DODGERS NOTEBOOK: SIGNING PITCHERS A PRIORITY.

Byline: Tony Jackson Staff Writer

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Most of the Dodgers' offseason moves were made with an eye toward locking up as many of their promising young players for as many years as possible, hoping to avoid a repeat of the Adrian Beltre free-agency fiasco.

General manager Paul DePodesta took a major step toward that goal, but two potential headaches loom.

Right-handers Brad Penny and Jeff Weaver, two-fifths what probably is the deepest rotation in the National League West, will be eligible for free agency in the fall. Assuming Penny can prove he is fully recovered from the nerve injury that derailed him last season, DePodesta would like to sign both pitchers to extensions sooner than later.

``I have already expressed that to each guy individually,'' DePodesta said. ``I like both of them a lot and certainly have an interest in keeping them if we can work something out.''

DePodesta was quick to say the start of negotiations isn't imminent with either pitcher. Weaver is represented by Scott Boras, Penny by Greg Genske. Both are tough negotiators. It was Boras who took Beltre to Seattle and negotiated deals with DePodesta of five years, $55 million for outfielder J.D. Drew and four years, $36 million for pitcher Derek Lowe.

It was Genske who held up what effectively was a three-team trade among the Dodgers, Arizona and the New York Yankees until he could get a two-year, $30 million extension from the Diamondbacks for Shawn Green, at which point Green waived his no-trade clause.

Penny has a 2005 base salary of $5.1 million on a contract he agreed to in January to avoid arbitration. Weaver has a base of $9.25 million in the final season of a four-year, $22 million deal he signed with Detroit before 2002. Weaver attended Simi Valley High and lives in Manhattan Beach, but Boras isn't known for giving hometown discounts.

For evidence of that, look no further than Weaver's younger brother, Jered, the former Long Beach State star whom Boras represents. His nine-month negotiations with the Angels appear to be at an irreconcilable impasse, and he'll likely re-enter the amateur draft in June.

Atlanta's Tim Hudson, who also was a potential free agent after the season, created his own deadline for an extension earlier this week and wound up signing a four-year, $47 million deal on the final day. The elder Weaver says he has no such deadlines. But the more time that passes without a deal, the more the odds increase that the Dodgers will have to negotiate against other clubs to retain him.

``Some guys like to have a contract signed and done before (the season begins),'' Weaver said. ``For me, I'll just leave it up to my agent. I have had a good relationship with him for seven years. That's his job, the business side. My job is to go out and play baseball.''

--Solid debut: Lowe made his debut in a Dodgers uniform on Friday, allowing one hit and facing the minimum in a three-inning stint against Atlanta. The veteran sinkerballer recorded six of his nine outs on five ground balls, including a strange double play on a ball hit by Brian Jordan in the second that Lowe deflected directly to shortstop Tony Schrager, who was standing about three feet from second base.

Lowe allowed just two balls to leave the infield.

``I saw some sinkers that just disappeared,'' manager Jim Tracy said. ``He had a terrific sinker, and he was down in the zone.''

Kazuhisa Ishii pitched a one-hit fourth, giving up a one-out double to Marcus Giles before striking out Chipper and Andruw Jones in succession. The Braves scored two unearned runs off Aquilino Lopez in the ninth, handing the Dodgers a 3-2 loss.

--Sold out: The Dodgers' April 12 home opener against San Francisco sold out in 45 minutes Friday. A club official said 3,500 people showed up at Dodger Stadium to buy single-game tickets, with each person being given a coupon for two free tickets to a home game this season as a reward for braving the inclement weather.

Tony Jackson,[phone]

tony.jackson(at)dailynews.com

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