Dreifort Draws a Crowd at Workout

What pitcher Darren Dreifort figured would be a routine step in his return from elbow reconstruction surgery--the right-hander faced hitters for the first time since his July 9 procedure Tuesday, throwing 31 batting practice pitches off the Dodger Stadium mound--turned into something of a spectacle.

Chairman Bob Daly and General Manager Dan Evans, senior vice presidents Dave Wallace (baseball operations) and Derrick Hall (communications), Manager Jim Tracy, pitching coach Jim Colborn and more than a dozen teammates and coaches surrounded the cage as Dreifort threw to Dave Hansen, Jeff Reboulet and Alex Cora.

“I guess it was a bigger deal for everybody else than it was for me,” Dreifort said, almost embarrassed by all the attention. “I have a lot of work to do, and this is just a starting point. There’s no reason to get [all worked up] about it.”

The crowd was a testament to Dreifort’s popularity and the Dodgers’ considerable investment in him--Dreifort is in the second year of a five-year, $55-million contract.

The Dodgers expect Dreifort back at some point this season, but they don’t want to pressure him by pinpointing a date.

Dreifort, who recently began throwing his slider, will, barring setbacks, throw a mixture of batting practice and bullpen sessions for several weeks before throwing simulated games and embarking on a minor league rehabilitation assignment.

“He looked like he’s been pitching all year the way he was throwing [Tuesday],” outfielder Shawn Green said. “He still has to get his endurance up, but his stuff looks tremendous.”

Team physician Frank Jobe likes the way the inside of Dreifort’s elbow looks. Dreifort’s injury was caused by a complete calcification of the medial collateral ligament, which essentially “turned to bone” and snapped last June.

But Dreifort has been on anti-inflammatory medication since his surgery, and periodic X-rays have revealed no calcification in the ligament.

“If it was going to happen again, it would have started showing by now,” Jobe said. “We’ve taken all the precautions.”

The Dodgers won’t rush Dreifort back.

“We’re going to be very patient with him, and that will pay off in years to come,” Evans said. “What we saw today was very encouraging, but he’s just not there yet.”

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Adrian Beltre’s occasional lackadaisical play continues to frustrate the Dodgers--the third baseman took far too much time on Terry Shumpert’s fifth-inning grounder Monday night and sailed his throw over first baseman Eric Karros’ head for his 13th error, the most of any National League third baseman.

Tracy refused to criticize Beltre, but he made it clear the Dodgers believe he is underachieving when he said: “I’ve talked to him numerous times, and if there’s one guy in our league who should have some Gold Glove awards on his mantel, it’s him. If I had his abilities, I would make it my priority to have a couple of those.”

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Jobe said Tuesday that it’s “possible” Kevin Brown, who had surgery for a herniated disk in his lower back June 11, could pitch again this season, “but I don’t want to say for sure at this point.” Jobe added that there is only a “tiny” amount of fluid left in Brown’s surgically repaired right elbow.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

HIDEO NOMO

(7-5, 3.62 ERA)

vs.

ROCKIES’

SHAWN CHACON

(3-4, 4.63 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports Net 2. Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

Update--Dodger catcher Paul Lo Duca, who left Monday night’s game in the fourth inning because of a mild strain between his left groin and stomach, was checked for a hernia Tuesday, but none was found. Lo Duca felt good enough to start Tuesday night and homered and doubled in his first two at-bats.

Tickets--(323) 224-1448.