Schmidt hopes to be ready by spring

Jason Schmidt, speaking publicly for the first time since he had shoulder surgery in June, said Thursday that he hoped to be ready for the start of spring training.

“It’ll kind of dictate itself,” Schmidt said. “If it’s not [ready by spring training], I can’t see it much longer than that.”

Schmidt, who was 1-4 with a 6.31 earned-run average in six starts before getting his shoulder repaired, was visiting Los Angeles from his Arizona home for a routine checkup with Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

Schmidt said he hasn’t set a target date to start throwing, and that he would be examined after another six weeks of rehabilitation.

“We’ll see how strong I am and start talking about it then,” said Schmidt, who was signed for $47 million in the off-season.

But Schmidt said he has had a full range of motion for some time and trainer Stan Conte said that he was progressing as expected.

“If at the time of the surgery we said where we’d like him to be, this is where he’d be,” Conte said.

Schmidt said it wasn’t easy being sidelined with his team in the midst of a pennant race.

“It’s tough because that’s what you play for, to have these games in September,” he said. “It’s also the motivation to get back.”

The surgery Schmidt underwent was exploratory, similar to the procedure Randy Wolf had last week. But unlike Wolf’s, Schmidt’s revealed far greater damage than expected.

“To wake up and realize what it was, it was definitely a shock,” he said.

But Schmidt said he was also relieved to learn what was troubling him, and said he expected his velocity to return to its normal level. He was rarely in the 90s this season.

“I sure hope so,” he said. “I don’t know what else it could be. I don’t think I got old that quick.”

Maury Wills defended Matt Kemp, who has made several mistakes on the basepaths. It’s a necessary part of his growth, Wills said.

“At least he has the courage to go out there and be aggressive and do things,” said Wills, the greatest base stealer in club history. “We’re just lucky to have a kid like him in baseball. Those are the kinds of kids we used to lose to football and basketball starting about 30 years ago when African American kids started getting interested in those sports.”

Wills, who is a Dodgers instructor and speaks regularly with Kemp, stressed that everyone learns at a different pace.

Wills recalled a story he was told by former Dodgers general manager Al Campanis about Jackie Robinson and his replacement at second base, Jim Gilliam. Robinson had quickly grasped how to turn a double play when learning the position, Campanis told Wills, whereas Gilliam struggled.

Gilliam went on to become a two-time All-Star.

That James Loney learns quicker than Kemp, Wills said, shouldn’t be held against Kemp. Wills also said of Kemp: “He’s kind of sensitive too, and I don’t think criticizing him really does any good.”

Derek Lowe was able to throw, making Manager Grady Little optimistic that the right-hander’s bruised pitching hand will be healed enough for him to make his scheduled start Saturday. Lowe was hurt Tuesday playing catch with Jonathan Broxton and had his scheduled Wednesday start pushed back.

“We’re more than optimistic he’ll be able to go Saturday,” Little said.

During pregame warmups Thursday, Lowe wore a red jersey similar to the ones worn by quarterbacks in football practice so they won’t be hit.

Chad Billingsley and David Wells will start the doubleheader against the Rockies on Tuesday in Colorado, Little said. The Dodgers won’t need to insert an extra pitcher into the rotation because Wells is expected to come back and pitch on three days’ rest in Arizona.

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dylan.hernandez@latimes.com