L.A. CONFIDENTIAL.

Byline: -- Tony Jackson 

The Dodgers have agreed in principle on a one-year, split contract with free-agent reliever Chin-Hui Tsao, a right-hander who once had such dominant stuff that the Colorado Rockies dubbed him their closer of the future before a torn labrum derailed his career two years ago. The deal, which is believed to carry a major-league salary of just more than $400,000, is contingent on Tsao passing a physical. But he isn't expected to undergo one until sometime next week, and passing it will be far from a slam dunk. Colorado officials had enough doubts about Tsao's ability to return that they opted not to offer him a contract after last season. Tsao underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery in May 2005 and hasn't appeared in a game since. Tsao's work ethic reportedly came into question during a rehabilitation that went on much longer than normal for such a procedure.