DODGERS NOTEBOOK: DREW'S BAT GETS ATTENTION.

Byline: Tony Jackson Staff Writer

VERO BEACH, Fla. - J.D. Drew knows the naysayers are out there, that when he walks past the hordes of fans who come to Dodgertown early to watch the team's morning workouts, some of them point at him behind his back and snicker, and perhaps joke about starting a betting pool to guess the date of his first trip to the disabled list.

Knowing they are there is one thing. Hearing them is another. And for now, with Opening Day still more than three weeks away, the only things the veteran right fielder is paying attention to are his surgically repaired right shoulder and wrist, which he says feel great, and his bat, which is smoking.

Drew tripled and homered off Detroit's Jeremy Bonderman in the Dodgers Grapefruit League game on Friday - a 12-3 loss to the Tigers in front of 3,898 at Holman Stadium - to raise his average for the spring to .417 (5 for 12) with five runs scored.

``I learned a few things last year that helped my swing a little bit,'' said Drew, who didn't play after July 3 because of a broken left wrist. ``Anytime you go through a bunch of trials, you have to battle back. There are days when my batting practice doesn't feel great, and I'll go to the cage and take 15 or 20 swings off a tee before the game starts and then really try to focus in my at-bats on seeing the ball well, trying to pick up on a pitcher's habits, trying not to chase pitches high.

``Hopefully, when the season rolls around, that stuff will be on auto pilot and you won't have to work as much at it.''

Beyond leadoff man Rafael Furcal and No. 2 hitter Kenny Lofton, manager Grady Little said he still hasn't figured out where Drew or anyone else will bat in the Dodgers order. But Drew, who primarily hit third last year, probably will drop to fifth so he and Lofton, two left-handed hitters, aren't batting consecutively. Second baseman Jeff Kent likely will hit fourth.

The Dodgers have more depth in the outfield this season, but Drew's health and his ability to stay in the lineup are still crucial to the club's chances in the National League West.

--Lofton fine: One day after being helped off the field when he was hit in the right knee by a pitch, Lofton said he felt fine. He is expected to miss at least one more day for precautionary reasons.

``It's not bad at all,'' Lofton said. ``I kept some ice and (electronic stimulation) on it (Thursday) night, and that probably helped it out a lot. It's a little soft, but that's to be expected. There is some soreness just because I got hit with a ball.''

Elsewhere on the injury front, Little said Furcal (knee surgery) will make his Grapefruit League debut on Wednesday against Atlanta.

--Owner speaks: Dodgers owner Frank McCourt gave his annual address to the team before the game, then met briefly with reporters. McCourt said he hopes to announce within the next couple of months the third phase of structural improvements to Dodger Stadium, which will take place next winter.

Before that happens, though, McCourt said a picnic area is being added on the loge-level concourse in the leftfield corner for this season, with the stadium gates in that area being moved farther out into the parking lot to make room.

Tony Jackson,[phone]

tony.jackson(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

(color) Dodgers' center fielder J.D. Drew connects at batting practice in Vero Beach on Monday.

Richard Drew/Associated Press

Box:

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

- Tony Jackson