DODGERS NOTEBOOK: NOMO NOW STAFF ACE.

Byline: Rich Hammond Staff Writer

VERO BEACH, Fla. - Hideo Nomo, who pitched brilliantly last season in front of baseball's worst offense, probably saw his margin for error shrink even more during the Dodgers' offseason.

Not only did the team not do much to improve its offense, but Nomo underwent shoulder surgery and also inherited the role of undisputed staff ace when the Dodgers traded Kevin Brown to the New York Yankees.

Nomo went 16-13 with a 3.09 ERA and might have been considered a Cy Young Award candidate if not for shoddy support. Many team followers believe Nomo might have to match those excellent numbers for the Dodgers to contend in 2004, but Nomo shrugged off the suggestion of added pressure.

``I don't especially think that I have to carry extra weight,'' Nomo said through an interpreter. ``I don't feel that it's my job alone. I won't fill Kevin Brown's shoes myself; it's also up to the rest of the team.''

The surgery, done Oct. 8 to ``clean up'' the rotator cuff and labrum in Nomo's pitching (right) shoulder, might complicate matters. Nomo had a similar procedure in Japan before he joined the Dodgers, and said he needed about six months before he felt completely healthy after the first surgery.

Still, there's little cause for serious concern. Nomo pitched well during the second half of last season, even though he admitted to some weakness during his outings.

``If he simply does what he's done in the last couple years,'' manager Jim Tracy said of Nomo, ``that's more than enough to establish himself as one of the top guys for our young pitchers to look up to.''

Tracy said Nomo's talent makes him a team leader, but the low-key Nomo isn't a big talker.

``I don't really think of myself as an example,'' Nomo said. ``If younger players want to learn, they just have to watch. I'm not the type of player to take them by the hand and teach them. That's not my style.''

--Injury report: Greg Miller and Joel Hanrahan, two of the Dodgers' top pitching, prospects, both will be sidelined until at least early next week because of shoulder tendinitis, Tracy said.

Neither pitcher is expected to break camp with the Dodgers, and both will be reevaluated in five or six days. The Dodgers are being extra careful with Miller, who had tendinitis issues last season.

``You can get hurt if you push it too much in the bullpen,'' Tracy said.

--On the way: Besides Eric Gagne, the only Dodgers pitcher or catcher who hasn't yet arrived is reliever Guillermo Mota. Tracy said Mota has been delayed by a paperwork issue in the Dominican Republic but that it isn't a problem and he expects Mota to arrive by the end of the weekend.

--Won't back down: Frank McCourt's financial ability to run the Dodgers had been questioned during his bid to buy the team, but new general manager Paul DePodesta said he thought McCourt will be willing to exceed the mandated $100 million payroll, under the correct circumstances.

``My sense is that Frank is definitely committed to putting together a winning team, so it's probably a case-by-case basis,'' DePodesta said. ``He set an area where he feels the payroll needs to be, but he hasn't said, 'This is an absolute ceiling.'

``He is committed to finding a way to put the best team out there possible. If that means going over budget, I'm sure he will be open to discussion.''

Rich Hammond, [phone]

rich.hammond(at)dailynews.com

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HIDEO NOMO

He pitched like an ace, and with Kevin Brown's departure, he moves into that role.