Repko Making Himself Noticed

Is Jason Repko this year’s Jason Romano, or someone worth keeping?

The Dodgers are trying to find out by giving a long look to the fleet outfielder who was a supplemental first-round draft pick in 1999. Repko, 24, has more at-bats (10) than any other Dodger and as many hits (four) after five Grapefruit League games.

Last spring, Romano batted .379 and led the team with five home runs and 14 runs batted in. With his value at its peak, he was traded two days before the regular season to Tampa Bay for highly regarded infielder Antonio Perez, who went on to 22 home runs in triple A and is expected to make the Dodger opening-day roster this season.

Romano was waived by the Devil Rays after four games. He signed with the Cincinnati Reds and was sent to the minors after batting .154 in 22 games.

Repko, who has played all three outfield positions, was added to the 40-man roster in November after making the Arizona Fall League all-prospect team. He split last season between double-A Jacksonville and triple-A Las Vegas, batting .303 with 37 doubles and 13 home runs.

“He’s a big-time blue-collar guy who has come up through our farm system,” Manager Jim Tracy said. “He plays hard and you’ve got to take note of that.”

The fifth outfield spot behind Milton Bradley, J.D. Drew, Jayson Werth and Ricky Ledee is expected to go to Jason Grabowski, who could also fill the role of third catcher.

However, none of the outfield regulars has played more than 145 games in a season. An opportunity for a promising young outfielder could arise.

Repko’s competition could come from Cody Ross, a player with a similar hard-nosed style who was obtained in a trade last April, and power hitter Chin-Feng Chen, who has hit 72 home runs for Las Vegas the last three seasons.

Chen, who hit a two-run home run in the Dodgers’ 4-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday at Holman Stadium, has improved enough defensively to merit consideration.

“He’s a guy who keeps getting better,” Tracy said. “The thing that is striking is his improvement with the glove. He deserves a lot of credit, he really does.”

Nonroster outfielders Henri Stanley, Tydus Meadows and Jon Weber also are vying for Tracy’s attention.

“A lot of us have realized there could be an opportunity at some point,” Repko said. “You can’t control it. You just play hard and see how it pans out.”

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Scott Erickson sparkled in three innings against the Orioles, facing 10 batters, allowing no hits or walks and getting seven ground balls. The only baserunner came on a rare error by shortstop Cesar Izturis.

Erickson, who is trying to win a spot in the starting rotation, has thrown five scoreless innings this spring. He said there is still room for improvement.

“I’m trying to keep the ball down, that’s it,” he said. “I’ll give my sinker an OK rating.”

Tracy was more impressed.

“Scotty is getting a legitimate chance to make the club,” he said. “You saw yards of improvement today. It grabs your attention.”

The uncertainty surrounding right-hander Brad Penny, who is slowly rounding into game condition after suffering a biceps nerve injury last season, makes it important for the Dodgers to find as many potential starters as possible.

“If the man isn’t ready to open the season,” Tracy said, “you need two” starters in addition to Jeff Weaver, Derek Lowe and Odalis Perez. Kazuhisa Ishii, Edwin Jackson and Buddy Carlyle, who has allowed one run in five innings this spring, are the leading candidates besides Erickson.

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A low-flying military jet produced a din over Dodgertown, but the crowd gathered around pitcher Ryan Ketchner did not hear it. Ketchner is deaf and his audience of about two dozen was from the nearby St. Lucie Deaf Education Center.

Ketchner, an All-Star at double-A Jacksonville last season, is trying to become the first deaf pitcher in the major leagues since 1908. He has invited deaf children to games at every stop during his five-year minor league career.

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Pitchers Elmer Dessens and Mike Venafro will make their first spring appearances in the second game of a split-squad doubleheader today in Jupiter. The Dodgers will play the St. Louis Cardinals at 10 a.m. and the Florida Marlins at 7 p.m. The Cardinals and Marlins share Roger Dean Stadium. ... Second baseman Willy Aybar was two for two against the Orioles and is four for five this spring. ... Minor league pitchers and catchers reported to Dodgertown on Sunday, will take physicals today and begin workouts Tuesday.