--LF Manny Ramirez, who has been suspended for 50 games for use of a banned substance, still hasn't indicated whether he will show up at Dolphin Stadium, where the Dodgers begin a three-game series Friday. Ramirez lives in the Miami area, and although he was believed to still be in Los Angeles as recently as Sunday, there are indications he was headed home earlier this week. Dodgers owner Frank McCourt said last weekend that he would like to see Ramirez address his teammates about his suspension.
--OF Xavier Paul hit a two-out double in the ninth inning Thursday, his first extra-base hit in the majors, to run his average to .500 (2-for-4) since he was promoted from Class AAA Albuquerque to take Manny Ramirez's roster spot. However, Dodgers manager Joe Torre said before the game that there is concern Paul, one of the organization's top prospects, isn't getting enough playing time in the majors. Torre also said that if the problem persists, Paul likely would be sent back to Class AAA so he could play regularly. --LHP Clayton Kershaw was summoned to a meeting with manager Joe Torre and pitching coach Rick Honeycutt before the game after he walked four batters and hit another in five-plus innings Tuesday night. Torre told reporters the meeting was about the need for Kershaw to avoid trying to be too perfect. Overall, Kershaw has a strikeout-to-walk ratio of almost two-to-one, striking out 39 while walking just 20 in 38 innings.
BY THE NUMBERS: 18 -- Games out of the Dodgers' first 33 in which they scored at least one run in the first inning. They were 15-3 in those games.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Now that it's over, I can think about it and be like, you know what, this is something special. Hopefully this will get us back on the winning track and I can go celebrate Mother's Day with my wife and give my dad a call and tell him I love him." -- LHP Eric Stults, who lost his mother to cancer over the winter, after pitching his second career complete-game shutout, a four-hitter, on May 9 against San Francisco.
