DODGERS NOTEBOOK: FLU KEEPS PENNY OFF MOUND.

Byline: Tony Jackson  Staff Writer

VERO BEACH, Fla. - Although he still hasn't thrown off a mound, something club officials hoped he would do well in advance of spring training, Brad Penny's rehabilitation from last season's nerve injury in his right arm apparently still is on track.

Penny was scheduled to throw at Dodger Stadium last week, trainer Stan Johnston said Thursday, but came down with flu-like symptoms.

Johnston said there is no target date for Penny to get on the mound, but that one could be determined tonight when Johnston and Penny are expected to meet with manager Jim Tracy and pitching coach Jim Colborn at Dodgertown.

Penny is expected to be on a decelerated program early in spring training but to catch up with the rest of the starting rotation by the time the club breaks camp March 31.

``The only reason he didn't throw off a mound before he got here was that he got sick,'' Johnston said. ``With this long layoff, he feels good. He has worked hard over the winter, and his body fat is down.''

Johnston said Penny continues to experience numbness in his forearm and that the right-hander might never regain full feeling there, but that it isn't expected to hinder Penny when he's ready to pitch again.

Penny made just three starts after the Dodgers acquired him from Florida on July 30 as the key player in the Paul Lo Duca trade. After throwing eight shutout innings against Pittsburgh in his Dodgers debut on Aug. 3, Penny left his next start in the first inning after feeling pain in the elbow.

He went on the disabled list with what was termed a strained right biceps and nerve injury. He returned Sept. 22 at San Diego and lasted three-plus innings before the same pain in his arm knocked him out of that game, too.

``He came back and pitched after a short period of time,'' Johnston said. ``Even though he had gotten up to the 60-pitch level before participating in a game, it was when he got over that 60-pitch level (in a game) that he felt something and we shut him back down.''

Johnston pointed to the fact Penny hasn't thrown off a mound in almost five months as reason for optimism that Penny won't suffer another relapse. But the injury is so unusual that Johnston said Dodgers team physician Dr. Frank Jobe solicited advice - and received none - from other doctors attending baseball's winter meetings in December.

That unknown aspect of the injury means when Penny finally does pitch in a Grapefruit League game, club officials likely will be holding their breath and crossing their fingers in hopes the problem won't re-occur - although Johnston pointed out that's usually the case with any injury.

--Werth mentioning: Johnston said left fielder Jayson Werth, who injured his right shoulder making an awkward throw during last fall's Division Series with St. Louis, is well enough that he should begin camp on the same program as everyone else.

Werth has been playing long toss for about three weeks, but probably won't make many hard throws during camp.

``He's not going to cut loose (much) because why stress it?'' Johnston said. ``How many times does an outfielder cut loose on throws during the average game? Twice at the most. So why go out there and play burnout with somebody? If he plays long toss, he'll keep his arm strength up enough that it will be there when he needs it.''

--Fresh start: Joel Hanrahan, probably the top pitching prospect in the organization who isn't named Edwin Jackson or Greg Miller, already has been in camp for two weeks and is eager for a fresh start after what he feels was a lackluster 2004 at Triple-A Las Vegas.

Hanrahan was plagued by a tired arm from spring training until the end of the season, when he finally was shut down with two weeks left. In between three separate bouts with the problem, he managed to make 22 starts and three relief appearances, going 7-7 with a 5.05 ERA.

``The (injury) could have been a factor, but I'm not going to use that as an excuse for the results I had,'' Hanrahan said. ``I definitely wasn't happy with the way I pitched. I just had way too many walks (75 in 119 1/3 innings), and it seemed like that's when I gave up all my runs. But I worked hard this winter to try to correct that. I guess I was trying to be too perfect.''

Tony Jackson,[phone]

tony.jackson(at)dailynews.com