Melvin gets serious with lineup vs. Cubs

TUCSON - The Diamondbacks will start the eight players who will likely be their regulars this season against the Chicago Cubs today, a spring first.

The lineup includes Stephen Drew batting second, Orlando Hudson batting third and Chad Tracy batting fifth.

Told it had the look of an opening-day lineup, manager Bob Melvin said, “You never know.”

Hudson, who has hit third twice previously this spring, had career highs in virtually every offensive category last season, when he spent most of the early season hitting seventh and eighth but moved to No. 2 when he picked up in the second half. He had 67 RBIs.

(He is) “a switch-hitter who drove in a lot of runs for us last year,” Melvin said.

“I’m going to take a look at guys in that spot. Obviously, if we have three left-handed guys in our lineup, I don’t want them stacked together.”

Tracy and Drew hit left-handed, and Hudson is a switch-hitter.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Livan Hernandez threw 65 pitches in a simulated game at the D-Backs’ minor league complex Monday morning, in order to avoid facing NL West foe Colorado while also enabling the D-Backs to evaluate Dustin Nippert against a top lineup.

“Obviously I’m not scared of them,” said Hernandez, who is likely to face the Rockies in the second game of the regular season April 3. “You don’t want to face them too many times.”

Catcher Chris Snyder called Hernandez’s outing “bueno.” “He hit his spots well. He just pitched his game.”

Hernandez is scheduled to make his next start against Oakland on Sunday.

BY JORGE

Florida on Monday sent a scout to Hi Corbett Field to watch Jorge Julio, who retired six of the seven batters he faced in two scoreless innings against Colorado regulars. He walked Kaz Matsui.

Florida, which has no proven closer on its roster, again is expected to have the lowest payroll in the major leagues, and it remains to be seen if the Marlins would accept Julio’s $3.6 million salary in 2007.

The D-Backs appear to have an excess of bullpen right-handers, although any trade they make is likely to occur at the end of spring to make sure their inventory does not take a hit via injury.

DaVANON UPDATE

Switch-hitter Jeff DaVanon hit right-handed during live batting practice and hit left-handed in the indoor cage, and it appears less and less likely that he will be ready for the regular season.

“He and I have talked,” Melvin said. “It’s not like a guy who is fighting for the team and is going to have to rush. We don’t want to rush him and have a big setback, where all of a sudden we have a big problem.”

DaVanon underwent ankle and shoulder surgeries late last season, and he has not taken hard turns on the bases during running drills, either.

“Bo Mel is the best communicator I have ever played for,” DaVanon said.

Opening the season on the disabled list “wouldn’t be OK. But there are 162 games. If I’m not ready to help the team …”

Dave Krynzel is the only other left-handed-hitting outfielder on the roster.

SHORT HOPS

Randy Johnson is to play catch again today, but his next batting practice session has not been made public. It will be Wednesday at the earliest, since Tuesday is the D-Backs’ one off day of the spring. “When you have one day off in spring, you give it off,” Melvin said. …

The D-Backs reassigned four of their top minor league prospects — right-hander Matt Elliott, catcher Josh Ford, infielder Mark Reynolds and left-hander Greg Smith — to their minor league camp Monday. “All guys that impressed,” Melvin said. Reynolds, who hit 31 home runs at two minor league levels last season, said: “You have to accept your rung on the totem pole. It was a good learning experience.”

Steve Finley led off for Colorado on Monday. If Finley makes the Rockies, he will complete a sweep of the NL West after having played for San Diego (1995-98), Arizona (1999-2004), Los Angeles (2004) and San Francisco (2006). Right-hander Matt Herges, also in Colorado’s camp, would also be 5-for-5 if he makes the Rockies’ roster. …

Conor Jackson was hit in the left temple by a bad hop during fielding practice and was down for a minute before returning to the drills.