Brown Gives Team a Scare, but He’s Fine

Dodger right-hander Kevin Brown pitches a lot like Monica Seles hits ground strokes, a loud grunt accompanying every delivery, but the yelp he emitted on a 1-and-1 pitch to Roger Cedeno in the second inning of an exhibition against the New York Mets on Thursday was practically ear-splitting.

Manager Jim Tracy and trainer Stan Johnston jumped off the bench and headed toward Brown, worried that he had hurt his surgically repaired elbow, but it was the Holman Stadium mound, not Brown, that was in need of repair.

Earlier this spring, the mound was too soft. Thursday it was too hard, causing Brown’s plant foot to slide every time it hit the ground. On the pitch to Cedeno, Brown slipped so badly he nearly fell off the mound.

“It’s never good when you have problems landing, when you’re sliding,” Brown said. “It’s hard to be consistent, to be really aggressive. So it was nice to survive today and move on.”

The ground crew watered and raked the mound before the third inning, and that seemed to help Brown, who gave up two runs and five hits, struck out four and walked two in 42/3 innings of a 5-1 loss to the Mets.

Brown threw 91 pitches, 53 for strikes, in his final tune-up before starting Tuesday’s season opener against San Francisco at Dodger Stadium.

He retired the last six batters, the last, Mike Piazza, striking out. Brown’s fastball was consistently clocked at 90-92 mph. He hit 94 twice and 93 a few times, several notches below his usual 96-97 mph, but catcher Chad Kreuter said Brown’s sinker was moving better than ever.

“His movement is king,” Kreuter said. “When he gets that much movement, you don’t care about velocity. I’d rather he throw softer with more movement than throw faster with less control.”

Brown, who earlier this month looked doubtful for opening day, is confident his velocity will return as his strength and stamina improve and as the adrenaline kicks in for regular-season games.

“I threw hard last year with my arm about to fall off, so why wouldn’t I expect [my velocity] to come back?” asked Brown, who underwent surgery to repair a torn muscle last Sept. 27. “I haven’t held my breath, expecting to have problems. I’m really pretty pleased with everything.”

Brown gave up consecutive doubles to John Valentin and Mo Vaughn in the first inning and a solo homer to Jay Payton in the second. Barring any setback, he will start Tuesday’s opener, though he’s not expected to go much beyond 100 pitches.

“With him being the Superman he is, anything is realistic,” pitching coach Jim Colborn said. “He might pitch a nine-inning shutout for all I know.”

The Dodgers completed the Grapefruit League portion of their exhibition schedule with a 9-16-4 record, but Tracy was pleased that his team broke camp in much better shape than last season.

“A year ago, Adrian Beltre was 30 pounds lighter [after two surgeries] and Chris Donnels was our opening-day third baseman, Dave Hansen had two broken fingers, Shawn Green had played only six or seven exhibition games [because of a thumb injury], Brown had an Achilles’ problem, Eric Karros had back problems, and once the season started it got worse,” Tracy said. “So I feel a lot better from a health standpoint.”

Mike DiGiovanna

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Dodger General Manager Dan Evans, in Las Vegas for the Dodgers’ 7-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night, said he is not feeling pressure to make moves as the deadline for setting major league rosters looms.

All teams must have their rosters submitted by Saturday at 9 p.m. PST.

Evans did not specify which players might be involved, but with Dave Roberts having won the center field job, Tom Goodwin could be traded or released and McKay Christensen could be traded or sent to the minor leagues if he clears waivers.

“My guess is between now and the end of the game [against the Cleveland Indians] on Saturday, we’ll make our moves,” Evans said. “We have a few guys left and we’ll figure that out whether they’re contract assignments to the minor leagues, trades, whatever. I have had conversations with probably 20 clubs today and I’ll probably speak to as many teams or more tomorrow and Saturday. That’s just the way everybody is working right now.”

Pitcher Omar Daal, who demanded a trade on Tuesday after he was not included in the rotation, said his feelings have not changed about starting. But he is ready to do whatever the Dodgers ask.

“I feel the same,” he said. “I understand the situation. They need me here. I’m not happy to go [to the bullpen] but if I have to go there I will and every time I cross the lines I’ll go 100%.”

Hideo Nomo gave up four hits in six shutout innings against the Diamondbacks. He struck out five and walked three. Brian Jordan hit a three-run-homer in the third inning.... Phil Hiatt, a candidate for a bench job until he sprained his left ankle Sunday, was optioned to triple-A Las Vegas and will probably open the season on the disabled list.

Gary Klein