LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers left fielder Manny Ramirez was kept out of the starting
lineup on Sunday for the final game of a three-game series against the Marlins.

Juan Pierre started in left field in place of Ramirez, who, according to manager
Joe Torre, was still feeling the effects of getting hit in his left hand by a
pitch on Tuesday.

Ramirez was taken to Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, Calif., for precautionary
X-rays that evening, but the X-rays were negative.

"His hand is sore, and I just decided that I'd rather have him pinch-hit and
stay in than have to take him out later," Torre said.

Torre said that the lack of down time between Saturday's late ending and the
early start on Sunday made it more difficult for Ramirez to recover in time to
feel comfortable playing.

"It's not aching him to the point where he can't play, but I just decided I'd
rather have him on the back end."

Ramirez is 2-for-9 in his at-bats since the plunking, highlighted by his
memorable pinch-hit grand slam on Wednesday.

"I think you can rip it and grip it for a time or two," Ramirez said. "But over
the course of catching the ball in the outfield ... it's going to ache on you."

Source: David Ely / MLB.com