PHOENIX -- The Dodgers, despite a payroll approaching $100 million, could have as many as five non-roster players make the 25-man Opening Day roster, which hasn't happened in more than 20 years.

The way manager Joe Torre is talking, pitchers Jeff Weaver, Tanyon Sturtze and either Erick Threets or Brian Mazone and infielders Doug Mientkiewicz and Juan Castro are alive in competition for jobs as Spring Training winds down. Three of them -- Weaver, Sturtze and Mientkiewicz -- played for Torre with the Yankees.

If Mientkiewicz and Castro make the team, Blake DeWitt probably doesn't. Torre said, based on a staff meeting Friday, internal opinions vary on what to do with DeWitt, who became a regular last year at third base, then at second, but has been displaced by the signing of second baseman Orlando Hudson.

"It's not easy for a young kid to ask him to swing off the bench," Torre said. "He's not someone who would use that as an excuse. In our meeting yesterday, nothing was resolved. We have not made a decision involving him. He's certainly in the mix."

Torre said part of the decision with DeWitt rests on projecting his playing time in the Major Leagues and whether his development would be better served playing daily at Triple-A. Keeping Castro -- or Chin-lung Hu -- would be a vote for a middle infield defensive specialist, particularly with middle infielders Hudson and Rafael Furcal coming off serious injuries. Although Mark Loretta also can play the middle infield, he is viewed more as a late-inning pinch-hitter.

After Hudson was signed, DeWitt spent time at shortstop to see if he could handle the position. He hasn't been seen there in more than two weeks, although Torre said he's comfortable enough with DeWitt at the position "not on a regular basis, but for two or three days." Keeping Mientkiewicz and DeWitt would mean neither Castro, a defensive specialist, nor Hu, would make the club.

Weaver has had a job to lose almost from the start of camp as the long, multiple-innings swingman. Earlier this week, Torre said Mientkiewicz's original long-shot chances for a bench role had greatly improved with his "grinder" performance as a left-handed bat off the bench and backup first baseman.

On Saturday, Torre compared Sturtze's improving chances to Mientkiewicz in that he came to camp almost as an afterthought to win a job but now is making a strong bid. Saying his troubled shoulder feels better than it has in five years and with his velocity up, Sturtze has been used primarily to escape jams, brought in during an inning with runners on base. It's a job best suited for a fearless veteran and most of the pitchers the Dodgers have in camp are young.

"He's looked good. We have to figure out what he is," Torre said. "He's had physical problems. We have to find out, warm him up once and bring him in. This year compared to last year, his splitter is so much better. If he has the equipment, I trust him as much as anybody. Pressure makes him better."

Torre's comments came before Saturday's game, in which Sturtze allowed two runs in one inning. Torre said the pitcher would be tested in back-to-back games next week.

After Saturday's optioning of Scott Elbert to Triple-A, Threets and Mazone are under consideration for the second left-handed relief role after Hong-Chih Kuo. Mazone is the career Minor Leaguer having the spring of his life, while Threets has the smoking fastball that catches the eye and seems to have the edge.

"Threets is intriguing for us," Torre said. "His strike-to-ball ratio has been really good after his third appearance. He's attacking the strike zone. That's important when he's put in that position to put people away."

All of this assumes the Dodgers carry 12 pitchers, only four outfielders and that Delwyn Young, who is out of options, opens the season on the disabled list with a right elbow injury. Young recently had a cortisone injection in the surgically repaired joint.

Fifth-starter candidate Claudio Vargas, was waiting to see team Dr. Neal ElAttrache before resuming playing catch after developing right elbow soreness. Torre said Jason Schmidt will pitch in a Minor League game Sunday.

Torre said Casey Blake was out a second day after the birth of his son, but was expected back Sunday.