Spring Training / Dodgers : Valenzuela Takes His First Turn on Mound

Fernando Valenzuela, who follows a different schedule than other Dodger pitchers, made his debut as a batting-practice pitcher here Thursday.

Valenzuela, coming off his first 20-win season, threw 10 minutes of easy batting practice and reported no problems. He was the last Dodger starter in camp to throw to hitters. He had thrown only four times previously this spring.

“He threw nothing but strikes,” said bullpen coach Mark Cresse, who caught Valenzuela. “Fernando’s on his own pace. He knows he’s got to throw almost 300 innings during the season, so he’s not going to rush it.”

Dodger Notes The Dodgers and reliever Ken Howell have made no progress in their contract dispute. The Dodgers want to cut Howell’s salary $20,000, from $175,000 to $155,000, since he had a 6-12 record last season. If there is no agreement by Monday, the Dodgers can unilaterally renew Howell’s contract for as low as $140,000. Al Campanis, Dodger vice president, said the club would not negotiate much past this weekend. Howell said that he will not play in either Saturday’s or Sunday’s intrasquad games. . . Second baseman Steve Sax walked into the press room at Dodgertown late Thursday afternoon and asked if the rumor was true: Was he being traded to Oakland? No one knows how the story began, but Manager Tom Lasorda laughed at it, and Campanis simply denied it. . . . Mike Marshall missed Thursday’s workout with a virus. He called in Thursday morning and said he had a 102-degree fever. . . . The Dodgers have signed former major league pitcher Jaime Cocanower, 30, to a Triple-A contract. Cocanower, a right-hander, was 0-1 with a 4.43 earned-run average in 17 games last season with the Milwaukee Brewers.