Ishii Works on Own Timetable

Left-hander Kazuhisa Ishii struggled last spring after coming from Japan, so the Dodgers are letting him work at his own pace.

Ishii wasn’t among the first group to throw batting practice and he may not this spring. The 14-game winner prefers imagining game scenarios during bullpen sessions, working on pitch sequence and location. He threw a simulated game last spring and the Dodgers are considering taking that path again.

“My philosophy is that whenever you practice, it has to be similar to game situations,” Ishii said through an interpreter Tuesday. “Maybe if coach [Jim] Colborn advises me to throw one batting practice I will.”

No chance of that after Ishii’s control problems last season, Colborn said.

“The truth is, those people are used to being told what to do,” he said. “In a sense, maybe that was leading him into a trap [last season] because it was usually after he needed something that he realized he should ask for it.

“It was him trying to fit into our way [of doing things] and me trying to allow him to do it his way. As a result it was a feeling-out process.”

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Starter Andy Ashby (lower back stiffness) said he experienced only slight pain and hopes to rejoin full workouts today.

“I wanted to get back out there [Tuesday], but they wouldn’t let me,” he said. “I’ve only missed a couple of days of throwing, so it’s not that bad.”

Ashby said he plans to avoid the pitching machine that caused him to further wrench his back and suffer a bruised right leg while unsuccessfully trying to avoid a ball from the machine.

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Second baseman Quilvio Veras and pitchers Yorkis Perez and Jose Diaz, who had visa problems in the Dominican Republic, are expected in camp today, General Manager Dan Evans said.... Manager Jim Tracy focused on the unselfish play of right fielder Shawn Green and left fielder Brian Jordan in a rousing speech before the first workout, players said.... Pitchers threw about 30 pitches in batting practice.