But Torre feels with more than a month before the Dodgers open the season in San Diego on April 6, there is still plenty of time for a solid No. 5 to emerge.

Torre and pitching coach Rick Honeycutt won't stretch pitchers any further than two innings during a second five-game turn in the rotation, given the extended length of this spring training. Torre will observe the group, and said that one bad outing won't cloud the process.

Two prime candidates, Eric Milton and Claudio Vargas, each tossed a pair of scoreless innings in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the White Sox. Just as fellow candidates Shawn Estes, Jason Schmidt and Jeff Weaver, they are big league starters who have been sidetracked by either injuries or on-mound struggles.

"Right now, Milton's been good, Vargas has been good, and they're definitely in the hunt for this thing," Torre said. "I don't have a guy we're looking at most right now. We're taking all the information and we're digesting it. We have time to see these guys pitch and stretch them out some, and they have time to show where they are.

"Right now, I'm taking a long look at the pitchers because I think that's where a lot of decisions will be."

Weaver threw his second scoreless inning of the spring against Milwaukee in a B game Monday morning. Estes was hit hard (seven runs - five earned - in 1 1-3 innings) in his first outing, against the Mariners on Friday.

Both Tanyon Sturtze and Ramon Troncoso have had their struggles. Troncoso walked two of the three batters he faced Sunday, and Torre said he's more likely a bullpen candidate at best as he works to get his control issues resolved.

Milton, who hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2007 and is coming back from Tommy John surgery, has thrown 3 2-3 scoreless innings so far after retiring six of the eight batters he faced Sunday. But he knows games in February and early March won't mean much without a strong finish.

"I'm encouraged so far because I have been away for a while, but there is a lot of competition and a lot of veteran arms on this team," Milton said. "We have a long month of March and a lot of baseball to go, so finding a comfort zone isn't as easy."

Schmidt, who like Milton has been sidelined for nearly two years, is on a slower track and has been limited to one-inning stints in more controlled conditions (intrasquad and B games) so far. After an inconsistent outing Friday, his next scheduled bullpen session was pushed back a day but Torre said he's fine.

"He's not backing off at all," Torre said. "It's not based on how he feels."

Notes: Top Dodgers prospect Ivan DeJesus Jr. broke his right leg sliding into home plate during a B game against the Milwaukee Brewers Monday. DeJesus, the organization's minor league player of the year for 2008, was taken off the field on a cart and X-rays revealed he had a broken lower tibia. The 21-year-old son of former major league shortstop Ivan DeJesus was taken to a hospital and will remain there overnight while a decision is made whether he needs surgery on the leg. Torre said the shortstop is likely done for the season.