Martinez, Valdes Seek More Progress

Right-handers Ramon Martinez and Ismael Valdes are expected to throw at least one simulated inning each Wednesday at Dodger Stadium.

If Martinez does so, that would be a big step on his road back to the mound after having opened a small tear in the rotator cuff on his throwing shoulder in mid-June.

Still ahead would probably be more simulated work and a rehabilitation assignment. But that’s better than the worst-case scenario when the ace right-hander was first hurt, which was that his season was over.

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Add Recovery Report: If all goes well when he does his simulated throwing, Valdes, who strained his left hamstring two weeks ago, will miss only one more start.

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What now? With the return of Valdes, Manager Bill Russell will have two options. He can send Valdes’ replacement, 20-year-old left-hander Dennis Reyes, back to the minors to work on his development, or Russell can send veteran Tom Candiotti back to the bullpen and keep Reyes in the rotation until Martinez returns.

Because Reyes has one start left, no decision as been made. But at this point the Dodgers are planning on sending him down.

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Add Reyes: If he does go back to Albuquerque, look for Reyes to reappear Aug. 4. The Dodgers are scheduled to play an exhibition game that day at Cooperstown as part of the annual Hall of Fame festivities.

Most teams bring up a minor-leaguer to pitch rather than waste a regular starter.

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Tripp Cromer played Saturday despite taking a line drive on the base of his left hand off the bat of teammate Raul Mondesi in the pregame warmup.

But by Sunday his condition had worsened.

“I can’t really swing a bat,” he said. “I would only be hurting the team.”

Cromer is listed as day-to-day, as is fellow shortstop Greg Gagne, who hasn’t played since Wednesday because of a nagging viral condition that is causing his vision to be blurred.

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If catcher Mike Piazza misses only a day or two because of the hamstring injury he suffered Sunday, the Dodgers will go with Tom Prince as their starter and Todd Zeile, who hasn’t caught a game in at least six years, as the backup.

If Piazza is out longer, the Dodgers will call up catcher Henry Blanco from Albuquerque to serve as the backup.

TODAY’S GAME

DODGERS’ HIDEO NOMO (9-8, 3.14 ERA) vs. BRAVES’ TOM GLAVINE (10-5, 2.89 ERA)

Turner Field, 10 a.m.

TV--TBS. Radio--KABC (790), KWKW (1330).

* Update--Considering all the injuries they have suffered, and considering they have faced some of the best pitchers in the league, the Dodgers will be thrilled to go 5-3 on the trip which ends today. That will be their record if they can take this finale of the four-game series with the Braves after having won two of the first three. It will be another makeshift lineup for the Dodgers. Tom Prince will start behind the plate for injured Mike Piazza, who, if he wakes up today feeling little or no pain from the hamstring strain suffered Sunday, might be available to pinch hit. Don’t bet on that. If neither Tripp Cromer nor Greg Gagne is available, the Dodgers will again start Wilton Guerrero at shortstop and Nelson Liriano at second. Nomo has not faced the Braves this season, but he is unbeaten against them, having gone 2-0 with a 1.53 earned-run average.