Monday, October 2, 2006 Mets will see Kuo in Game 2 Little is hopeful the rookie left-hander can repeat his success against New York. By BILL PLUNKETT The Orange County Register SAN FRANCISCO – It worked once so the Dodgers will try it again. Grady Little said Sunday that rookie left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo will start Game 2 of the NL Division Series against the New York Mets. Kuo made his first major- league start against the Mets on Sept. 8, throwing six shutout innings. In five starts since he was recalled from Triple-A at the end of August, Kuo is 1-1 with a 3.07 ERA and a 35-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 291/3 innings. More to the point, the Mets' most obvious Achilles' heel is a vulnerability to left-handed pitching. As a team, the Mets have hit .254 against left-handers (29th out of 30 major- league teams) with a .406 slugging percentage (tied for 25th in the majors). In their four-game series at Shea Stadium on Sept. 7-10, the Dodgers and Mets split the four games with the Dodgers victories coming in games started by rookie left-handers Kuo and Eric Stults. The Mets managed just one run on five hits in 12 innings against the two lefties. Later in the month, they were swept in a three- game series by the Pittsburgh Pirates who started lefties in all three games. "I like him pitching there a lot because of his success there the first time," Little said. "He's pitched well every time we've started him. He's rested. It's his day to pitch." The move also allows the Dodgers to start veteran Greg Maddux in Game 3 at Dodger Stadium where opposing batters have hit .199 against him this season. Maddux is 3-1 in four starts at Dodger Stadium this season (including one with the Cubs) with a 1.76 ERA. ROSTER DECISIONS The Dodgers do not have to submit their 25-man roster for the first playoff round until the morning of Game 1. But they began making those decisions over the weekend. Six of the 34 active players they took to San Francisco were told Sunday night that they would not be going to New York with the team - pitchers Giovanni Carrara, Tim Hamulack and Stults, outfielders Delwyn Young and Matt Kemp and infielder Oscar Robles. "It happens every fall," GM Ned Colletti said. "You never win with just 25 (players) - but you're expected to carry on in the postseason with just 25." The Dodgers will have to trim three more before Game1. One will be No. 3 catcher Einar Diaz. Nomar Garciaparra's questionable health because of oblique, quadriceps and knee injuries makes it likely rookie first baseman James Loney will be one of as many as seven rookies on the playoff roster. The most difficult decisions involved the pitching staff. With the best-of-5 format in the first round, the Dodgers will go with just 10 pitchers - starters Lowe, Kuo, Maddux and Penny and relievers Takashi Saito, Jonathan Broxton, Joe Beimel and Brett Tomko. NOMAR IS A GO Garciaparra has not played since re-injuring the strained oblique in his right side during Friday's game. But he said there has been improvement in the injury and is optimistic that a full four days' rest before Game 1 Wednesday will mean further relief. Garciaparra originally injured his side Sept. 15 and received an injection to try and relieve the pain. http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/sports/homepage/article_1294457.php -- 我的可愛女兒們 http://www.flickr.com/photos/xiecollen/ --

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