Brown Encouraged by Progress

Kevin Brown was upbeat Tuesday after the first bullpen session of his throwing program, but the Dodger starter said he does not know when he will be activated.

The right-hander has been on the 15-day disabled list since June 4, retroactive to May 30, because of an irritated nerve in his neck that caused pain in his pitching forearm and hand.

But Brown said he felt good after throwing an assortment of pitches off a mound, adding he is finally optimistic about his recovery.

“I’ve made significant progress, and it hasn’t gone backward since I started throwing, which is real encouraging,” said Brown, 6-3 with a 2.60 earned-run average in 10 starts.

“At least I have some direction that’s positive now. For so long, we didn’t know what the situation was, had no idea when it was going to get better or what it was going to take for it to get better.

“I feel a lot better now, knowing that I don’t have to have surgery on my neck, knowing that it’s getting better--even that I’m throwing.”

Brown recently underwent another test to rule out neck surgery. He played catch Saturday and Sunday, making him more eager to return to the mound.

“To get on the mound and get a ball in my hand. . . . I was like a kid in the candy store,” Brown said. “It went good. It felt better [Tuesday] than it did [Saturday or Sunday].”

However, Brown and the Dodgers are still proceeding cautiously.

“The neck is not the issue, the forearm is the issue,” Brown said. “The neck killed me the first day or so, then it felt better, but I had the lingering effects [in the forearm and hand].

“I don’t think it does any good to try to speculate on when I can [come off the disabled list]. I really have to play it by ear.”

Chan Ho Park is keeping the pressure on opponents--and the Dodgers.

Park, who can become a free agent after the season, is 8-4 with a 2.73 ERA and is among the league leaders in most categories.

He has 11 consecutive quality starts, providing stability to a rotation missing Brown and Andy Ashby, sidelined for the season after having elbow surgery.

Chairman Bob Daly and agent Scott Boras said they will wait until after the season to discuss Park’s situation.

“We don’t want to do anything to distract Chan Ho,” Boras said. “We want him to keep his focus on the field.”

Boras used the same approach in negotiating Darren Dreifort’s five-year, $55-million deal.

But Boras also believed it was in Dreifort’s best interests to remain with the Dodgers.

And Park?

“Chan Ho would be successful pitching anywhere,” Boras said. “Look at what he’s done against the Angels, and I think they’re an American League team.”

In two starts against the Angels this season, Park is 1-0 and has given up three runs in 14 1/3 innings with 15 strikeouts.

Jeff Reboulet started at shortstop Tuesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks despite a strained left hamstring.

Dodger Manager Jim Tracy did not want left-handed batting shortstop Alex Cora to face Arizona left-hander Randy Johnson.

“I don’t know how fair it is to send Alex Cora out to battle against Randy Johnson,” Tracy said. “He would do it, but to do that is counterproductive to the development of a young player.”

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

CHAN HO PARK

(8-4, 2.73 ERA)

vs.

DIAMONDBACKS’

MIGUEL BATISTA

(4-3, 3.15 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7

TV--Fox Sports Net 2

Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330)

Update--Park is 4-0 with a 1.96 ERA in his last five starts. Batista has given up four earned runs in his last 24 innings.

Tickets--(323) 224-1448.