The Dodgers plan to name their starting second baseman when the team reunites after the Taiwan trip, manager Joe Torre told reporters today — and Blake DeWitt is closer to winning the job.

Rockies at Dodgers, 12:05 p.m.
Today's Lineup

Rafael Furcal, SS Matt Kemp, CF Andre Ethier, RF Manny Ramirez, DH Ronnie Belliard, 3B Blake DeWitt, 2B Xavier Paul, LF Brad Ausmus, C (Hiroki Kuroda, P)

"Blake's doing a good job," Torre said. "I haven't seen enough defensively, offensively I see what you see. He's special, he played winter ball, he's done so much in a short time here. He's a big league player."

While in Taiwan, Torre will stay in communication with top lieutenant Don Mattingly and the other Dodger coaches for reports on what's happening Stateside.

Other notes:

• Casey Blake is expected to return to action Wednesday.
• The starting pitchers on the Taiwan trip will be Eric Stults, Josh Towers and Charlie Haeger.
• Torre plans for relievers Jonathan Broxton, George Sherrill and Hong-Chih Kuo to get "eight or nine innings" of game work before the season.
• Torre on James Loney: "He needs to be more familiar with what he can do offensively. He pretty much reinvented himself in the second half last year and it paid off. Eventually I think he can hit 20 home runs."
• While Loney is in Taiwan, Garret Anderson will play some first base in Arizona.