Dodgers Jason Schmidt Abandons 98-mph Fastball

Dodgers hurler Jason Schmidt -- trying to come back from a torn labrum and other shoulder injuries -- has conceded he will no longer be able to throw his trademark 98-mph fastball, but said he can still be effective throwing in the 80s.

Readying for an outing against the White Sox on Friday, Schmidt needed only 11 pitches to retire teammates Juan Pierre, Mark Loretta and Matt Kemp during a recent intrasquad workout, though he gave up an infield hit to Casey Blake. Nine of his pitches went for strikes.

Schmidt's fastball was not clocked, but it appears as though he has lost at least 10 mph in velocity, and he indicated he has given up hope of ever being a hard thrower again.

"I just have to get it around the plate and get them to hit it on the ground," he told the Los Angeles Times at Camelback Ranch camp near Phoenix. "...I know I can do it."

The session was his first since a rehabilitative start in August. Schmidt has thrown fewer than 26 innings since signing a $47 million contract tmore than wo years ago. This is the final year of the pact.

Dodgers Jason Schmidt Suddenly Feels Pain Free

You can't exactly expect him to be in the Dodgers rotation by opening day, but former ace Jason Schmidt reports a significant breakthrough at camp in Vero Beach, Fla., a new sensation just two weeks ago of having escaped the soreness that dogged him all last year, and had been exacerbated following shoulder surgery.

Schmidt -- who went 1-4 with an uncharacteristic 6.31 ERA in his truncated 2007 season -- recently told MLB.com that his soreness vanished "literally overnight."

"I'm starting to see a light at the end of the road where all the work is starting to pay off," Schmidt said. "It was nice leaving for Spring Training with a lot of the stuff resolved, physically and mentally."

The Dodgers have put no timetable on Schmidt's return, but expect the $15 million-a-year hurler to try to give the team its money's worth as soon as he once again can throw with velocity and control.

Sometime in May or June would be as good a guess as any, but there's potential Schmidt could come back earlier, considering his competitive nature. Should he win the No. 5 spot in the rotation, he would not be needed until April 18. Schmidt likely would be given a relatively light workload for some time, and is a long way from becoming a 200-inning pitcher again.