Dodgers Get Rigged Victory

They embraced and chatted briefly Wednesday, sharing the moment. Then they smiled and laughed the way old friends do at reunions.

And then they got back to work, because the San Francisco Giants are still out there.

A big hug from longtime friend Brett Butler helped welcome Otis Nixon, the newest Dodger, to the team. But time, and a division race, didn’t allow for too much reminiscing.

Nixon and Butler are together again, just as they were more than a decade ago in Cleveland. This time, though, the outfielders are battling to reach the postseason--and the Dodgers’ hopes are riding on them as well.

The Dodgers are counting on the speedy Nixon, acquired in a trade Tuesday with the Toronto Blue Jays for minor league catcher Bobby Cripps, to provide a spark at the top of their lineup. If the plan works, the entire team could be smiling by the time the season ends.

“He brings a lot of speed, and that’s something real nice to have,” Butler said of Nixon, his teammate with the Indians from 1984-87. “Having Otis will allow me to utilize my bunting a little bit more. It’s going to be real nice to be at the top of the lineup together.”

The switch-hitting Nixon agrees. He picked up more than a few leadoff tips while playing with Butler previously, and now the student can show the mentor how far he has come.

“I started out with Brett and I learned a lot from that guy,” said Nixon, who also played with pitcher Tom Candiotti in Cleveland. “He’s a good friend and it’s good to be here.”

The Dodgers are counting on it.

The plan is for Nixon to bat leadoff and play center. Butler will be platooned in left and bat second when he’s in the lineup. The Dodgers still trail the Giants in the National League West, and Nixon believes his presence might help change that.

“I feel pretty good about this,” Nixon said. “This is a good fit.”

At 38, Nixon is still among the game’s fastest players. He has 47 stolen bases in 102 games, and has stolen 37 or more bases 10 consecutive seasons. Nixon, who was hitting .262 for Toronto, has stolen 545 bases in his career.

If the Dodgers qualify for the postseason, having Nixon around could be a definite plus. He has hit .314 in 13 league championship games and .295 in six World Series games with Atlanta.

“You look at any team that’s successful in the middle of the lineup, and it starts at the top of the lineup,” first baseman Eric Karros said. “You need guys who can put pressure on pitchers. That gives the middle of the lineup chances to drive in runs.”

As a member of the Braves, Nixon tested positive for cocaine in September of 1991 and was suspended for 60 days, causing him to sit out the postseason that year. But the Dodgers are confident he has dealt with the situation. Nixon is founder and president of the StrikeOut Foundation, a nonprofit organization designed to educate children about the dangers of drug abuse.

He is also involved in the Institute for Infant and Child Survival, which was formed to aid youngsters in the Georgia area, where Nixon lives in the off-season with his wife and four children.

Although Nixon hasn’t played in the National League since 1993, he doesn’t anticipate too many problems becoming reacquainted with the league.

“I’m not going to change my game,” Nixon said. “I’m going to do what I do best. I’m going to get on base, score runs and play good defense.”

Nixon couldn’t be happier with his new surroundings. The Blue Jays have struggled to remain around .500 and are out of contention in the American League East. Playing for a division title or wild-card berth wasn’t on his mind a few days ago.

“When you’ve been around as long as I have,” the 15-year veteran said, “you know anything can happen.”

However, it is a little odd wearing Dodger Blue after you’ve been part of the tomahawk chop.

“The Dodgers were the team we always had to beat when I was in Atlanta,” said Nixon, who has also played for the New York Yankees, Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers. “We always had to fight the Dodgers, but the Dodgers are a class organization. It’s always been an organization I thought about playing for one day, but I never thought I would get the opportunity.”

Nixon is making $2.5 million in the second-year of a two-year deal worth $4.4 million. The Dodgers are responsible for what remains on this year’s contract, a little over $550,000.

The Dodgers have many talented young outfielders, so Nixon probably won’t be re-signed. But Nixon is here now, and it’s better than where he was.

“I’m in a pennant race now,” Nixon said, “and that’s what you hope for all of spring training.”