Gott Bails Out Dodgers Again

Jim Gott still wouldn’t call himself the Dodgers’ closer after he earned his 22nd save Sunday during a 4-2 victory over the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium.

Gott, not the stopper, needs six more saves to tie Jay Howell’s club record for saves in a season, but this is all nonsense since he is a setup man to Todd Worrell, to whom the Dodgers are paying $9.5 million over three years.

Gott had to bail out Worrell again after the first two Padres reached base on hits in the ninth and brought the potential tying run to the plate.

Gott’s effort saved the victory for starter Pedro Astacio (9-7).

Gott, who disposed of the Padres in short order, refuses to exacerbate a sensitive situation involving Worrell, the high-priced reliever who has not earned his keep as he tries to work his way back from arm troubles.

“Yes, I have stepped forward,” Gott said. “I’ve talked about being a Kelly Girl. I don’t think I have the heart to say I’m the stopper. It creates negative tension. That’s not being a team player.”

Gott danced around the subject, navigating the slippery slope of truth versus diplomacy.

It wasn’t the time for bragging.

The Dodgers had just finished up a forgettable 3-7 home stand, softened only by consecutive victories that moved them to one game over .500.

Gott, 34, understands team dynamics.

He also understands facts.

“When he (Worrell) is ready to go, the ball is his,” Gott said. “It’s not whether I agree or not, it’s not my decision.”

Gott, too, understands Worrell’s pain as he struggles to return to form. Gott has walked in those shoes, having missed the 1989 season because of elbow surgery after posting a 34-save season with Pittsburgh the year before.

“I empathize for the plight of the injured players,” Gott said.

Baseball is a team game, he went on. Everyone can’t play the same role. The roles of middle relief and setup man are important. Everyone must adapt.

Sunday’s game proved that point.

Wanting to give Eric Karros the day off, the Dodgers asked Tim Wallach to play first base. While playing in Montreal, Wallach balked when asked to move from third to first.

Now, in the twilight of his career, Wallach did not hesitate. “They (The Dodgers) asked me if I wanted to play first base,” Wallach said. “Over there (Montreal), they told me I was playing first base.”

Wallach responded with three dazzling defensive plays and a sixth-inning home run, his 11th, after Padre first baseman Guillermo Velasquez gave him a second chance by dropping a foul pop-up.

Wallach’s home run gave the Dodgers a 4-1 lead. They scored a single run in the first off Padre starter and eventual loser Andy Ashby (1-7) on Jose Offerman’s run-scoring single and added two more in the third on Cory Snyder’s bases-loaded single.

Astacio took a 3-0 lead into the sixth before getting into trouble, giving up a double to right by Jeff Gardner, an infield single by Ricky Gutierrez and a run-scoring base hit to left by Tony Gwynn.

Henry Rodriguez’s fielding error on the play allowed the runners to move to second and third.

Then came a key pitching moment that would get lost in the drama of Worrell’s later struggles and Gott’s 22nd save.

With the potential tying run at second and none out, Pedro Martinez replaced Astacio and retired the side on a lineout to Wallach, who made a leaping grab of Phil Plantier’s drive, a strikeout and an inning-ending fly-ball out.

Worrell replaced Martinez with a runner on and no one out in the eighth and escaped unscathed before faltering in the ninth.

“He’s had a very, very tough season,” Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said of Worrell.

Luckily, the Dodgers have Gott.

After some media prodding, Gott finally admitted it won’t be easy giving up the closer’s role.

“I love the role,” he said, surrendering to the questioning. “I’ll be very disappointed next year when Todd comes back and gets 30 saves.”