Maza, Cabrera finally share their bond in a major way
DETROIT -- When Luis Maza got his first call-up to the big leagues last month, one of the first phone calls he received was from Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera.
Maza and Cabrera talk two or three times a week, but it wasn’t until Friday at Comerica Field that they saw each other at a major league ballpark for the first time.
Maza, the Dodgers’ 27-year old utility infielder, said he was 17 when he met Cabrera in their native Venezuela. Cabrera was 15. They were in the town of Bejuma working out for major league scouts, with Cabrera playing shortstop and Maza second.
Maza later signed with the Minnesota Twins and Cabrera with the Florida Marlins.
“He could always hit,” Maza said of Cabrera, who was traded to the Tigers in December and signed to an eight-year, $153.3 million contract extension.
Maza and Cabrera have played on the same winter ball team in Venezuela for the last three years.
“I eat at his house all the time,” Maza said.
Pierre back in center
With Andruw Jones recovering from knee surgery and Matt Kemp suspended, Juan Pierre started in center field for the second consecutive game.
“It’s kind of like riding the bike,” said Pierre, who started 160 games at the position last season.
Pierre said that when he heard Kemp could be suspended for his fight with Colorado Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba last week, he started shagging balls in center.
Kemp finished serving his two-game suspension Friday and is expected back in the lineup today.
Date set for Nomar return
Nomar Garciaparra told Manager Joe Torre that he thinks he will be able to start a rehab assignment on Tuesday with triple-A Las Vegas. Torre cautioned that Garciaparra hasn’t run much and that he will have to do so in the next few days for the club to feel comfortable enough to start playing him in games.
Garciaparra is eligible to be activated from the 60-day disabled list June 25.
Schmidt set back
Plans for Jason Schmidt to make a minor league rehab start before the Dodgers end their trip on Thursday had to be scrapped because of stiffness in the right-hander’s throwing shoulder.
Schmidt’s last rehab start was May 31. Schmidt suffered a bruised calf in that game, which bought him an extra 30 days to rehab in the minors. The clock would start whenever Schmidt pitches next.
No more third for Martin
With Andy LaRoche on the major-league roster, Torre has both a right-handed and left-handed hitting third baseman available to him, meaning catcher Russell Martin will no longer be playing the position on days the Dodgers face a left-handed pitcher.
LaRoche was in the lineup Friday in place of Blake DeWitt, still considered by Torre to be the team’s starting third baseman.
Torre said LaRoche would start at third again Sunday against left-hander Nate Robertson.
Torre on instant replay
Torre didn’t object to the news that baseball officials want to implement instant replay to determine whether potential home run balls clear outfield walls or are fair or foul.
The news was reported by USA Today on its website.
“I think that’s fine,” Torre said. “The umpires are going to talk among themselves anyway. They might as well get what they’re seeing upstairs.”
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