PHOENIX -- Jason Schmidt knows he won't be ready when the Los Angeles Dodgers open the season. Now, Cha Seung Baek isn't a sure thing for the Padres, either.
Schmidt threw 51 pitches, his most in a Cactus League game this spring, but allowed three runs, three doubles and three walks in 3 1/3 innings Sunday. San Diego beat the Dodgers 7-3 for its third straight victory after a 4-17-4 start.
Schmidt, who expects to begin the season making minor league rehab starts, struck out two in a perfect first inning before allowing a two-run double to Everth Cabrera in the second.
The right-hander began spring training hoping to be the Dodgers' No. 5 starter, but he's been unable to pitch full-tilt and has had trouble recovering from even short stints.
"I don't think I've really let one go outside of the bullpen yet," said Schmidt, who is recovering from major shoulder surgery and hasn't pitched in the majors since June 2007. "I think I was 90 percent in the first inning and probably about 85 after that because I was wild and I had to take a little off to get it over. [The day] is a positive step, but I realize I need a lot of work. I need to have better command and go from there."
Baek allowed five hits, including Manny Ramirez's double in the first and a two-run homer by Matt Kemp in the fourth. But the right-hander strained a flexor muscle in his forearm on a pitch early in the fourth inning and came out a couple of hitters later.
"I started feeling it a little bit and then really more on the fastball," said Baek, who entered with a 9.95 ERA in six Cactus League starts. "I don't think it's a big thing. I'm not too worried. But it was hurting."
Kemp had a pair of singles to go with his fourth home run of the spring, and Orlando Hudson had two hits for the Dodgers. David Eckstein knocked in two runs with a single for the Padres, but his spring average dropped to .432.
Ramirez walked and struck out twice in addition to his double and is 9-for-18 this spring.
There was some good pitching news for the Dodgers. Chad Billingsley threw a 65-pitch simulated game and reported no problems with his sore right groin that had kept him out for a week.
"It felt great," Billingsley said. "I think [pitching coach Rick Honeycutt] wanted 45 [pitches] and I wanted to go up to about 80, so we compromised."
Billingsley is slated to throw 60-65 pitches in his final exhibition start against Milwaukee at Dodger Stadium next weekend.
Notes
Dodgers manager Joe Torre said OF Delwyn Young had a cortisone shot in his troublesome right elbow Saturday and is a candidate to begin the season on the disabled list. He had surgery on the elbow in the offseason. ... Still looking for a situational lefty out of the bullpen, the Dodgers brought veteran Will Ohman into camp for a tryout Sunday morning. Ohman, who pitched in 83 games for the Braves with a 3.68 ERA last season, opted for free agency but has found no takers to this point. ... He threw a two-inning simulated game in front of Torre and general manager Ned Colletti. "We're interested," Torre said after watching Ohman. "He's been throwing. Ned's talking to his representative to figure out if it's going to work. It's a tough time in spring training to come in and say you're ready, but he showed me he's been throwing." ... Los Angeles released RHP Edgar Martinez. ... Torre said INF Mark Loretta (right groin strain) will get back in a game by the middle of this week, possibly on the minor league side to get extra at-bats. ... The Padres traded INF Chris Burke to Seattle for cash. ... San Diego also optioned LHP Cesar Ramos to Triple-A Portland and announced that RHP Ivan Nova cleared waivers and was tendered back to the New York Yankees. Nova was selected in the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings.
