They Hope to Get It Together

VERO BEACH, Fla. — The Dodgers plan to stress unity in a team meeting after last season’s problems on offense stirred clubhouse tension, players said Monday.

“Obviously, we’re all in it together, but at certain times last year tension was high,” center fielder Dave Roberts said. “We don’t want to go through that again.”

Catcher Paul Lo Duca and right fielder Shawn Green have discussed calling a meeting soon to address an issue that cast a cloud over the Dodgers in 2003. The team leaders believe that looking backward can help everyone more forward.

“It’s something that me and Greenie have definitely talked about,” Lo Duca said. “We’ve talked about maybe doing something before the beginning of the [regular season] to just get that settled and out of the way.”

The unbalanced performances of the major leagues’ top pitching staff and worst offense were a source of frustration throughout the organization, and the clubhouse environment turned especially chilly in June after frustrated starter Odalis Perez publicly criticized the everyday players and seemingly called out management for assembling such a light-hitting lineup.

Lo Duca, who has emerged as a team spokesman, publicly admonished Perez for “popping off in the paper” and said the left-hander had “no guts” for sharing his feelings with reporters. Other pitchers, however, also privately expressed frustration.

Lo Duca believes proactive steps are needed now.

“We’re going to struggle as a team pitching or hitting at some time during the season,” he said. “We need to support each other and stop beating a dead horse. We started beating a dead horse last season and it got out of hand.”

But what if the staff soars and the offense flops again?

“There might be fractures, but we’re all professionals in here and last year was just a different type of year,” Roberts said. “Everyone has to understand that if we get guys on different sides of the rope pulling against each other it’s not going to make the situation any better. ... We’re in it together.”

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The Dodgers are considering using Darren Dreifort in a limited relief role this season, team sources said.

With the injury-plagued right-hander coming off knee and hip surgeries, some in the organization believe Dreifort simply cannot handle a starter’s workload. But the medical staff has recommended that Dreifort, who has undergone seven surgeries as a professional, remain a starter because of concerns about his twice-reconstructed pitching elbow.

A compromise is being discussed in which Dreifort would pitch in long relief twice in a three-day span, but not on consecutive days. The plan might be revised if Dreifort pitches well in the exhibition season and does not suffer medical setbacks.

Dreifort is owed $12 million this season and $13 million in 2005.

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Jason Romano hit a leadoff home run off Jeff Weaver to help lead his team to a 3-1 intrasquad victory. Weaver, who worked the first inning, is scheduled to start and pitch two innings Thursday against the Atlanta Braves at Orlando. ... Second baseman Alex Cora, recovering from a broken right forearm, began throwing lightly.