Dodgers : Belcher Figures He’s In

Not all young Dodger players are upset about the intense competition for roster spots and have trade-on-the-brain. You almost have to search the clubhouse these days, but a happy Dodger rookie was found here Saturday.

Tim Belcher, who believes he has earned a spot in the Dodgers’ starting rotation, pitched six impressive innings in a 7-2 win over the Houston Astros. He gave up one run and three hits, striking out six and walking two.

Although pitching coach Ron Perranoski has yet to break the good news to the rookie right-hander, Belcher has figured it out for himself and is preparing for the season accordingly.

“I guess I’ve been fighting it for a few days,” Belcher said. “But the way they’ve been using me, and the six quality innings today, tells me that I’m in. But they haven’t told me yet.

“I guess I really should wait before saying anything until they tell me. I should wait until they tell me to get on the bus for the start of the season. But I’m 100% more confident and more optimistic, because I’ve pitched good.”

After a few rough outings early, Belcher has easily beaten out Shawn Hillegas for the fifth starting spot. Belcher has whittled his earned-run average to 3.96 and, perhaps more impressively, walked only 3 batters in 25 innings.

Belcher is so confident, in fact, that he believes he will be the fourth pitcher in the starting rotation, ahead of Tim Leary, who has a team-low 1.25 earned-run average this spring. The Dodgers have two off-days in the first two weeks of the season, and Perranoski said the club likely will go with a four-man rotation during that time.

“I don’t know, but I think they might use me as the fourth guy early on,” Belcher said. “Leary’s pitched out of the bullpen before, so he’d be the logical choice. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

Relief pitcher Brian Holton, one of the not-so-happy Dodgers who is battling for a spot on the roster, let out his frustrations Saturday by throwing his glove into the dugout after a rocky seventh inning.

In the inning, Holton gave up a single to Rafael Ramirez, was called for a balk and then gave up another single to Steve Henderson. On that pitch, second base umpire Bob Davidson called another balk on Holton but, under the rules, the single counted. Ramirez didn’t know it, because he was caught between third base and the plate and was tagged out. Holton escaped the jam by forcing Ken Caminiti to ground into a double play.

Then, on the way to the dugout, he threw his glove.

“As soon as I did that, I felt immediately better,” Holton said.

Holton was effective in the eighth inning, retiring the side.

“Tommy told me before my second inning to just relax, throw my curveball and don’t worry about it,” Holton said. “I think it helped when I snapped today. I’ve been thinking a lot about my future, and I know that if they want me to go down (to triple-A), I’d ask for a trade. But I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that.”

At last count, 10 players on the 40-man roster have requested trades rather than trips to Albuquerque, N.M.

Fred Claire, the Dodgers’ executive vice president, probably will make his first cuts today, which accounted for the renewed tension in the clubhouse.

In the top of the ninth inning Saturday, three players on the border got in one last swing before the first cut. Craig Shipley and Jeff Hamilton both singled and were driven in by Ralph Bryant’s double.

“I don’t know what I’ve got to do to get noticed,” said Shipley, hitting .588 this spring. “It’s getting to the point where it’s not even a little funny anymore.”

Hamilton took ground balls at shortstop before Saturday’s game, fueling speculation that he will stay with the club as a utility infielder and that Mariano Duncan (hitting .100) will be sent to the minors.

Hamilton balked at that role Friday but apparently changed his mind overnight.

“I just want one role,” he said. “Keep me in one place the whole season. Either Albuquerque or here. Don’t change your mind after a month.”

Dodger Notes

Jesse Orosco, the club’s left-handed short reliever, gave up one run on three hits in one inning Saturday. Orosco was one out away from ending the game before the Astros began their rally. “I feel great, and I just want to get my work in to get ready for the season,” Orosco said. . . . Jay Howell, the Dodgers right-handed short reliever, apparently was sore following his two innings of work Thursday and did not pitch Saturday. Howell had said he hoped to pitch every other day until the start of the season. . . . The Dodgers said Alejandro Pena, who has not pitched for more than a week because of a strained groin, threw on the side Saturday. . . . Kirk Gibson struck out twice and had an infield single Saturday, but Manager Tom Lasorda was most impressed by his base-running in the fourth inning. Gibson slid hard into Astros second baseman Bill Doran to break up a potential double play. Afterward, Lasorda berated reporters for not making special notice and asking him about the play, which Gibson called routine. . . . Brian Holton’s balk Saturday was the Dodgers’ 12th in 25 games this spring. During the 1987 season, the Dodgers had only 18 balks. . . . Von Joshua, who had been the hitting coach of the Dodgers’ double-A team in San Antonio, has been promoted to the triple-A job at Albuquerque.