Arguably the team MVP, with no legitimate backup in the organization outside of a major position shift, Rafael Furcal now has Dodger fans holding their breath.

One batter into the game, Baltimore's Corey Patterson hit a high pop to shallow center. Furcal went out, Repko came in. Repko made a diving catch, and Furcal jumped over him to avoid a collision. It was when Furcal came down from that short jump that he landed on his left ankle and remained on the ground for several minutes before trainer Stan Conte finally drove him off the field on a cart, with assistant trainer Todd Tomczyk holding Furcal's ankle motionless in the flat bed of the cart. This looks bad right now. Really bad. More when I know more.

- Tony Jackson of the Daily News

Updates: Thoughts and news as they come ...

1) This is like the softball game on Seinfeld with Jason Repko in the part of George and Wilson Valdez in the part of Bette Midler's understudy.

2) Roch Kubatko of the Baltimore Sun - I assume tongue-in-cheek:

Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal had to be carted off the field after colliding with center fielder Jason Repko while running down Corey Patterson's pop up. It doesn't look good.

So let's start those Miguel Tejada for Brett Tomko rumors.

3) Ken Gurnick's description at MLB.com:

Furcal was racing into shallow center field and Repko was charging for Corey Patterson's blooper when Repko slid and appeared to pin Furcal's left foot on the ground as they made contact. Furcal grabbed his left leg and rolled in pain until teammates and trainers attended to him.

4) Tony Jackson update:

The preliminary diagnosis on Furcal is a left ankle sprain, but he has been taken to a local hospital for X-rays, so we probably won't know anything definitive for a couple of hours. Stay tuned. Orioles lead 2-0 after 2, Tomko gave up a home run to Nick Markakis and an RBI double to Brandon Fahey. Doesn't ANYBODY want this fifth starter spot?

5) Jason Repko, just returned to the lineup, had to leave the game. Steve Henson of the Times reports that Repko "left the game after injuring his left hand diving for a ground-rule double by Ramon Hernandez." Others are saying groin or hamstring.

6) Note this at the bottom of Henson's story: "Tony Abreu, who should be the second baseman at triple-A Las Vegas, has made a quick recovery from a bruised left shoulder and is ready to play."

7) Diamond Leung at the Press-Enterprise:

Jason Repko, who was involved in the play with Furcal, has now left the game after diving for a ball on the warning track. He suffered what looked like a gash on his left forearm. ...

UPDATE: Repko has more than just a gash. Even worse for him, he pulled his left hamstring and was on crutches afterward. He will have an MRI on it tomorrow.

8) Meanwhile, Brett Tomko has gotten hammered: six runs in four innings. Joe Mays is trying to pull a George Mason, starting with a shutout fifth inning.

9) Mays gives up two in the sixth - so much for that.

10) As of 12 noon today on the West Coast, the Dodgers have been outscored 41-3 this week.

11) Jackie Robinson's Brooklyn home from 1947 to 1950, at 5224 Tilden Avenue, has been recommended for landmark status by the Four Borough Neighborhood Preservation Alliance, writes Helen Klein of Courier-Life Publications.

12) On KFWB, A Martinez said the Dodgers expect Furcal back within a week, but are proceeding on the notion that Repko will be out past Opening Day. If that were true, crisis averted - in fact, maybe the roster would include both Larry Bigbie and James Loney.

13) Jackson interpreted the postgame chit-chat more pessimistically:

It doesn't appear Rafael Furcal (moderate left ankle sprain) or Jason Repko (high left hamstring strain) will be ready for opening day, although trainer Stan Conte stopped short of saying that when it came to Furcal. "It will be longer than a week," Conte said. "Right now, this is 100-percent medical. With respect to figuring out when he'll be able to play, that is kind of the least of our concerns at this point." The Dodgers break camp in a week. Do the math, and it doesn't look good for Furcal leading off at Milwaukee on April 2. As for Repko, Conte said, "It will probably be measured in weeks."

Henson updated that Furcal "was taken to a hospital for X-rays, which showed no break or ligament damage. He will be re-evaluated in a day or two after the swelling has subsided."

Leung:

After speaking with trainer Stan Conte, the news is not particularly good for Repko, who has a high hamstring strain that is expected to keep him out for weeks. He'll open the season on the DL and give way to either James Loney or Larry Bigbie.

Furcal, meanwhile, has a moderate ankle sprain that Conte said will still keep him out for at least a week. If he can't make it for opening day, Wilson Valdez is probably the odd man in.

14) The Associated Press (Thanks, new or newish commenter Don Tordilla)

"I was relieved with the results. I had a similar injury in 2002 with the Braves in spring training," Furcal said. "I may be out four or five days. I could play if it's 80 percent. You don't always play at 100 percent -- sometimes you play hurt."

As long as you don't aggravate it, Rafael.

Repko: "I was on a dead sprint. My right foot planted in the grass and left foot hit the soft dirt," he said. "I didn't really dive, it just gave out."

15) Fun interview with Boston pitcher/blogger Curt Schilling from Alex Belth at SI.com.

16) Oh, for crying out loud ...

Hong-Chih Kuo not only pitched Wednesday night like he's hurt, he is hurt.

Kuo said he also didn't feel right in his previous start five days earlier against Boston, when he allowed three home runs in a game that was rained out after 2 1/3 innings. ... He did not participate in Thursday morning stretching and did not play catch with the other pitchers, instead spending the pregame taking treatment.

- Gurnick

17) It's not just the Dodgers. Chone Figgins of the Angels fractured a finger.