Butler Will Be in Lineup When Ready

If Brett Butler informs the Dodgers that he’s ready to play Friday, Manager Bill Russell said that he won’t waste any time and will put him in the starting lineup that night against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium.

“When he tells me he’s OK, he’s in there,” Russell said. “He’s right on schedule, but he’ll be the first one to tell us whether he can help us. If he couldn’t help us, he wouldn’t want to be out there.

“But I think he’ll be just fine.”

Butler, who has not played since May 1, undergoing two surgeries for cancer, has worked out with the Dodgers since Tuesday. He is eligible to be activated at any time because of the expanded rosters, but said that he doesn’t anticipate being ready until Friday.

“I can’t tell you whether he can play nine innings, or has to play five or six innings and come out,” Russell said. “But he’ll be out there.”

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The Martinez family carved another niche in history with the call-up of Dodger left-hander Jesus Martinez. He joins his brothers Ramon of the Dodgers and Pedro of the Montreal Expos as the first family since the Alou family in 1974 to have three brothers--Felipe, Matty and Jesus--in the major leagues at the same time.

Yet, after watching his two older brothers pitch against each other Thursday, he is convinced that he would never want to face one of them.

“It was kind of sad,” Jesus said. “I know I wouldn’t want to do it. It’s like a dream come true being here, but I would never want to pitch against one of my brothers. I hope they don’t do it again, either.”

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Utilityman Chad Fonville still doesn’t like the idea that he was left off the playoff roster, but he was back with the Dodgers again Sunday with seven other call-ups, and hopes to be the Dodgers’ everyday second baseman or center fielder next season.

Fonville started at shortstop during most of his stay in triple-A Albuquerque, but was moved to second base the last 1 1/2 weeks, and was told that he’ll be playing second base and center field in the Dominican Republic this winter.

“It was tough man,” said Fonville, who batted .240 in 24 games at Albuquerque. “I struggled at first because I was thinking of what happened. Every team I played, people are asking, ‘What are you doing here?’ But I just started to have fun, and at least I was playing every day.”