SAN FRANCISCO - Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said Fred McGriff's at-bats weren't very good, so the best thing to do was give his firstbaseman a few days off to clear his mind.
McGriff, who isn't expected to play again until Tuesday againstSan Diego, didn't appear enthralled about getting time off to locatethe swing that accounted for 480 career homers.
'I think as a team we're not swinging the bat well,' McGriffsaid. 'You want to give the whole team some time to think about it?'
As a whole, the Dodgers are batting .223, with McGriff's .146average lowest among the starters. He also has nine strikeouts in 41at-bats and after starting the season as the clean-up hitter, he wasdropped to sixth in Friday's loss.
'He needs a couple of days off and that's what I'm going to do,'Tracy said. 'It's to pull him away from the action and let him sortthings out.'
Even before rain forced the postponement of Saturday's gameagainst San Francisco at Pac Bell Park, McGriff wasn't going toplay.
Daryle Ward was in at first base, and Tracy said McGriff wouldn'tplay today. With Monday's scheduled day off, McGriff has three daysto find his stroke.
'He's not having good at-bats right now,' Tracy said. 'Butnormally when a guy of his stature and that good a hitter is notswinging the bat well, they're normally not very good at-batsbecause they're not hard outs. And good hitters, when they're nothitting, they are hitting. They're just making hard outs. He's notmaking hard outs.'
Tracy said the respite would give McGriff time to work in thebatting cage and clear some mental issues that are plaguing him atthe plate. The two spoke about the situation, but McGriff didn'tappear enthusiastic about not being in the lineup.
'We talked earlier,' said McGriff, who was asked whether he toldTracy he wanted to be in the lineup. 'I ain't the manager.'
The slow start is nothing new to McGriff. He batted .205 with ahomer and 10 RBI in the opening month last season but finished with30 homers and 103 RBI.
In fact, McGriff has fewer hits, homers and RBI in the firstmonth of each season than any other month.
'I've said all the time, go out there and play, makeadjustments,' McGriff said. 'That's how you play.'
--Perez might miss turn: X-rays on the right ankle of Dodgerspitcher Odalis Perez were negative, trainer Stan Johnston said, butthe left-hander said he might miss his Thursday start because painremains. He hurt the ankle running the bases in Friday's loss.
'It all depends on how (Sunday) goes,' said Perez, who had theankle heavily taped and limped around the clubhouse. 'It's the daywhen I have to throw on the side. If I don't throw on the side(Sunday), I won't make it.'
The Dodgers are calling the injury a sprained ankle. Perez, whois putting ice and getting treatment on the back of his ankle, saidthere is limited swelling.
'They say it's weird,' Perez said. 'When you have a broken ankleor when you have a dislocated ankle or something, it looksdifferent. I just kept playing.'
Tracy said if Perez cannot pitch Thursday against San Diego,right-hander Darren Dreifort would get the start.
--Rain drops: Saturday's rainout was rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader Sept. 27 at Pac Bell Park, and it also caused theDodgers to shuffle their pitching rotation.
Right-hander Kevin Brown was pushed back a day and will pitchtoday's series finale. With Monday being an off-day, right-handerHideo Nomo pitches Tuesday and left-hander Kazuhisa Ishii throwsWednesday. Perez tentatively is slated for Thursday and Brown willopen the three-game series Friday at Dodger Stadium against theGiants. Dreifort would pitch Saturday.
--Odds and ends: Dave Checketts withdrew his bid to purchase theDodgers because, as expected, News Corp. wouldn't part with a cabletelevision station as part of the deal. Checketts is focusing onpurchasing several Atlanta sports teams and a cable station fromAOL. ... Outfielder Chad Hermansen (shoulder) said he will begin arehabilitation stint April 21 with Single-A Vero Beach, Fla. He canremain on rehab for 20 days.
