He’s Still a Pariah in the Clubhouse

Matt Herges dresses each day in the Dodger clubhouse, wears a Dodger uniform, even pitches in Dodger spring-training games.

Yet, because of a decision he made two years ago, instead of feeling like a Dodger, there are times he feels like an outcast.

It may have been two years since Herges agreed to become a strike-replacement player, but the Dodger players have not forgotten. The reminder sits in one of the lockers in the clubhouse: providing a list of all replacement players in spring-training camps.

Herges, pitcher Petie Roach and infielder Ron Mauer are the only remaining players from the Dodgers’ 1995 replacement team in camp. Herges is the lone man on the 40-man roster.

“I know they’re aware of it,” said Herges, “because guys have talked about it. But they’ve been pretty good for the most part.

“I really thought I would be smoked, but there are only a few guys who will ignore me. I’ll stop and say, ‘Hi,’ and they won’t even look my way. That hurts, to be honest.”

Herges, 26, who used his $10,000 replacement bonus to buy his first car--a pick-up truck--still is not part of the players association. He receives no licensing money. He is excluded from the pension plan. When Don Fehr, executive director of the players’ association, meets with the Dodgers on March 17, Herges is expected to be banned from the meeting.

“You know, if I had to do it all over again,” he said, “I’d still do the same thing. I don’t regret it at all.

“You’ve got to understand, I thought I was on my way out of baseball. The only reason I even did it was to open up some eyes in the organization, and that’s what happened. I got to pitch in front of the big-league coaches.

“If I didn’t do it, I don’t think I’d be here today.”

Herges, who gave up two runs in the Dodgers’ 10-1 defeat by the Atlanta Braves at Holman Stadium on Sunday, is expected to be a starting pitcher at triple-A Albuquerque this season.

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Dodger center fielder Brett Butler was elated Sunday morning when he stepped on the scale and weighed 158 pounds--a gain of five pounds since coming to camp.

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Dodger catcher Mike Piazza suffered a bruised left wrist and left the game in the third inning after being hit by Hideo Nomo’s wild pitch. He is expected to play Tuesday. . . . Dodger closer Todd Worrell gave up four runs, including three homers in the seventh inning. He has a 21.00 earned-run average in three games. . . . Dodger starter Nomo gave up four runs in three innings. . . . The Braves said they are strongly considering sending World Series star Andruw Jones to the minors and keeping right fielder David Justice and first baseman Fred McGriff.