Mike Davis sits down with Jim Tracy in the dugout at Vero Beach.

Mike Davis: Hi, Jim. Nice to meet you. I'm Mike Davis. I'm here to interview you for Dodger Blues.

Jim Tracy: You look like you're pretty athletic. Have you ever thought about playing major league baseball? We might need somebody at first base by the end of April.

MD: I'm more of an outfielder.

JT: Oh, I get it. You want to play centerfield, too. Get in line, pal.

MD: I've already played. I won a World Series with the Dodgers in 1988. I actually remember the last great Dodger moment.

JT: Yeah, yeah, I know. That stupid website reminds everybody of when the last great Dodger moment was.

MD: No, I was on base when Gibson hit that home run.

JT: Okay, big deal. You want to get started on this? I have ten minutes until our pizzas get here and it's my turn to distract Wilson Alvarez so he doesn't attack the delivery kid.

MD: What's the most significant change the club has made for the 2005 season?

JT: What is the most significant change the club has made for the 2005 season? The addition of Scott Erickson as our number one starter. Will he be able to keep the number one job? I don't know. Is Jeff Weaver upset that he's not the number one guy anymore? Probably.

MD: You just took two my two follow up questions.

JT: Did I mean to take your follow up questions? No. Am I upset that I did? No. Will I try not to do it in the future? Well, only time will tell.

MD: The Dodgers' starting pitching was strong throughout last season and then faltered in the playoffs. What have you done to improve this?

JT: What have I done to improve this? We went out and signed Derek Lowe to an absurd amount of money. Should some of that money have been saved to pay me and my coaching staff a little more? Yes. Am I upset that we got low-balled by the organization? Yes. Does it mean I won't continue to manage to the best of my abilities? No.

MD: Is Odalis Perez still upset at the lack of run-support he got last year?

JT: Is Odalis still upset at the lack of run-support he got last season? I imagine so, but he hasn't brought it up thus far this spring. Is the addition of Derek Lowe going to take pressure off of Weaver, Perez and Penny? I hope so. Is Penny's arm where it needs to be? I can't answer that.

MD: Good, because I didn't ask that. Who is looking good in camp this spring?

JT: Who is looking good in camp this spring? To be honest, I don't know. Why? Because I haven't been paying much attention because it doesn't matter what the players do. I made up my mind last October about who will be in the lineup this April. Besides, there are no names on the backs of these jerseys, I have no idea who I'm looking at anyway.

MD: What's left for Jim Tracy to do today?

JT: What's left for Jim Tracy to do today? First I'm going to have a meeting with Milton Bradley to tell him that he's our center fielder. Then I'm going to have the same meeting with J.D. Drew. The again with Jayson Werth. Why? Because I'm the manager and I can do stuff like that. Then the team is going to visit Dreifort at the old folk's home. Why is he at an old folks home? Because he's a very feeble man who needs his food chewed up for him so he doesn't bite his tongue.

MD: Good luck this season.

JT: Do I need good luck this season? No. Would I mind having it anyway? Not at all. Can I pin the Dodgers' season on good luck? I cannot do that.

MD: Okay, man. Don't you have to go distract Wilson Alvarez?

JT: Do I have to distract Wilson Alvarez? No. Did I volunteer to distract Wilson Alvarez for the sake of my players? Yes. Do I expect to do this every meal time? Not on your life cause that Alvarez guy eats constantly. Do you have anymore questions for me?

MD: I'll let you answer that. I'm going to get some pizza.