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Shawn Green's shoulder doesn't affect his bat and he says he'll be ready for Opening Day. (Jon SooHoo/Dodgers)

Brown, who until Friday hadn't thrown off a mound since Sept. 10, threw off a mound for the second consecutive day Saturday. He made 27 pitches again in the strings area, throwing fastballs and splitters.

After a thoroughly impressive workout on Friday, he appeared tentative in the early stages Saturday, but seemed to gain confidence midway through and at the end was throwing better than on Friday.

"He finished up real good," said minor league manager Travis Barbary, who caught Brown both days. "His last five or 10 had even better velocity than yesterday. In the beginning today, he said he just wanted to make sure everything was OK. But I thought it went real good, especially being the second straight day."

Brown, coming off back and elbow operations, reported to camp on Monday, missing the first five days of workouts for pitchers.

Physical Fitness: Darren Dreifort had his most impressive workout since undergoing elbow reconstruction for the second time 19 months ago and knee surgery last summer. Dreifort made 32 pitches to a catcher with no batter, then 33 pitches to live hitters, including Brian Jordan, Shawn Green and Daryle Ward.

Darren Dreifort   /   P
	Height: 6'2" Weight: 205 Bats/Throws: R/R More info: Player page Stats Splits Dodgers site

"He was awesome," said catcher Todd Hundley. "He doesn't look like a guy rehabbing. He looks 100 percent. He used everything."

Shawn Green said he is confident he will be ready to play spring games "on time" despite tendinitis in his left shoulder for the second spring. A December MRI ruled out any structural damage in the shoulder, which kept Green from playing defense in the first eight spring games last year.

He said he recognized there was a problem this past offseason sooner than he did a year ago, so he is ahead of last year's rehab schedule.

Manager Jim Tracy said he was not worried about whether Green is ready for the exhibition season, which begins on Thursday.

"I don't consider him to be a guy I rush out there the first day anyway," said Tracy. "The main thing is getting him ready to play March 31. It's not about making sure he's ready for the Detroit Tigers Feb. 27."

Shawn Green   /   RF
	Height: 6'4" Weight: 200 Bats/Throws: L/L More info: Player page Stats Splits Hit chart Dodgers site

Green reiterated that the shoulder does not bother him hitting, and he proved it by peppering the new administration building and clubhouse beyond the right-field fence during batting practice at Holman Stadium. One moon-shot actually cleared the building.

"It's a good target," he said.

Green, who is on the cover of the PlayStation 2 video game "Major League Baseball 2004," joked that he's trying to break some windows in the second floor executive offices. The windows are said to be shatterproof.

Andy Ashby reported continued improvement from the sprained back he suffered trying to evade an errant pitch in a batting cage. If he feels fine on Sunday, he might throw to a catcher or off a mound.

Reliever Giovanni Carrara was held out of workouts again because of a tender calf muscle, but reported improvement.

Doctors have chosen Thursday for left-hander Derek Thompson to undergo a Tommy John elbow reconstruction in Los Angeles. The Rule 5 acquisition tore the medial collateral ligament earlier in the week.

Skipper speaks: "When I got the job, there was chaos, no cohesion, there was selfishness and disunity. I'd be offended if I heard words like that right now." -- Jim Tracy.

How's the weather? It was 87 degrees and windy in Vero Beach on Saturday. The forecast for Sunday is 71 degrees and morning thunderstorms.

Around the horn: Each spring, options come into play as clubs make roster decisions. Players who are out of options are more likely to win closely contested jobs because the club would risk losing that player through waivers if it attempts to send him to the minor leagues.

The Dodgers that are out of options and currently competing for jobs are relief pitchers Giovanni Carrara and Guillermo Mota, outfielder Chad Hermansen and utilitymen Mike Kinkade and Jolbert Cabrera. Hermansen is rehabilitating a surgically repaired shoulder and could wind up on the disabled list.

Toasting Davey: Manager Jim Tracy traveled to Winter Park after Saturday's practice to serve as guest speaker in a black-tie event honoring his predecessor, Davey Johnson, who will receive the Alfond Achievement Award from the Rollins College Department of Athletics for his excellence in sports.

Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This article was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.