As the Dodgers closed this year's interleague play today with their game against the Seattle Mariners, Dodgers Manager Joe Torre reiterated that he could do without playing American League teams in the regular season.
"I'm not a big fan" of interleague play, Torre said. "It's a novelty for the fans; I think we're doing it for the fans. Which is fine.
"In certain cities, it works," he said. "I mean, we play the Angels, and, of course, Chicago with the White Sox and the Cubbies."
But some Dodgers players said they don't share Torre's view.
"I enjoy interleague," said pitcher Jeff Weaver. "It gives you a chance to see different ball clubs, different cities, gives you a challenge. It gives you a chance to see exactly how difficult the American League is."
Weaver, who pitched for Torre's New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers earlier in his career, said he and other Dodgers pitchers get scouting reports and can watch video of the AL hitters they'll face, but "there's going to be some surprises. You still have to make adjustments on the fly."
Indeed, Torre said "it's very difficult when you're managing against" American League teams "to really have a feel for who you want to pitch to, who you don't want to pitch to, even though you have scouting reports."
Griffey's future
Did the Mariners' Ken Griffey Jr. make his last regular-season appearance at Dodger Stadium today?
Griffey, 39, entered the game with 620 career home runs, fifth on the all-time list, amid speculation that this might be his final season as a player in the big leagues.
But Griffey said, "I haven't made any decision" about retiring "and won't until the off-season, until we have time to decide what we want to do."
In the meantime, Griffey mainly has been Seattle's designated hitter, though he played left field in the Dodgers series.
Griffey said he's also tried to be a teacher for the Mariners, "a guy the younger kids can talk to" about opposing pitchers, playing defense in different ball parks and overall strategy.
"They ask me questions, and I give them an honest answer," he said.
And are the players ever intimidated about approaching a future Hall of Famer? "I make sure they're not intimidated," Griffey said. "I'm not unapproachable. I talk to everybody."
Comfort zone
