Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton has had some shaky moments late in the season the last two years, going 1-3 with a 5.11 earned-run average last August and compiling a 6.75 ERA in September 2007.
Broxton has embarked on a new biking regimen this year to improve his conditioning, but he said he is also careful not to overdo it.
"You don't want to kill yourself doing extra stuff," he said. "You want to be strong enough to go out there every day."
Broxton appears to have recovered from the irritated nerve in the big toe of his right foot that kept him out of the All-Star game; six of his previous seven outings had been scoreless before the Dodgers played the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night.
Comeback on hold
Doug Mientkiewicz arrived at Dodger Stadium early for throwing drills and it wasn't pretty. He fielded balls near first base and made what appeared to be labored throws home.
"He's pretty depressed today," said Manager Joe Torre, adding that the first baseman, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, probably wouldn't return before September.
"Offensively, he'll be ready before that, but figuring a way to get from 13 to 12 pitchers in order for that to be possible, that's another question mark. . . . For a guy to be just a pinch-hitter with four guys on the bench is tough, unless they can play a position."
Short hops
Reliever Ronald Belisario will be arraigned at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 27 at the Pasadena courthouse on charges stemming from his June 27 arrest on suspicion of drunk driving. . . . Brad Ausmus started at catcher in place of Russell Martin because the Dodgers didn't return from Atlanta until shortly before 3 a.m.. Torre said Martin would catch every other game this week until Sunday. . . . Torre said the cramp in pitcher Chad Billingsley's right thigh that limited him to five innings Sunday was caused by dehydration. . . . In a bizarre turn of events, the Dodgers promoted a man outfitted in a rubber green suit nicknamed "The Creature" on the video board between innings, then had security personnel force him to remove his costume. Rawitch said spectators are not allowed to wear anything that conceals their faces. The man was escorted from his seat by security guards, drawing boos from spectators, but Rawitch said the man was allowed to stay at the game.
