DODGERS NOTEBOOK: SHORT RECOVERY FOR MILLER.

Byline: Tony Jackson Staff Writer

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Greg Miller, the Dodgers' top left-handed pitching prospect, probably will miss about two months after undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery Friday in Los Angeles. But the news could have been much worse.

``Unless there is a major setback, in all likelihood, he will pitch this year at some point,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said before Saturday night's Grapefruit League game, a 15-13 victory over the New York Mets.

The procedure was exploratory in nature, with the understanding that if doctors found anything wrong, they would go ahead and fix it. What Dr. Neal El Attrache found in the back of the shoulder was scar tissue, which they removed, leaving a joint Dodgers team surgeon Dr. Frank Jobe described as ``pristine.''

Dodgers trainer Stan Johnston said Miller will have a follow-up examination Friday, then return to the team's spring-training headquarters in Vero Beach, Fla., to begin his rehabilitation program. Miller, 19, tentatively is slated to spend the season at Double-A Jacksonville, and the fact he faces such a short recovery from surgery probably means his development will stay on schedule.

``This turned out to be a very minor surgery,'' Tracy said. ``They pretty much removed the bursa from the AC joint in the back of his left shoulder, where there was some scarring. But there was no structural damage to either the labrum or the rotator cuff. He should be able to play catch and start building up to some other things within four to six weeks.''

--Lineup protection: Adrian Beltre is getting quite comfortable at his new home in the three hole. He went 2 for 4 against the Mets with a three-run double and three-run homer, raising his spring average to .290 and giving him 11 RBI.

Beltre batted mostly fifth, sixth or seventh last season, when he hit a career-high 23 homers but saw his average dip to .240 partly because he had no protection behind him.

Now, he has Shawn Green.

``I think probably 95 percent of the pitchers in the big leagues would rather face me than face Greeney,'' Beltre said. ``That pitch I hit in the third (for the double), I wouldn't have seen that fastball in that situation without Greeney hitting behind me.''

Beltre also made a stellar defensive play in the third, charging Joe McEwing's bunt and throwing on the run to nab him.

--Cora update: It is becoming steadily more apparent that when the Dodgers begin the season on April 5 against San Diego, Alex Cora will be at second base.

Cora, who broke his right forearm in winter ball, reported no problems after taking 60 swings in live batting practice Friday, and Tracy said Cora could begin playing in Grapefruit League games as early as Thursday.

Cora all but promised early in camp that he would return ahead of schedule.

``I'm not surprised,'' he said. ``I know I'm healthy. I have gotten to the point of building up some strength now. Hopefully, by the end of the week, we'll make a decision.''

--One-dimensional offense: Although non-roster infielder Jeremy Giambi finally seems to be recovering from the back injury that has sidelined him for the past two weeks, it is probably too late for him to have a legitimate shot of making the club. All of which leaves Tracy without a left-handed option off the bench, at least on nights when Robin Ventura is in the starting lineup.

``That's where we're at right now,'' Tracy said. ``It's not a position you like to be in, but I know we'll do whatever we can do to try and address that. If we can, obviously we will.''

Giambi, 29, came to camp as a favorite to land a reserve role, if only because he was the only left-handed candidate, but that was before the back spasms got in his way. Giambi is to the point now of taking soft-toss batting practice and hitting off a tee, and he is expected to take live batting practice today. If he can somehow get enough at-bats to get ready for the season, club officials probably would be tempted to take him north despite all the time he missed.

Tony Jackson, [phone]

tony.jackson(at)dailynews.com

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Shawn Green takes time to sign autographs before the Dodgers' game against the Mets.

Evan Vucci/Associated Press

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