GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Los Angeles Dodgers need Andre Ethier to be healthy and productive this year to take some of the offensive burden off of Matt Kemp.
So far, so good. Ethier appears ready to go after surgery on his left knee late last season.
After hitting .311 in the first half and being picked as an All-Star injury replacement, Ethier struggled late. He ended up hitting .292 with 11 homers (tying a career low) and 62 RBIs and had surgery in September.
Ethier avoided arbitration this winter, agreeing to a $10.95 million contract for 2012. He will be a free agent after the season. Ethier, who turns 30 in April, reported to camp Saturday and offered little insight into his contract situation or his future.
"I can't say anything about any of that. All I know is what is happening right now in front of me," he said. "I'm here, playing for today."
General manager Ned Colletti said he believes there's a realistic chance Ethier could return, though.
"That's going to be up to far more people than me," Colletti said. "But if you're asking me, yes."
Manager Don Mattingly seems likely to insert the right-fielder in the cleanup spot, behind Kemp, at least against right-handers. But he could move Ethier around against lefties because he hit only .220 against them last year.
"There have been times where he doesn't hit lefties as well," Mattingly said. "I really think that's not something that should be that way. I think he should hit `em."
Ethier could hit fifth or sixth, maybe even second at times.
"Anywhere in there I think he fits," said Mattingly, who hasn't' discussed it much with Ethier. "Dre's fine."
"The biggest thing is he's healthy," Mattingly said.
NOTES: Monday was the mandatory reporting date for position players. The Dodgers will stage their first full-squad workout on Tuesday. ... Colletti attended the Academy Awards on Sunday night thanks to his friendship with the head of the motion-picture academy. After cameras caught him in the audience a couple of times, he got about 70 text messages. "It was amazing. I've been to a number of World Series, a couple of Super Bowls ... you look at the preparation and the organization of something like that, which I do, to put this event on, it's magnificent how they do it." Colletti gave two thumbs-up to "Moneyball" as a realistic portrayal of the baseball business.
