DODGERS NOTEBOOK: Furcal, Martin will start getting rest.

Byline: Tony Jackson, Staff Writer

SAN DIEGO - The Dodgers fielded the same eight guys batting in the same order for their first three games this season. But that will change over the next two games as manager Joe Torre implements his plan to keep shortstop Rafael Furcal and catcher Russell Martin healthy and well-rested.

Blake DeWitt will make his first professional start at short in this afternoon's series finale with the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. He played 10games during spring training and was adequate enough that Torre is comfortable starting him there on the one day a week or so when Furcal is expected to sit.

"I understand," Furcal said. "(Torre) said he wants to keep me the whole year instead of for a couple of games. This is the best time to do it."

Meanwhile, veteran Brad Ausmus, a three-time Gold Glove winner who was signed over the winter specifically to give the club a more solid backup to Martin, will start behind the plate in Friday night's game at Arizona.

"This will give (Martin) the next day after the turnaround," Torre said. "I just didn't want to take anybody else out (today)."

Torre said he also plans to get fourth outfielder Juan Pierre one or two starts a week.

Camelback report

Dodgers right-hander Jason Schmidt, who continues to try to battle his way back from the major shoulder operation he underwent almost two years ago, threw 89 pitches during a five-inning start at extended spring training. It marked the fourth time in a row he was able to pitch on normal rest, which would seem like a big step forward.

As has almost become his custom, though, Schmidt wasn't happy with the way he felt. As a result, his next start will be delayed by at least a day.

"Nothing is hurting, but he is just going through a little bit of a lull or a dead-arm period," said Torre, who spoke with Schmidt by phone. "He sounded all right, but he made fun of himself. He said he thought he threw harder as a teenager."

Also in extended spring, left-hander Greg Miller was re-signed to a minor-league contract and assigned to high Single-A Inland Empire two days after the Dodgers released him unconditionally. And outfielder Delwyn Young (right elbow impingement) got six at-bats in the instrasquad game and is expected to begin a minor-league rehabilitation assignment soon.

Callan retires

Dodgers vice president Craig Callan, who ran the club's spring-training facility in Vero Beach, Fla., for the past 30years and aided in the transition this spring to Camelback Ranch, the new facility in Glendale, Ariz., announced his retirement.