The Dodgers have the day off today, except for right-hander Derek Lowe, who will pitch a minor league at Dodgertown this morning. Los Angeles travels to Orlando tomorrow to face the Atlanta Braves.

NOTES: The players and coaches from the 2005 Jacksonville Suns will receive their championship rings from Jacksonville team president Peter Bragan on Friday. They will also be honored at Dodgertown during the Western-theme dinner on Thursday night. … Television producer Rob Menschel is spending the day with Dodger minor league infielder Jamie Hoffman as part of his "Day in the Life of Vero Beach" one-hour special, which will air later this month on Fox. Menschel already has filmed several locations in town, along with other behind-the-scenes baseball footage …

Congratulations to team physician Dr. Frank Jobe for being included in The Sporting News’ list of "the 120 most coolest numbers in sports history" to commemorate the publication’s 120th anniversary. The magazine lists "288 – Career victories by Tommy John; 164 – Victories by Tommy John after ulnar collateral ligament transplant surgery by Dr. Frank Jobe; 1,128 – Tommy John surgeries Dr. James Andrews performed from 1988 to October 2005."

… Jobe’s revolutionary surgerical procedure, an experiment when first attempted on the Dodger left-hander during the 1974 season, should one day earn Jobe induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame for his medical contributions to the sport.

Country music singer Kenny Rogers will appear in a concert at Dodgertown on April 1 with proceeds to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River County. The event is sponsored by the Dodgers, Comcast, Marine Bank, Buyer’s Agent/DiMarzo Realty, and the Indian River County Press Journal. Gates open at 6 p.m., the concert begins at 8 p.m. and $39 general admission tickets are available at all Ticketmaster locations, including FYE in the Indian River County Mall and at Marine Bank locations on Beachland Boulevard and on U.S. 1 in Vero Beach. For more information call (772) 231-6990.

Here is the Dodgers’ starting lineup for their game against the Boston Red Sox at Fort Myers:

Willy Aybar, 3B; Jason Repko, RF; Andre Ethier, CF; Joel Guzman, LF; Matt Kemp, DH; James Loney, 1B; Russell Martin, C; Oscar Robles, SS; Pedro Martinez, 2B. Starting pitcher – D.J. Houlton.

Dodger outfield prospect Andre Ethier attempted to steal two bases on Sunday against Houston during the Dodgers’ 7-0 victory at Holman Stadium. Ethier stole second in the second inning and took off again from first base in the fourth inning, preventing a force play at second when Sandy Alomar Jr. hit a grounder to third base. With the Oakland Athletics’ Double-A Midland team in 2005, Ethier stole one base in five attempts while batting .319 in 131 games with 18 home runs and 80 RBI. The Texas League Player of the Year was acquired by the Dodgers last December 13 in a trade for outfielder Milton Bradley.

Joining an organization with more emphasis on the stolen base, Ethier has been working with Dodger baserunning instructor Maury Wills on taking a bigger lead at first base. Wills would rather have a runner get picked off at first base with a proper lead rather than get thrown out at second with too short of a lead. Another former Spring Training pupil of Wills’ was former non-roster outfielder Dave Roberts, who made the team coming out of Florida camp in 2002 and played 2 ½ seasons in Los Angeles.

Ethier will make the road trip tomorrow when the Dodgers face the Boston Red Sox at Fort Myers. The team bus leaves Dodgertown at 7 a.m.

Photo / AP

Dodgertown is now up to full capacity as our minor league camp started its third day of full squad workouts. Farm Director Terry Collins addressed the entire camp on Friday morning and outlined our objectives as an organization. Terry pointed out that not only did our minor league players receive national notice over the winter, six members of our minor league staff are now members of big league staffs. We replaced the coaches with such notable ex-major leaguers as Danny Darwin, Lance Parish, Bill Robinson, Richie Lewis and Mike Easler. Following Terry, Tommy Lasorda spoke for about 20 minutes. It was a fiery speech in which Tommy reminded the players of the Dodger tradition and the importance of giving it your all as only Tommy can. Owner Frank McCourt spoke yesterday and Ned Colletti talked to the players today. As I said, the activity here in Vero is at full blast and it is an exciting time.

Here are today’s lineups for the Orioles vs. Dodgers at Holman Stadium in Vero Beach:

BALTIMORE: Eric Bruntlett, 2B; Mike Lamb, 1B; Jason Lane, RF; Kevin Orie, 3B; Ben Zobrist, SS; Luke Scott, LF; Humberto Quintero, C; Raul Chavez, DH; Josh Anderson, CF. Starting pitcher – Taylor Buchholz.

LOS ANGELES: Tony Abreu, SS; Nomar Garciaparra, 1B; J.D. Drew, RF; Jeff Kent, 2B; Olmedo Saenz, DH; Bill Mueller, 3B; Matt Kemp, 3B; Andre Ethier, LF; Sandy Alomar Jr., C. Starting pitcher – Brett Tomko.

Mark Weidemaier looked relaxed on a quiet Saturday morning after the Dodgers arrived at the Washington Nationals spring training complex in Viera. Sitting in the dugout before batting practice, Weidemaier wore a Dodger uniform and held a fungo bat. In just a few minutes, Weidemaier would pitching a round of batting practice, following by hitting grounders to the infielders.

