DODGERS NOTEBOOK: MIXED OPINIONS ON WEAVER'S HEALTH.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

Perhaps a straw poll should be conducted in the Dodgers' clubhouse to determine if Jeff Weaver is healthy. Manager Jim Tracy says yes. Pitching coach Jim Colborn says no.

Weaver himself? He's somewhere in the middle, although he admitted Friday that he has pitched with unexplained ``weakness'' in his right shoulder and decreased velocity during his previous five starts.

``It's not pain, it's not tightness ... it's weakness,'' Weaver said before the game against the Angels. ``I've had (issues with my) elbow and dead-arm before, but not shoulder.''

There apparently is no structural damage within Weaver's shoulder, and he has been healthy enough to throw at least 96 pitches in each of the five starts in which he said he hasn't been at 100 percent. Weaver said he can pitch through the problem and has not considered skipping a start.

Weaver is expected to make his next scheduled start, Tuesday in San Francisco, even though he said he had suffered something of a setback in his start Wednesday against Florida. Because of Monday's off day, Weaver will get five days of rest between starts, instead of a normal four days.

``I was progressively getting better with every start,'' Weaver said. ``I was almost there and then (my fastball) went back a couple miles per hour. Hopefully the extra day will get me back.''

The status of Weaver, who is 4-3 with a 5.59 ERA, became an issue Wednesday when Colborn said, ``It's amazing that (Weaver is) still making pitches. He's competing on six cylinders instead of eight.''

On Friday, however, Tracy said there was nothing wrong with Weaver.

``He feels fine today,'' Tracy said, before reporters spoke with Weaver. ``He experiences a little bit of tightness but he's never said, `This is an issue for me.' There's nothing there (to talk about).''

Weaver's velocity has varied during the past five starts, in which he had a 2-2 record. Weaver said he couldn't explain why the shoulder has bothered him at some times but not others.

``I've won games and lost games,'' Weaver said. ``I'm healthy enough to pitch, and that's it.''

--Busted: Three players on the Dodgers' Triple-A team, including one who spent part of last September with the big-league team, were suspended for violating baseball's substance-abuse policy.

Infielder Jose Flores, who appeared in nine games for the Dodgers last season, received a 15-game suspension, but not for steroids. Flores tested positive for amphetamines, which are illegal in the minors but not the majors.

Pitchers Tom Farmer and Heath Totten also received 15-game suspensions, and theirs were for steroid use.

Flores, 31, was hitting .329 in 25 games with the Las Vegas 51s, while Totten, a 26-year-old right-hander, was 5-2 with a 4.97 ERA and was tied for second in the Pacific Coast League in victories. Farmer, a 25-year-old right-handed reliever, was 1-1 with a 14.58 ERA in 15 appearances.

``It's something that we wish didn't happen, but we recognize that it's an issue in the game,'' said Roy Smith, the Dodgers' vice president of scouting and player development.

--Injury report: Odalis Perez, who didn't pitch Friday because of shoulder tightness, remains on track to return Wednesday against the Giants, but it's no guarantee.

Perez played catch on the field before Friday's game and will throw a bullpen session Sunday to determine whether he's healthy enough to return to the rotation.