Prokopec to Begin Season in Triple A

Luke Prokopec had no illusions about making the Dodgers’ opening day roster as the team’s fifth starter, but the rookie right-hander wasn’t exactly looking forward to starting the year in the minor leagues.

Prokopec was one of five pitchers, along with Onan Masaoka, Doug Linton, Todd Rizzo and Matt Whisenant, to be removed from the Dodgers’ major league roster Wednesday before a 6-0 loss to the New York Mets at Thomas J. White Stadium. Prokopec and Masaoka were optioned to triple-A Las Vegas and Linton, Rizzo and Whisenant, who were in camp as nonroster invitees, were assigned to Las Vegas, reducing the Dodger roster to 45 players.

Prokopec’s option seems to solidify Ramon Martinez’s claim to the No. 5 spot in the Dodger rotation with a pseudo competition for the coveted spot between Eric Gagne, who also figures to begin the year in Las Vegas, and Carlos Perez, who probably will have an extended spring training after undergoing shoulder surgery in September.

“It was to be expected, no worries,” said Prokopec, who was 0-1 with a 4.50 earned-run average in 10 innings over five appearances this spring. “It’s a chance to really get some more work in and I just want to get there and get some hard work in. It’s triple A, which is one step above double A, where I started last year, so that’s progress.”

Prokopec, 23, was about to go home and pitch for his native Australia in last year’s Sydney Olympics when he was called up from double-A San Antonio on Sept. 1. He went 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in five games, including three starts.

“He’ll be getting the ball every fifth day [at Las Vegas],” Dodger Manager Jim Tracy said of Prokopec, “and learning to work on and use his curveball, to use that on a regular basis.”

Prokopec, the Dodger minor league pitcher of the year in 1998, began his career as an outfielder before making the switch midway through his first season in 1997.

“I’m not necessarily at the point where I can dominate with just my fastball and changeup, but I’ve gotten pretty good at it,” he said. “And now if I can get that curveball under control and have a good feel for it, I can go into a game with three pitches.

“Now it’s just a matter of getting my work in and getting that curve down and waiting for that call [from the big league club] to come in at 1:30 in the morning.”

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Shawn Green, sidelined since March 2 because of a sprained right thumb suffered while sliding, faced live pitching Wednesday in games against Met minor leaguers and went four for 13.

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Dodger team physician Michael Mellman said Wednesday night that he expects third baseman Adrian Beltre, recovering from surgery to close a hole in his colon, to return to the team in May.

“If [his recovery] goes extremely well,” Mellman said. “May’s a long month, but April’s out of the question.”