured Giants reliever Brian Wilson threw a simulated game Sunday, and a reporter suggested that Blake should have tried to hit against the closer.
‘I wonder if they would allow it,’ Blake said. ‘That probably wouldn’t have boosted my confidence.’
-- Steve Dilbeck