Dodgers happy to be entering world of zeroes

And now for the most intriguing number of spring … 0.00.

The Dodgers aren’t halfway through their spring schedule, but the battle for the fifth spot in the rotation is already getting interesting.

Ramon Ortiz, Russ Ortiz, Carlos Monasterios and Eric Stults have yet to allow an earned run this preseason. All sport 0.00 ERAs.

Yes, it’s early. It’s spring training and not the stretch drive. A pitching performance in March doesn’t always translate to one in July, or even April.

But aside from the early struggles of James McDonald (six earned runs in the four innings of his two appearances), things are going better than the Dodgers had a right to expect.

There is only one job in the rotation open now, but that’s always subject to change during the course of a season. With Hiroki Kuroda nursing a neck injury and the Dodgers uncertain what to expect over the course of a full season from Vicente Padilla, it would benefit the team to discover more than one potential starter.

They took what-do-we-have-to-lose fliers on the Ortiz boys, and picked up Monasterios in the Rule 5 draft. At the moment, they’re all paying off.

Then there’s Stults and Charlie Haeger, both of whom are out of options. If they’re not on the 25-man roster, they can become free agents. If Monasterios doesn’t make it, he has to be offered back to Philadelphia.

Neither Ortiz seems to know if their agents negotiated an opt-out clause that would enable them to become free agents if they don’t make the 25-man roster. Last year, Jeff Weaver did not have one and, despite a strong spring, started the season in the minors. This year Weaver does have the option.

Ramon Ortiz, 36, has probably been the biggest surprise thus far. The ex-Angel hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2007, and his four seasons prior to that were completely unimpressive.

Yet his four shutout innings against the Angels on Monday left him with these spring numbers: nine innings, zero runs, 11 strikeouts, five hits and two walks.

"He was pretty good, especially against his old team," said Joe Torre. "He kept the ball down and mixed his pitches. Russ Ortiz is also making a statement for himself."

Russ Ortiz won 21 games for the Braves in 2003, but has bounced around four different teams the last four years, going a combined 10-28 with a 6.56 ERA.

But for the moment, his ball appears to be moving again. In five spring innings, he’s yet to allow a run or give up a walk.

Monasterios also hasn’t given up a run in his five innings, allowing only two hits. Stults, considered a slight favorite before the spring began, did not allow a hit in his two innings before leaving to join the Dodgers contingent in Taiwan.

Someone is going to blink. Stults may yet win out, but either or both Ortizes would be welcomed depth in the minors if willing to go down.

For the moment, though, General Manager Ned Colletti doesn’t have to be too worried about trading for, or signing, a fifth starter.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Good news, bad news for fifth-spot candidates in opening 'B' game

Here’s your Eric Stults update from his start in Tuesday’s "B’’ game against the White Sox.

The left-hander went one inning, allowing one hit and striking out two. Not a lot, but a positive start, which for him could prove meaningful.

It was a rougher day for another candidate for the fifth spot in the rotation.

Knuckleballer Charlie Haeger took over in the second and gave up a leadoff home run to outfielder Josh Kroeger, a non-roster invitee formerly in Arizona’s organization.

Still another starting candidate, right-hander Carlos Monasterios, threw one perfect inning. He is a Rule 5 draftee from the Mets.

"He looked good,'' said manager Joe Torre. "We'll get him the starter's innings.''

The Dodgers won the game, 4-2, a small first step in evaluating rotation possibilities.

"It should take all spring to narrow it down,'' Torre said. "We're going to give them as many games and innings as as we can.''

The Dodgers' first regular spring game is Friday, also against the White Sox.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Charlie Haeger delives against the St. Louis Cardinals on Aug. 17. Credit: Jake Danna Stevens / Los Angeles Times

It's time for Stults to seize his opportunity [Updated]

Eric Stults, it is time to step up.

Not time to come close. Not time to be a possibility. Time to close the deal. To win the final spot in the Dodgers' rotation.

Or head out of town.

Stults is 30 years old and beginning his ninth season in the organization. That’s a long time to still be something of a prospect.

Stults is one of at least a half-dozen candidates for the fifth spot in the rotation. But he has one thing going for him none of the others do -- he is out of options.

Either Stults makes the final 25-man roster, or he can become a free agent.

"It's a year where something has to give for me,’’ Stults said. "I've been fortunate with opportunities in the past to gain some big league experience, but it's one of those things where this year they have to make a decision out of spring. I look at it as a win-win situation.’’

Sandy Koufax gives the kids a lesson of a lifetime

There was a ghost sighting at the Dodgers' camp Monday. The kind the Dodgers would like to see a lot more.

Sandy Koufax, fresh off his benefit night in Los Angeles on Saturday, is in Phoenix for a week and stopped by the team’s complex to speak to the pitching staff and work individually with several pitchers.

He worked with Chad Billingsley, Josh Lindblom, Scott Elbert and Ramon Troncoso in the bullpen area, after having spoken with Eric Stults, Jon Link and Lindblom earlier. Billingsley seemed to get special attention.

"He has that aura or awe about him," Stults said. "He's somebody that is special in the game of baseball.