As the Special Assistant to the General Manager, Weidemaier knows what’s coming around the corner. "The marathon starts soon," he says, referring to his schedule as an advance scout, watching and monitoring future Dodger opponents while they play in other cities. "In 2004, from February 12 until October 10, I was home 14 days in eight months." An expert traveler, Weidemaier keeps three suitcases in Pittsburgh, Denver Chicago. He gives the bellman a tip and says, "I’ll be back."

Weidemaier had an extra assignment on Saturday during a 2-1 loss in 10 innings against the Nationals, marking the changes on the dugout lineup card while coach Rich Donnelly stayed behind due to the flu. Weidemaier will leave the Dodgers on March 14 and start scouting the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies.

… One of the most prolific collectors of Dodger memorabilia, Sal La Rocca, has been a visitor this week to Dodgertown and to Viera on Saturday. "Captain Sal" lives in Tennessee and was reviewing some of the recent errors in certain baseball card sets. For example, an Upper Deck card had Hall of Famer Billy Herman’s photo and a signature "cut" (attached signature from a paper product, such as a cancelled check or autograph book) by Babe Herman. Billy Herman was a Dodger infielder (1941-43, 1946) and Babe Herman was an outfielder (1926-31, 1945). The other mistake was a card of Dodger Hall of Famer Zack Wheat (1909-26) which had a photo of his younger brother Mack Wheat (1915-19), a backup catcher. "I should know it’s Mack Wheat," La Rocca said. "Because I have the original photo!"

… Saturday mornings in spring training mean another exhibiton game, but for players and coaches, chances are a younger relative has an early-season Little League game back in their hometown. Those 6 and 7 years of age and just learning the game might ask, "What’s a National?" when receiving their Washington uniform.

Opening Day ceremonies are fun, and taking the team photo is a great tradition. But sure enough, it won’t take long for a parent to start pacing the grounds or furiously puff on a cigarette, wondering why their seven-year-old "phenom" in a baggy Mets uniform is playing second base instead of first base instead of just sitting back and letting the kids play the game. It also might make anyone think twice before volunteering to coach a youth league team.

It’s one of the scenes most people could do without as the real spring training is conducted as the same time. Want to see a future major leaguer? Check out a minor league game or spring exhibition. Want to see a future doctor, lawyer, police officer, teacher or poet in action, stop by any Little League or youth softball field.

David Vincent, baseball historian and a member of the Society for American Baseball Research, is considered the leading expert on the home run in Major League Baseball, having compiled a computer data base of the more than 235,000 home runs hit since 1869.

When asked about youth league baseball on Saturday, Vincent noted the significant changes from the sport compared to kids growing up in the 1950s. "There is a change of talent level — it’s better organized, better fundamentals and better instructors. Kids who are 8-9 can do things that weren’t being done by older kids of previous generations. That’s not necessarily a good thing. There’s a certain amount of innocence lost and not having fun. And if you don’t do it right, you’re not going to play."

Vincent is currently making the final edits on his new book, "Home Run – The Definitive History of Baseball’s Ultimate Weapon," which will be released in March 2007.

… For those interested in Vincent’s research, check out retrosheet.org, a web site created and maintained by David Smith which features boxscores, play-by-play and career records of every Major Leaguer, past and present. It’s one of my favorite web sites and if you’re a fan of baseball history, you will bookmark this site.   

The message boards were chatting today about the new Dodger helmets and speculation that we’re changing uniforms, so I figured I’d clear that up a little bit for everyone.

The new helmets this year were a change made unilaterally by Major League Baseball this year, not the Dodgers, and to make sure everyone knows – we’re not changing the uniforms next year. The only difference will be what we’ve already announced: That we’ll be putting the names back on the backs of the jerseys in 2007. But, rest assured, the Dodger uniform isn’t going anywhere. No new color schemes or anything like that.

Now, it’s off to listen to Rick Monday and Jerry Reuss. I’m curious to hear how the former teammates sound together on the air…yesterday I thought Reuss and Russ Langer did a nice job. Hopefully Dodger fans are enjoying a little twist to the spring broadcasts.

Here are today’s Dodger lineup vs. Washington at Viera:

Jason Repko, RF; Dioner Navarro, C; Chris Truby, 1B; Joel Guzman, LF; Cody Ross, CF; James Loney, DH; Andy LaRoche, 3B; Oscar Robles, 2B; Ramon Martinez, SS. Starting pitcher – Aaron Sele.

Here are today’s lineups for the Detroit Tigers and Dodgers at Holman Stadium:

Detroit: Curtis Gunderson, CF; Don Kelly, SS; Carlos Pena, 1B; Alexis Gomez, RF; Kody Kirkland, 3B; Reggie Taylor, DH; Brent Clevlen, LF; Vance Wilson, C; Ramon Santiago, 2B. Starting pitcher – Jeremy Bonderman.

Dodgers: Oscar Robles, SS; Nomar Garciaparra, DH; J.D. Drew, RF; Matt Kemp, CF; Bill Mueller, 3B; James Loney, 1B; Delwyn Young, LF; Willy Aybar, 2B; Russell Martin, C. Starting pitcher – Brad Penny.