Beltre Is Back With the Team

Adrian Beltre returned to Dodger Stadium on Friday upbeat and eager to work after “the worst time of my life.”

Two appendectomies, an infection that caused him to lose 30 pounds (he has regained 20) and a liquid diet ruined the third baseman’s last four months.

But Beltre, who completed a minor-league rehabilitation assignment Thursday, is focused on the future and the Dodgers are optimistic too.

“I never thought I would be back so soon,” said Beltre, expected to be activated from the disabled list today. “I thought it was going to take longer than this because I was in a lot of pain and skinny. I was just out of it.

“I hope [to revert to form] sooner than later, but I couldn’t really tell you how I’m going to perform [today], or the first couple of weeks, because I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Manager Jim Tracy will be patient.

“Let’s face it: Adrian Beltre in our lineup makes our team better, it’s that simple,” Tracy said. “He adds to the punch of our offense, brings stability to our lineup and protects guys in our lineup.

“But it goes right along with what we’ve been preaching here from Day 1, and that is we’re not asking Adrian Beltre to shoulder any more burden than just being our third baseman and contributing in whatever way he can. We’re not asking any player on this club to pick this team up by themselves and carry us. We’re just not going to do that.”

Of course, Beltre has expectations.

He batted .290--.331 after the All-Star break--with 30 doubles, 20 home runs and 85 runs batted in last season.

“I hit the ball pretty good [while rehabilitating],” said Beltre, who batted .500 (seven for 14) with two doubles, a homer and three RBIs in five games for triple-A Las Vegas and class-A Vero Beach.

“I never thought I would start hitting the ball that good. I feel like how I was hitting the ball last year. The hardest thing will be to get my power back, and I don’t know about defense.”

*

In a move that disappointed the Dodgers, the San Diego Padres claimed rookie left-hander Jose Nunez, 22, off waivers.

The Dodgers had hoped the Rule 5 pitcher, designated for assignment Tuesday, would clear waivers in an attempt to option him to the minor leagues.

The Padres must keep Nunez on the 25-man roster the entire season or offer him back to the New York Mets, who originally held his rights, for $25,000 if he were to clear waivers.

“I’m not surprised by it because we knew we had something special with this guy,” Tracy said of Nunez, 0-1 with a 13.50 earned-run average in six appearances. “Obviously, from what has taken place, there were other people in baseball who knew we had something special too.

“It’s unfortunate that we weren’t able to keep him and work out a deal with the Mets. That’s the chance that you take [in the Rule 5 draft].”

*

Right-hander Andy Ashby (right elbow strain) hopes to resume his throwing program this weekend.

“That’s what I’m hoping,” said Ashby, 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in two starts. “[Team medical personnel] want to shut me down for a whole week, but I’ve only thrown once in nine days.

“Maybe on Mother’s Day they’ll be a little lenient. I’ll tell ‘em my mom wants to play catch.”

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ KEVIN BROWN

(5-1, 1.31 ERA)

vs.

BRAVES’ JASON MARQUIS

(0-0, 3.09 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7

TV--Channel 5.

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

Update--Brown has 40 strikeouts in 41 1/3 innings and has limited opponents to a .188 batting average while earning victories in his last five starts. The right-hander is 4-3 with a 2.09 ERA in his career against the Braves. Marquis, making his first career start, is in the rotation because Kevin Millwood is on the disabled list.

Tickets--(323) 224-1HIT