"But he has a way of communicating that you understand. He's one of those guys that’s like, 'Here’s a suggestion. If you don't like it, go back to the way you throw.' As a pitcher, you want to hear those things."

Dodgers: Thursday morning spring training notebook

PHOENIX -- Rafael Furcal and Ronnie Belliard reported for spring training Thursday, which is the day by which position players have to check in.

Belliard’s contract won’t become guaranteed unless he weighs in at 209 pounds or less at some point this spring, but the second baseman said that shouldn’t be a problem, estimating that he weighs 210 or 211 pounds now.

When Belliard was being asked about the clause, locker mate Manny Ramirez expressed his disapproval about it by using a profane term for cow manure.

Cactus League rotation

Vicente Padilla will start the Dodgers’ Cactus League opener against the Chicago White Sox on March 5 at Camelback Ranch.

Eric Stults will start the second game, Clayton Kershaw will start the third, Chad Billingsley the fourth and Hiroki Kuroda the fifth.

Dodgers' web doings: That legion of fifth starting pitching candidates might not be enough

Here’s a rundown on some Dodgers’ Web doings, leading off with Buster Olney's interview at ESPN.com with general manager Ned Colletti.
 
 -- It’s a body count.
 
Olney said Colletti listed at least eight candidates for the fifth spot in the Dodgers rotation -- Scott Elbert, Charlie Haeger, James McDonald, Carlos Monasterios, Eric Stults, Ramon Ortiz, Russ Ortiz and Josh Towers -- but concedes he might have missed a few.

There’s always Josh Lindblom and Jeff Weaver.

More interesting, Colletti was saying if someone didn’t emerge from the pack, he would look outside the organization to fill the fifth spot. "We'd love to have a bona fide No. 5 starter,’’ Colletti said.

Warning: You have to be a member of ESPN’s Insider to read the full column.

Playing Dodgers GM for a day

So you’re Ned Colletti and need a fifth starter -- what do you do?

Go with a kid, take a flier on one of the non-roster retreads or buck up and sign one of the sketchy remaining free agents? So many fun choices.

In truth, the Dodgers don’t just need a fifth starter, they need a sixth too. And maybe a seventh.

There is no way the Dodgers can count on their Big Four -- Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda and Vicente Padilla -- remaining healthy all year. An extra starter or two is required depth.

Colletti can cross his fingers and light a candle, but he’s rolling the dice on Russ Ortiz, Jeff Weaver and Ramon Ortiz, hoping just one of them this spring can tap into old magic.

There are plenty of young arms to consider, just no one that screams he’s the next Kershaw.

Dodgers' pursuit of Wang apparently is not too serious

It appears Joe Torre’s affection for his former Yankees ace, Chien-Ming Wang, isn’t enough to push the Dodgers toward seriously pursuing the free agent.

Ken Rosenthal of Foxsports.com has reported that Wang has received offers from two unidentified clubs, and neither is the Dodgers or the Mets. Rosenthal said Wang is expected to sign in the next seven to 10 days.

Wang twice won 19 games for Torre while he was managing the Yankees, but last season he fell to 1-6 with a 9.64 ERA before undergoing shoulder surgery.

The Dodgers are in dire need of a fifth starter and Torre expressed interest in Wang during last week’s community caravan.

"He was my leading pitcher two years in a row," Torre said. "You can't ignore the fact he's a special young man. With what he's coming back from, he has to be evaluated."

Dodgers' rotation of questions

OK, let’s talk about your deepest Dodgers fear, that open secret still too close to home for the faithful to willingly address:

Starting pitching.

Don’t shudder now, this has to be done. Crossed fingers and heavenly gazes will not get it done.

Truth is, the Dodgers' rotation could just as easily be the best in the N.L. West as it could be the fourth-best.

Each of the first four starters arrive this spring with serious questions, and there is precious little depth behind them. And as it always is, depth will be needed.

Hiroki Kuroda, Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley and Vicente Padilla will head into spring with the first four spots secured. Eric Stults and James McDonald lead a long list of potential fifth starters.

Kuroda, 35, is coming off a reasonable season, considering he twice lost time to injury. Yet 8-7 with a 3.76 ERA was hardly an improvement from his previous season, and at his age, further injury is always a risk.

Kershaw remains an absolutely exciting prospect. He enjoyed an excellent sophomore year (8-8, 2.79, 185 strikeouts). He also threw a career-high 171 innings and will probably throw more this season. As much as he looks like a coming ace, the Dodgers will have to closely monitor the effect of the extra work.

Billingsley is in danger of becoming an enigma. There are times when he looks brilliant, and others when he appears fragile. He got off to a strong start last year and seemed to have built his confidence, only to fade in the second half. This is his fifth year, and he needs to pull it together.

Padilla essentially replaces innings-eating Randy Wolf in the rotation. After coming to the Dodgers Aug. 20, the mercurial Padilla, counting the postseason, went 5-1 with a 3.20 ERA. He did not throw at hitters, cause a riff in the clubhouse or say his daddy was bigger than your daddy. Now, can he keep it together a full season?