Karros Will Do His Best

Dodger first baseman Eric Karros, rehabilitating from shoulder surgery, said Wednesday he would be “ready to go” next spring.

“I’m preparing myself for February,” said Karros, in his first public comments since having scar tissue removed from his left shoulder Oct. 4. “I’ll be ready.”

But even if Karros returns on schedule, he might be out of time as the club’s everyday first baseman after batting .271 with a career-low 13 home runs and 73 runs batted in last season. The Dodgers are considering acquiring “someone to share time with” Karros, General Manager Dan Evans said in strong comments about the right-handed batter’s subpar production in 2002.

“I can’t control what Dan Evans says, and I haven’t spoken to Dan since the last day of the season,” said Karros, who handed out new duffel bags and backpacks at a Los Angeles home for foster children Wednesday. “His job is to put the best team out there that he can. How he goes about it, and the manner in which he does it, is irrelevant.

“The organization is going to do everything it needs to do to put a team out there that can win. If [first base is] a situation they feel they need to address ... again, that’s out of my control. The only thing I can do is go out and play and do the best I can. Basically, I make their decisions for them: if they don’t feel that I’m doing the job, then they’re going to go out and [get someone else]. If I am doing the job, then I’m sure I’ll play.”

-- Jason Reid