Dodgers Get Easy Levels Out Of The Way

The Dodgers agreed to terms with Jason Repko (one-year contract, reportedly worth a cool half-million), resolving the first of nine pending arbritration cases about which the club will have to deal: The upcoming season figures to provide Repko, a supplemental first-round draft choice 11 years ago, with his best chance yet of finally reaching the major leagues and staying there. The Dodgers traded veteran Juan Pierre, their only backup outfielder, to the Chicago White Sox last month. For now, that leaves Repko to compete with the less-experienced Xavier Paul and two non-roster invitees, 30-something journeymen Prentice Redman and Michael Restovich, for one and possibly two backup spots. [...] Thus far, Repko's professional road has been a rocky one. To date, he has a grand total of 478 big league plate appearances, with just 27 of those coming over the past three seasons. After a promising rookie campaign in 2005, he was out for more than two months of 2006 with a severely spra...