DODGERS NOTEBOOK: BRAZOBAN NOW A MIDDLE MAN.

Byline: JILL PAINTER

Staff Writer

Yhency Brazoban is back, but he's not the same man Dodgers fans once knew.

Brazoban flourished as a hard-throwing, hotshot rookie, becoming the set-up man for Eric Gagne in 2004. He had 21saves as the Dodgers closer in 2005.

Last year, he struggled briefly before undergoing Tommy John surgery.

The Dodgers purchased the contract of Brazoban from Triple-A Las Vegas and placed Chin-hui Tsao on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain. Tsao was 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA in 15 relief appearances.

"I feel very good," Brazoban said. "It's been a long road since the injury. I'm just looking forward to getting back and helping the team."

Brazoban will serve as a middle reliever and said he is ready to fill whatever role Dodgers manager Grady Little asks of him.

"We feel comfortable with the people we have in the eighth and ninth," Little said, referring to current set-up man Jonathan Broxton and closer Takashi Saito.

Brazoban's velocity was back to 93-95 mph while pitching for the 51s.

"Every game my arm was feeling a little better," said Brazoban, who lost some weight since he last pitched for the Dodgers. "It was improving every game."

Tsao injured his shoulder while throwing a slider in the bullpen Tuesday. He had an MRI on his shoulder Wednesday, the results of which were negative. He missed all of last year and had surgery to repair a torn labrum and injury to the rotator cuff.

"I won't worry about it," Tsao said through a translator. "This time it's in the back of my shoulder. I don't feel it's serious."

Trainer Stan Conte said Tsao irritated the back of his shoulder and needs rest.

Expected demotion: Brett Tomko's ticket to the bullpen finally arrived.

Tomko, who was 1-5 with a 6.28 ERA as a starter, will be available as a reliever starting Friday.

Little didn't name Tomko's replacement in the starting rotation, but the Dodgers won't need a fifth starter until June 2 in Pittsburgh. Hong Chih-Kuo, who recently was sent down to Triple-A Las Vegas, is the leading candidate, Little said.

Asked how Tomko took the demotion, Little said: "It wasn't the same reaction he gave in spring training when he found out he was one of our starters, I'll tell you that."

Kuo started and pitched fourscoreless innings for Las Vegas against Tacoma on Wednesday. He struck out four and walked one.

On the green: Derek Lowe, Chad Billingsley and Little will be among those spending their day off today at Trump National Golf Club for the sixth annual Dodgers Dream Foundation's Charity Golf Invitational.

Little will cruise to Rancho Palos Verdes on the motorcycle Juan Pierre bought for him in exchange for the use of the No.9 on his uniform.

Little will drive a cart at Trump and visit with each group but won't play, except for a few shots.

"A group of people will hit, and if you can't see any of their (golf balls), I give them a free mulligan," Little said. "That's what you call playing golf with nothing to lose."