Tendinitis Limits Green’s Action

VERO BEACH, Fla. — A team medical report that, just a few days ago, Manager Jim Tracy called “the prettiest-looking thing since the contract I signed on Nov. 1, 2000,” would not have won any beauty pageants Wednesday.

Right fielder Shawn Green has a mild case of tendinitis in his left (throwing) shoulder and will be held out of extensive throwing drills for at least a week. Green’s arm got sore following an early January workout, and an MRI test showed no major problems.

But the shoulder continued to bother Green through January and early February, so he stopped throwing and began a strengthening program. Green can take batting practice and participate in drills that don’t require strenuous throwing.

“There’s no sense pushing things,” said Green, who is coming off a monster year in which he batted .297 with 49 home runs and 125 runs batted in. “The first time I threw after the New Year, my arm was stiffer than usual. I thought it would work itself out, but it didn’t, so I went on a rehabilitation program. It doesn’t bother me to do anything but throw hard.”

Green sat out all but nine games of the exhibition season last spring because of a sprained ligament in his thumb, and he probably will be a designated hitter against American League teams in the first week of spring games.

“We’re trying to nip it in the bud,” Green said. “If this was the regular season, I could play, and it would be sore. But instead of having a nagging injury, I want to get rid of it now. I’m confident we’ve caught this before it becomes a long-term problem.”

The Dodgers will miss Gary Sheffield’s bat--the left fielder averaged 37 home runs and 103 RBIs for three seasons before he was traded--but they will not miss the distractions he caused, especially last spring.

“No team wants to go through that,” second baseman Mark Grudzielanek said. “That had an effect on things in spring training and it carried over to the season.”

Grudzielanek said several Dodgers were concerned about Sheffield being critical of teammates, though many remained quiet at the time.

“In the back of players’ minds they were worried about the situation and wondering what was going to happen,” Grudzielanek said. “Some things went on that weren’t the right thing to say or do. We were wondering, ‘What’s the deal? What’s going to happen next?’ No question, that was triggered in spring training.”

With the Dodgers holding their first full-squad workout Wednesday, Grudzielanek couldn’t help but notice the relaxed atmosphere in the clubhouse.

“[Sheffield] was a gifted individual, his offense will be tough to replace, but with the addition of [Brian] Jordan and a healthy Eric Karros, we can make it up,” Grudzielanek said. “We’re probably a better team in the clubhouse, and hopefully it will show on the field.”

Tracy was impressed with infielder Cesar Izturis, the 22-year-old Venezuelan defensive whiz who was acquired in a winter trade with Toronto and is considered a slight favorite to beat out Alex Cora for the starting shortstop job.

Cora batted .217 with a .285 on-base percentage and had a .962 fielding percentage in 2001.

“I told Alex that today is Feb. 20, and my mind is in no way made up about anything,” Tracy said. “So don’t change your demeanor or the way you go about your business.”

Ace Kevin Brown, who threw off flat ground Monday and Tuesday, will throw off a mound today for the first time since undergoing surgery in September to repair a torn flexor muscle. Andy Ashby, who is recovering from similar surgery, will throw batting practice Saturday.... The Dodgers appear to be making progress on a multiyear deal for catcher Paul Lo Duca, but an initial two-year offer to reliever Matt Herges was deemed too low.