OAKLAND — Nobody can accuse the Los Angeles Dodgers of resting comfortably in first place.
With starting second baseman Howie Kendrick sidelined by a strained hamstring, the Dodgers were about to complete a deal for six-time All-Star Chase Utley on Wednesday even though backup Kike Hernandez is batting .304 for the season and .343 since Kendrick went down.
With their baserunning ranking among the worst in the majors, the Dodgers hired Ron Roenicke to replace Lorenzo Bundy as third-base coach on Monday, a rare mid-August shakeup of the coaching staff for a team that has led the National League West every day but one since the third week of the season.