Daily Dodger in Review: Drew Butera provides the expected

DREW BUTERA, 31, catcher.

Final 2014 stats: Hit .188 with three home runs and 14 RBIs with .267 on-base and .288 slugging percentages in 192 plate appearances. Threw out 11 of 34 base-stealers (32 percent).

Contract status: Has been offered arbitration.

The good: Not a whole lot here offensively. Hit .232 on the road. When starting catcher A.J. Ellis went on the disabled list following knee surgery, Butera batted a respectable .235 as the primary catcher. He actually tied Ellis for the team-high in home runs by a catcher, such as it was. Mostly very good behind the plate, which is the main reason he was here. Caught Josh Beckett’s May 25 no-hitter vs. Phillies.

Also made a memorable relief appearance May 14 in 13-3 blowout loss to Marlins, pitching a scoreless inning that included a strikeout of Marcell Ozuna.

The bad: As weak as his first half was with the bat (.207/.285/.306), he fell off in the second half (.143/.222/.245). Had nine passed balls. Also gave up a pair of runs in his second relief appearance.

What’s next: He’s out of options, so should return as backup catcher.

The take: It’s hard to be disappointed in what Butera gave the Dodgers in 2014. He actually hit seven points higher than his career average (.181). And he was never put on the 25-man for his bat.

It appears the Dodgers want him back after offering him arbitration Tuesday, but since he only figures to sign for around $900,000, it’s not like it would be a deathly expensive gamble to designate him for assignment should the Dodgers find a more offensive-minded catcher.

The new management regime is not opposed to platooning catchers, so all things are possible. Still, they’re not going to be too locked into a .181-hitting catcher should something more interesting come along.