Garciaparra Is on Road to Rehab

How about a big Fresno welcome for Nomar Garciaparra.

The first baseman will play triple-A games in the Central Valley city today and Friday with the visiting Las Vegas 51s. If all goes well, Garciaparra would make his Dodger debut Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Sidelined since the beginning of the season because of a strained rib cage, he has taken batting and fielding practice three days in a row without pain.

“I’m feeling pretty good,” he said. “I’ve gone through every step of rehab without a problem.”

Garciaparra, primarily a shortstop until this season, took a crash course in playing first base during spring training. He said he doesn’t think he will be rusty despite not playing in the field for three weeks.

“It was a learning process through the spring,” he said. “But I kept my legs in shape. It shouldn’t be much of a shock.”

Going to the minors doesn’t bother Garciaparra. He’s used to it. Last season, he played two minor league games at Mesa, Ariz., two at Peoria, Ill., and four at West Tennessee while rehabilitating from a groin injury. He also had rehab assignments in 2004 and 2001 at Pawtucket, R.I.

“It gets me into game situations,” he said. “I’m excited to go out there.”

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While the Dodgers have listened to proposals from three Arizona cities trying to attract major league teams for spring training, they have not responded to letters or initiated any discussions, spokeswoman Camille Johnston said.

However, the mayor of one of the cities, Jim Cavanaugh of Goodyear, said the Dodgers “indicated they’d be interested. There’s nothing set. They were receptive to talking.”

Johnston said that although the Dodgers received a proposal from Goodyear, no one from the team has spoken to Cavanaugh.

A Dodger official contacted the county administrator in Vero Beach, Fla., two days ago to inform him that the Arizona cities had reached out to the team. The Dodgers have trained at Vero Beach since 1948.

“They called to give me a heads-up,” Indian River County Administrator Joe Baird said to the Vero Beach Press Journal. “But they gave no indications about how serious the talks were or how far along they were.”

Although the Dodgers have not expressed displeasure with their current arrangement, the idea of moving to Arizona intrigues them primarily because the cities of Goodyear, Glendale and Casa Grande are competing for teams and could offer economic incentives as the process moves forward.

Two teams probably would have to move from Florida for Cactus League scheduling purposes. Probable candidates besides the Dodgers include the Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles, both of whom play in antiquated Florida facilities.

Goodyear and Glendale are close to most Cactus League cities, but they aren’t the only options. Casa Grande, 50 miles south of Phoenix, has developed a plan for a $130-million recreation park and 12,000-seat ballpark that could house two major league teams by 2008.