Dodgers notes: Yasiel Puig, Nick Punto, NLDS roster, players coaching final game

LOS ANGELES -- On a relatively uneventful day at Dodger Stadium as the Dodgers prepare to host the Rockies for their penultimate regular season game, the main news to report is that Yasiel Puig is healthy.

Puig is out of the lineup after hitting two foul balls off of his left shin on Friday night, but he was able to fully participate in a rare full squad workout before the Dodgers took batting practice on Saturday. Puig is expected to start Sunday's regular season finale.

Hanley Ramirez, who is starting Saturday night, will not start on Sunday. He has yet to start consecutive days since Sept. 11-12.

Nick Punto, a late scratch from Friday's starting lineup with an ingrown toenail on his right foot, won't start this weekend though he might pinch hit.

Chris Capuano, who pitched Friday night for the first time in 21 days, is expected to pitch another inning in relief on Sunday.

Most of the pregame talk on Saturday centered on the Dodgers' potential roster for the National League Division Series, which begins on Thursday in either St. Louis or Atlanta. The Cardinals beat the Cubs 6-2 on Saturday, ensuring that the Dodgers won't know their NLDS opponent until Sunday at the earliest.

Manager Don Mattingly said he has a good idea what his roster will be for the NLDS, though he didn't reveal much except that the Dodgers will likely take a player or two on their flight Tuesday who might not make the final roster, which is due Thursday morning.

Mattingly and the coaching staff have talked with and will meet with general manager Ned Colletti and his staff over the next few days to finalize the roster.

"When you get 12-15 guys in a room who have been around the game a while, you'll have all kinds of different scenarios that pop up. It's good to throw it around," Mattingly said. "We have a pretty good feel. There are definitely
discussions still going on about which way to go in certain scenarios."

Asked if he had veto power in setting the roster Mattingly just laughed and said, "I doubt it."

If Mattingly is planning to use Sunday's finale to let some veteran players coach, as Joe Torre used to do, he is fairly secretive about it. I asked him about it after Friday's game, and did so again before Saturday's game.

"Since you said that last night, I already forgot it. I probably should think about it, I guess," Mattingly quipped.

That response drew laughter, but not as loud as when Puig was suggested to manage by Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times. Perfect.

Comedian Jim Norton was on the field before the game shooting several bits with Dodgers players for The Tonight Show for NBC. There was a particularly funny one involving Dee Gordon and Juan Uribe. I'm not sure when it will air.

Game info

Time: 6:10 p.m.

TV: Prime Ticket

MLB Gameday