Lima Feeling Content With Past and Future

Wouldn’t you like the chance to say yes to half a million dollars, no strings attached?

Jose Lima said no. He rejected $500,000 in guaranteed money from the Kansas City Royals -- on principle, he said. He is guaranteed nothing from the Dodgers. He says he regrets nothing, even should he find himself out of work next month.

“I’m not going to starve to death,” he said.

The Royals rescued Lima from the Newark Bears last summer, the same last-chance independent team from which the Dodgers plucked Rickey Henderson. Lima went 8-3 for the Royals, his first winning record in the major leagues since winning 21 for the Houston Astros in 1999, his lone All-Star season and the one that got him a three-year contract for $18.5 million.

The Royals hedged their bets as to whether Lima had recovered top form, offering him $500,000 to return.

“That’s what minor league guys make,” he said. “For the job I did, I deserve something better.”

The Dodgers signed him for $900,000 in salary and another $600,000 in incentives, he said, but he needs to win a major league roster spot to collect. They don’t have one at the moment. But the better he pitches, the more comfortable the Dodgers might be trading Odalis Perez or Kazuhisa Ishii for a hitter, the more options they might have available in case of injury to another pitcher.

Lima, 31, threw four shutout innings in the Dodgers’ 7-6 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday. In eight innings this spring, he has given up one run and four hits.

“The magic is still there,” he said.

“If he’s going to pitch his way onto the team, he’s off to a real good start,” Manager Jim Tracy said.

Lima’s contract provides him with an escape clause if he is not on the major league roster May 1, but he appeared ambivalent about reporting to triple-A Las Vegas in April if he does not make the Dodgers out of spring training.

“I don’t see myself going,” he said. “I don’t belong there.”

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If the Dodgers do not acquire a hitter by then, Tracy said he will decide whether Shawn Green will play first base or right field in two weeks, providing about 10 days’ notice before the start of the season. Tracy ruled out alternating Green between the positions during the season. “Out of the question,” Tracy said. “You don’t do that to a guy of his caliber.” ... Pitchers Wilson Alvarez (shoulder tightness) and Guillermo Mota (sore triceps) were scratched Wednesday, but Tracy said no tests were ordered and expected both to pitch within a few days. ... Rick White gave up all seven runs, blowing a 6-0 Dodger lead. ... The Dodgers also played a night game, a 4-3 victory over the Florida Marlins in which reliever Tom Martin (sore knee) made his delayed spring debut. ... The Dodgers cut pitchers Troy Brohawn, Rodney Myers and Bill Simas and optioned pitcher Hong-Chi Kuo to Class-A Vero Beach.