Casey Blake could start season on disabled list

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Casey Blake could start the season on the disabled list, Don Mattingly acknowledged on Friday morning.

However, the diplomatic rookie manager wouldn’t speculate the likelihood of that happening.

“It’s hard to get too far down the line when he’s not swinging the bat yet, not taking ground balls or anything,” Mattingly said.

For his part, Blake said he intends to be in the lineup when the Dodgers open the season against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on March 31.

“I want to play opening day,” Blake said.

Blake has been sidelined since Saturday with a back injury. He was batting .077 when he got hurt.

Mattingly said the Dodgers were looking at what they might be able to do if Blake is unavailable.

The most likely solution would be to move Juan Uribe from second to third base, a position he will play against the Giants in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Friday.

The Dodgers’ lineup Friday:

Furcal SS
DeJesus 2B
Ethier RF
Kemp CF
Loney 1B
Uribe 3B
Thames LF
Navarro C
De La Rosa P

-- Dylan Hernandez in Phoenix