Prince Ascends to Big Leagues

A home-plate collision last June not only kept catcher Tom Prince from being with the Dodgers the entire season, but nearly ruined his career.

But Prince has performed so well in spring training that he has emerged as the leading candidate to become Mike Piazza’s backup catcher.

Prince is batting .250 with one homer and three runs batted in. And considering that Carlos Hernandez has just begun playing after sitting out because of a sprained knee, the decision has become rather simple.

The Dodgers plan to keep Prince and hope to trade Hernandez.

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Hideo Nomo, who yielded seven hits and seven runs in his last start against the New York Mets, was back in form Monday in the Dodgers’ 3-1 exhibition victory over the Florida Marlins. Nomo gave up three hits and one run in five innings.

Infielder Mike Busch appears to have secured his spot on the team by hitting a game-winning, two-run, pinch-hit homer in the seventh inning. Busch is hitting .346 with four home runs.

The starting rotation tentatively is set: Ramon Martinez will be the opening-day starter, probably to be followed by Nomo, Ismael Valdes, Tom Candiotti and Pedro Astacio.