Schmidt shows he’s still got the right stuff

From the disabled list and doubt and San Bernardino he came, seven weeks in the wilderness ending in a slow walk to a pitching mound.

Goodness, we barely recognized him.

Jason Schmidt emerged out of a tangled web of sore shoulder and sinking velocity Tuesday looking nothing like the guy who struggled in April and stewed in May.

His fastball popped. His change-up fooled. His stamina held.

Jason Schmidt looked like, um, er, well, Jason Schmidt.

Long time, no see. Long time, no runs. Long time, no doubt.

The Dodgers lost a game but rediscovered a centerpiece during a 1-0 defeat to the San Diego Padres.

Afterward, General Manager Ned Colletti simply shook his head.

“The guy can pitch,” he said.

He’s been saying that since signing Schmidt to a $47-million contract last winter.

Finally, for the first time, we saw it.

His first start since going on the disabled list in mid-April looked like all those previous seasons’ starts that convinced the Dodgers to bring him here.

The Dodgers hoped Schmidt would give them 90 decent pitches.

He gave them 86 often brilliant pitches, altering speeds and locations and entire Padres swings.

“I thought his command of his off-speed pitches was outstanding, considering it was his first game back,” said Manager Grady Little. “Usually, that’s the last thing a pitcher regains.”

The Dodgers hoped Schmidt would leave the game with sound health.

He left amid the sounds of pop and swoosh, using 90-mph fastballs and 83-mph change-ups to hold the Padres to only one infield hit in six innings.

“I was throwing more free and easy. I didn’t have to put as much effort into it as I did before.... I don’t feel as restricted out there,” Schmidt said.

The Dodgers fell out of first place for the first time in more than a month.

But if Schmidt keeps pitching this way, the remaining 104 games should be ample time to fix that.

After watching in luxury box, Colletti could barely contain his grin.

“I loved his velocity and his command,” Colletti said.

After watching from the dugout, Manager Grady Little had the same smile.

“I was pleased with everything about his game,” Little said.

After showering, the wry-as-usual Schmidt was asked whether his start could have been better.

“I suppose a nine-inning shutout and no-hitter would have been better,” Schmidt said.

Over in the Padres clubhouse, this was not the same team that had racked him for five earned runs in two innings in his last start before going on the disabled list.

This team was not only confused but impressed.

“Obviously, the velocity was up from the first time we saw him in April,” Padres Manager Bud Black said. “His ball had life in the hitting area.... His secondary pitches were good too.”

Black said one sign was clear.

“We swung and missed at a number of pitches,” he said. “That indicates the guy’s stuff is pretty good.”

Marcus Giles, the Padres’ second baseman, put it another way.

“The only pitches he threw up were the ones he wanted to,” he said. “If you keep the ball down and on the corners, it’s going to be tough no matter what speed you’re throwing.”

Seven weeks ago, it was Schmidt’s reputation that was down and on the corners.

He had started the season as the Dodgers’ $47-million glare, but immediately that expression had softened.

He wasn’t throwing very hard, He wasn’t throwing very smart. He lasted only five innings in his first game, and it only got worse in his ensuing two starts.

By the time the Dodgers mercifully put him on the disabled list, he had a 7.36 earned-run average and was looking like Colletti’s first serious bust.

Would seven weeks off really cure a sore shoulder? Could anything bring back his lost velocity? Wouldn’t the Dodgers’ hopes eventually drift away without Schmidt being the anchor?

Those questions will be lodged in the back of the mind and mound throughout the rest of the season. But, immediately Tuesday, Schmidt began providing answers.

He retired leadoff hitter Giles on three pitches on three different corners. He retired the first five hitters before giving up an infield single sandwiched by two walks to load the bases in the second inning.

But he was saved by a diving stop by shortstop Rafael Furcal on Chris Young’s grounder, and then he made his own luck, growing stronger by the inning and the pitch.

By the fourth inning, he was the World Series Schmidt, the Dodgers-killer Schmidt, Colletti’s Schmidt.

He struck out Josh Bard flailing on an 84-mph change-up. He retired Mike Cameron on four pitches that ranged in speed from 83 to 91 mph. After walking Kevin Kouzmanoff, he struck out Geoff Blum flailing on an 83-mph change-up.

He left after the sixth inning only because Little saw something in his eyes.

“I could tell by the look in his eyes that we might be pushing him a bit much,” Little said. “But next time, I don’t think we’ll have any limitations on him.”

That something in Dodgers fans’ eyes was, perhaps, stars.

If Schmidt continues like this -- beginning with a nice recovery today -- there will be no limitations on not only his arm, but their season.

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Bill Plaschke can be reached at bill.plaschke@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Plaschke, go to latimes.com/plaschke.

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The return of Jason

Dodgers starter Jason Schmidt returned to the rotation Tuesday after sitting out the last 46 games. His starts this season:

*--* Date Opp. Score IP H R/ER BB SO TP April 4 at Milwaukee 5-4, W 5 3 1/1 3 5 95 April 9 vs. Colorado 3-6, L 4 7 4/3 3 6 84 April 14 vs. San Diego 2-7, L 2 7 6/5 2 2 57 June 5 at San Diego 0-1, ND 6 1 0/0 3 4 86

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* Totals: 1-2, 4.76 ERA.