Guerrero a Work in Progress

A man who has been doing the same thing for 44 years is entitled to make a few assumptions.

Joe Amalfitano has been in professional baseball since 1954. So the Dodgers’ third-base coach assumed that Wilton Guerrero, on at second base with a man on third, nobody out and the Florida Marlins leading, 2-0, in the third inning Thursday night, would know enough to stay put on a ground ball to shortstop.

Guess again.

Guerrero took off with the pitch and was tagged out by shortstop Edgar Renteria.

“I take for granted that there are things they know,� Amalfitano said. “OK, so that is a mistake. From now on, I am not going to assume anything.

“But I have to believe that sometime since he has been in this country, Guerrero has been involved in that exact situation before and was told what to do.�

Amalfitano wasn’t specifically pointing a finger at Guerrero. He bemoans what he generally sees as a shocking lack of fundamental knowledge of the game by some young players.

“Every time you expand,� Amalfitano said, “it gets watered down some.�

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Add Guerrero: The native of the Dominican Republic certainly has had troubles this year. Promoted as yet another Dodger rookie-of-the-year candidate, Guerrero has suffered through an eight-day suspension for corking his bat, struggled to learn how to play second base after spending much of his career at shortstop, and blundered into several embarrassing baserunning episodes.

But every time the Dodgers might be tempted to give up on Guerrero, his natural talent comes through.

Despite all his problems and his new role as a reserve behind Tripp Cromer when Greg Gagne plays shortstop, Guerrero is still hitting .294.

For all his problems at second base, he can reach down and come up with a brilliant play as he did Friday night on a ball hit behind second, back-handing it to nail the runner at first.

And for all his problems running the bases, he can still atone for those mistakes with his speed as he did in the Dodgers’ first game against the Angels last month.

After freezing at the plate and blowing an opportunity to move into scoring position as the tying run, Guerrero subsequently scored from second on a wild pitch.

“He has made some progress,� Amalfitano said of Guerrero. “Maybe not as much as you would like, but, if you look back at where he was a year ago, yeah, he’s made progress.�

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

TODAY’S GAME

DODGERS’ PEDRO ASTACIO (5-7, 4.33 ERA) vs. BRAVES’ KEVIN MILLWOOD (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

Turner Field, Atlanta, 1 p.m.

TV--Ch. 11. Radio--KABC (790), KWKW (1330).

* Update--Pedro Astacio has been struggling much of the season. With the return of Tom Candiotti to the starting rotation, the anticipated return of Ismael Valdes from the disabled list and the eventual return of Ramon Martinez when his torn rotator cuff heals, Astacio must now struggle to keep his place in the rotation. He cannot afford many more dismal performances. Astacio, who earlier in the season went through a seven-game losing streak, lasted only 3 2/3 innings against the Rockies in his last appearance. Kevin Millwood will be making his first major-league start. He made his first appearance in the big leagues Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies, getting the victory in a 10-6 game in which he pitched only two innings. Millwood gave up one hit, struck out two and walked one. With pitchers John Smoltz and Tom Glavine to follow for Atlanta in this four-game series, the Dodgers know their best chance for a victory will come against the untested Millwood.