Secretariat

The early camp buzz has centered around Dioner Navarro, the Dodgers’ reward in the big trade for Randy Johnson that dealt outfielder Shawn Green.  Tracy has said that he sees the former Yankees minor leaguer as a franchise player.  Navarro’s coronation at home plate seems more of a when than an “if.”

Navarro, who has gone on the record as saying he will prove to Tracy that he’s ready for the job, has the huevos to be a major leaguer.  When asked when he first played baseball, he said: “When I was four.”  When asked when he first knew he was going to be a major leaguer, he smiled. “When I was four.”

Sources say that Navarro’s question marks coming into camp center around his ability to manage a major league pitching staff and his hitting against major league pitching.  Height would be a factor without the Tracy blessing. 

Consensus opinion of folks from the front office is that, barring a spectacular Spring, Navarro will find himself a 51, not leaving Las Vegas for at least half of the season.

Back By A Furlong But Gaining

Invitee catcher Mike Rose was named to the 2004 All-PCL (Pacific Coast League) roster playing for the Sacramento RiverCats last season.  He batted .294 (96-for-326) with six home runs and 49 RBIs in 101 games with the River Cats. Stats that caught the Dodgers’ eyes were his 73 BBs, fourth in the PCL and a sixth place on-base percentage of .421.

Rose was a 5th round pick of the Houston Astros in 1995. He has played for Houston in the Florida State League, Boston in the Eastern League, the Omaha Royals,  the Tucson Sidewinders, and the RiverCats in the AAA Pacific Coast League.  The RiverCats also named him the most improved player last year.

His biggest frustration is a lack of day-to-day consistent playing time to show what he can do.  “They [clubs] sign a big dollar prospect...In catching, you split time with somebody and the club doesn’t have the big money invested in you.  Sometimes I’ll play, and I’ll come to the ballpark the next day and not have any idea when my next start will be.”

He wants to show the club his natural sense of “urgency and intensity.”

The Inside Trackers

Martin Russell and David Ross, last year’s No. 2, who had a middling season in 2004 are competing for the job. Ross is the odds-on-favorite to land the no. 2 spot on the major league club.

 

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