Vero Beach Seeks Team

With the Dodgers exploring whether to move their spring home to Arizona, officials in Florida are preparing to lure other teams to Dodgertown.

Indian River County Administrator Joe Baird said Tuesday he had asked Grapefruit League officials about teams that might be receptive to moving to Vero Beach and said the county is considering whether to hire a recruiter to woo those teams should the Dodgers depart.

“We’re going to be proactive so we’re ready if they do leave,” Baird said.

City and county officials would prefer the Dodgers stay, he said, but would not counter a bid from Arizona. He said the Dodgers have been satisfied with the facilities and have not asked for improvements. In 2001, the city and county agreed to buy Dodgertown from the team and upgrade the complex, and the Dodgers agreed to a 20-year lease.

“We gave it all we had,” Baird said.

Cactus League officials say the Dodgers could double their spring attendance -- and thus increase their revenue -- by moving to Arizona. The Dodgers are believed to be in discussions with the Phoenix suburb of Glendale. The team would have to pay about $15 million to buy out its Vero Beach lease.

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Jayson Werth’s left wrist was put in a cast, and the outfielder had a third cortisone injection to help alleviate inflamed scar tissue in the area where he underwent off-season surgery to repair a torn ligament.

Trainer Stan Johnston said he considered the development a setback in Werth’s already sluggish recovery. Werth will wear the cast for three to four weeks and will require several weeks of rehabilitation once the cast is removed before commencing baseball activities.

Johnston said the inflammation in the scar tissue probably resulted from Werth “trying to do too much” too quickly in his recovery.

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Brad Penny’s back examination revealed only normal wear, Johnston said, but the pitcher is being asked to complete a training program to strengthen the area in his lower back that had bothered him before he pitched pain-free Tuesday.... An MRI exam on Dioner Navarro’s bruised right wrist showed no ligament tears, but the catcher has some inflammation and scar tissue and will have a cortisone injection today....Jason Repko will have the cast removed from his left ankle today but is not expected back for about a month.... Ricky Ledee, recovering from a pulled left groin, is still another week to 10 days from swinging a bat, Manager Grady Little said.