Now I'm A Bit Worried

My concern has little to do with this team's recent performance, and more to do with this team's health entering the postseason.

Hiroki Kuroda originally was scheduled to pitch Saturday, but a stiff neck has led to his being scratched from his last start of the season.

"Probably from turning my head around so often the last time I pitched," Kuroda said, jokingly referring to his start in Pittsburgh on Sunday when he gave up seven runs in four innings. "Maybe it was the last home run."

Kuroda guessed that the cross-country flight from Pittsburgh to San Diego soon after pitching might be the source of his neck pain.

"I feel my age," said Kuroda, who turned 34 in February.

Another funny comment from recent Memories Of Kevin Malone favorite, but any setback and the Dodgers are faced with a serious problem.

Out for the last three days because of a strained groin, Ronnie Belliard admitted to being concerned about how many at-bats he'll be able to get before the postseason.

Belliard, who is hitting .342 since being acquired from Washington on Aug. 31, said he felt better Wednesday but had no idea when he would play again.

"Timing is something that can be lost very quickly if you don't play games," Belliard said.

Bad.

Torre said he anticipated that Belliard and Casey Blake, who has sat out the last eight games because of a strained left hamstring, would at least be available to pinch-hit when the Dodgers play Friday.

Worse.

I previously mentioned the injury concerns in passing a couple days ago, but I wasn't particularly convinced that they would have an adverse affect on the postseason back then. However, with Kuroda, Blake, and Belliard all missing regular starts for the final series of the year, it's hard not to be a tad more worried.

Combine those three injuries with the questions about Clayton Kershaw's shoulder, Jim Thome's foot, Guillermo Mota's toe, and Hong Chih Kuo's elbow, and there's a recipe for disaster in there somewhere.

It seems and sounds like the trio of Kuroda, Kershaw, and Thome will be fine. However, i'd like to see Kuo and Mota show their previous effectiveness, and getting both Belliard and Blake in regular game action would soothe my fears as well.

I never want to assume the worst with injuries, but in recent postseason campaigns, the Dodgers have been adversely affected by Joe Beimel's bar incident and Hong Chih Kuo's color changing hand, so it's difficult not worry.