Hiroki Kuroda

Free-agent pitcher Hiroki Kuroda declared his intention to leave his native Japan to play in the major leagues next season. The 32-year old right-hander is a target of the Dodgers, who sent a three-man delegation that included closer Takashi Saito to meet him in Tokyo last week. The Hiroshima Carp, the team for which he was 103-89 with a 3.69 earned-run average over eight seasons, said it would leave his No. 15 jersey open for him if he ever wanted to play again in Japan.

Jason Schmidt was nowhere to be seen. His locker was empty. The Dodgers wouldn't -- or couldn't -- say exactly what was wrong with Schmidt. Officially, the 36-year-old former All-Star was moved to the 15-day disabled list Friday because of what was called a "shoulder injury." Schmidt was examined by team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Thursday night and returned to his home in Arizona on Friday. Manager Joe Torre said that Schmidt could be back when rosters expand in September but acknowledged that his long-awaited comeback might be over.

SAN DIEGO -- Hiroki Kuroda sat quietly in front of his locker, his face blank as he looked over scouting reports. Manager Joe Torre didn't know what to make of it. "I can't tell yet," Torre said with a shrug. The San Diego Padres were no better at figuring him out, as the $35-million Japanese import held them to a solitary run over seven innings in his first major league game, a 7-1 victory for the Dodgers on Friday night at Petco Park.

PHOENIX -- The way Hiroki Kuroda remembered the game, one pitch was responsible for the Dodgers' loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday: the first pitch he made to Eric Byrnes with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth. Byrnes singled to left and drove in two runs, giving the Diamondbacks a 4-3 lead that would hold and handing Kuroda his first defeat in the majors. Kuroda gave up four runs (two earned) and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out four.

The Dodgers had the best record in the National League through Wednesday, but Manager Joe Torre said he no longer felt they were the best team in the league. "Not right now, no," Torre said. Entering their series with the Chicago Cubs, the Dodgers were 15-18 since the All-Star break and 7-11 in August. "This game is unlike a lot of games," Torre said. "You play football, you play once a week. You have a bad game, you have a week of practice. This game, you have to go out every day. If you lose, it chips away at your confidence.

Angels: The Detroit Tigers come to town this week, giving Angels fans their first look at what might have been: Miguel Cabrera, the slugger the Tigers acquired from the Florida Marlins. The Tigers shuddered at Cabrera's defense and weight, neither of which was very impressive, and moved him from third base to first base. So, if the Angels had traded for Cabrera, would they have benched first baseman Casey Kotchman, their best hitter to date? Would they have put Cabrera at DH and benched Gary Matthews Jr.?

The Dodgers play three games with the first-place Padres in San Diego starting Monday, a series that could have been a crucial showdown in the National League West for the Dodgers, except for the Dodgers' mediocre play of late. San Diego lost its 10th consecutive game Sunday, yet the Dodgers have gained little ground in that span, a lost opportunity extended again Sunday in large part by the San Francisco Giants' No. 8 hitter, shortstop Juan Uribe, for the second time in two days.

On his way back to the clubhouse Tuesday afternoon when he was done with fielding practice, Hiroki Kuroda heard little girls and grown men call his name. The calls were louder than usual and there were more of them. He stopped. He signed autographs. He seemed content. Kuroda has often said he's worried about what the fans at Dodger Stadium think of him and whether he is living up to the three-year, $35.3-million contract he signed in the winter.

NEW YORK -- Two months of the season are complete and the Dodgers are a game under .500. Rafael Furcal remains on the disabled list because of back problems and the team doesn't know when he can play again. The lineup isn't producing many runs, limited to two or fewer in six of their last nine games. And the back end of their bullpen has cost them two wins in the last four days, including Saturday, when setup man Jonathan Broxton blew a two-run lead in the eighth inning and put the Dodgers on course to drop a 3-2 decision to the New York Mets at Shea Stadium.