Ishii Hopes to Repeat This Start

Kazuhisa Ishii makes his season debut Friday night against the Colorado Rockies, which could be good for the Dodgers.

Things turned out well for the struggling left-hander the last time he opened against Colorado.

In his major league debut in April 2002, Ishii threw 5 2/3 shutout innings and matched a Los Angeles record with 10 strikeouts in his first start.

Ishii’s current situation is similar to what he experienced before his first outing at Dodger Stadium, as some within the organization are concerned about his command problems in spring training.

“His first year, what we saw during the course of the spring, it wasn’t very good at all,” Manager Jim Tracy said. “We went into the regular season in his first start against the Rockies wondering what it was we were going to get.

“We got a terrific performance because Kazuhisa rises to occasions like that. And as I said in spring training, we’re talking about a guy who has been a winning pitcher. Whether it’s in Japan or here with us, he’s a winner.”

Although Ishii won 14 games as a rookie and nine last season, his command problems prompted the Dodgers to revamp his delivery in spring training.

Ishii was 1-4 with a 10.88 earned-run average, capping the exhibition season by giving up eight earned runs in three innings in a 13-5 loss to the Angels.

Pitching coach Jim Colborn expects Ishii’s performance to improve because the regular season has begun.

“I think the season will bring more intensity, and he’ll have a better plan,” Colborn said. “You’ve got to base it on past performance, and he’s been a pretty good competitor.”

Ishii said he’s feeling good.

“I feel much, much better starting this season compared to last season,” he said through an interpreter. “I feel more confident starting this season. I feel confident my form and my delivery will help me.”

*

Colborn monitored Hideo Nomo in a bullpen session Wednesday, trying to correct mechanical problems in the right-hander’s delivery.

“We’ll wait and see” about the effectiveness of the session, Colborn said. “It might be better. It looked like some pitches had better timing to them.

“The beginning was spotty, and then he began to get more consistent. You don’t know, but it looks like it was more consistent.”

Nomo gave up seven earned runs in Monday’s 8-2 opening-day loss to San Diego. The club is concerned about Nomo’s decreased velocity from last season, and Colborn said the Dodgers might have “underestimated” how long it would take for Nomo to recover from off-season shoulder surgery.

*

Tracy said that converted right fielder Shawn Green, an everyday first baseman for the first time, could eventually become as good defensively as John Olerud, a three-time Gold Glove Award winner.

“I think he’s capable of that if you give him enough time,” Tracy said. “Very definitely.”