DODGERS NOTEBOOK: ASHBY UPSET AFTER POOR OUTING.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

VERO BEACH, Fla. - Andy Ashby is tickled his surgically repaired right elbow is problem-free, but the Dodgers right-hander is ticked with his results even though it's spring training.

After allowing four runs on five hits in two innings Sunday against Houston, an irritated Ashby used a variation of the word ``frustrated'' 11 times during a 6-minute, 11-second interview.

It was only Ashby's second spring start since undergoing surgery to repair a torn muscle in his pitching elbow, but he clearly expected more. He got the first two outs in his first inning of work, then couldn't close out the inning, or batters.

``I think it's frustrating I can make pitches, but then when it comes time to bury a guy I try to do more than I have to,'' Ashby said. ``It shouldn't happen in the first place. I don't care how long I've been out. I've been pitching long enough to know what I have to do, but I think there's a point where I'm overthrowing the ball, trying to make it better than I should. It needs to stop. It's frustrating.''

Ashby threw 33 pitches in his first inning, a strong test for his elbow if nothing else, but he said he wasn't interested in more tests.

What had Ashby upset was giving up four runs after he had two outs and none on against the Astros. He also gave up a pair of two-out runs in his first outing of the spring.

Ashby said several of his curveballs were ``terrible'' and he overthrew too many pitches, looking for perfection too often.

``I feel healthy enough where I think I can go out there and win,'' Ashby said. ``You've waited this long to pitch, (so) you don't want to go out there and stink it up. It's frustrating to go out there and give up four runs in two innings, especially with two outs.''

While Ashby's demeanor is atypical of the laid-back spring-training approach, pitching coach Jim Colborn saw it as a major advancement. No longer is Ashby worried about the health of his elbow, instead looking for results.

``Let's get down to the nuts and bolts of pitching and preparing for a season,'' Colborn said. ``Once he missed a few two-strike pitches he became too anxious instead of having confidence and trusting his pitches.''

--Brown's latest hurdle: Staff ace Kevin Brown made his spring-training debut and was impressive. He struck out six batters in two innings, allowed one hit, hit a batter and showed a hybrid curveball-cut fastball that baffled hitters.

``There were no different pitches,'' Brown said. ``It might have been more effective than what I've done in the past, but it's all the same pitches. It's a variation of things. I didn't invent anything new. It's a matter of fiddling with the grips and stuff like that.''

Brown threw 32 pitches, including 22 strikes, and his velocity was consistently between 89 and 91 mph, a dropoff from the mid-90s he reached during a simulated game last week. Brown said he wasn't concerned about velocity so early in the spring, but he was pleased about clearing another hurdle in his rehab. Trying to return to his pre-injury days, Brown also has cut out icing after throwing.

``If I was having problems and setbacks and all, it would be a different story, but I'm making steady progress so it's hard not to be thrilled about it,'' Brown said. ``Every game is a hurdle. Every time you throw it's a hurdle. Until you get back into the season and pitching every five days and not having any problems, you're going to have hurdles every time out.''

Brown, who pitches again Thursday against St. Louis, said he believes he is on course to start the April 2 season opener.

--Odds and ends: Center fielder Dave Roberts was 1 for 1 with two runs scored from the leadoff spot and for the second time this spring led off a game with a walk and scored without the aid of a hit. Tom Goodwin did it once last season. ... Dodgers left fielder Brian Jordan, who had harsh words for Mets manager Bobby Valentine after getting hit with a pitch last week, won't make the trip today to Port St. Lucie to play the Mets. ... Former Dodgers center fielder Devon White turned down contract offers from the Yankees and Texas Rangers and remains at his Phoenix-area home contemplating retirement.

DODGERS vs. NEW YORK METS 

Time: 10:05 a.m., Thomas J. White Stadium.

Radio: 1150-AM (tape delay at noon), 1330-AM (tape delay at 4 p.m.).

Matchup: It's reliever day for the Dodgers as LHs Terry Mulholland and Jesse Orosco and RHs Matt Herges and Paul Quantrill pitch. Former Dodgers RH Pedro Astacio starts for the Mets.

Sunday's result: Brian Jordan drove in both runs in a 5-2 Dodgers loss to Houston at Holman Stadium. Kevin Brown pitched two scoreless innings in his spring debut, but Andy Ashby allowed four runs in two innings and took the loss.

- Brian Dohn

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DODGERS vs. NEW YORK METS (see text)