Hansen Thrives Under Pressure

Most players are not cut out for Dave Hansen’s job, and the reserve infielder acknowledges his work is difficult.

Hansen is the Dodgers’ top left-handed pinch-hitter, meaning he often enters games in tense, late-inning situations.

There are easier ways to make a living, but Hansen excels at his gig.

Hansen, who signed a $450,000 contract in the off-season after playing in Japan last season, is batting .833 (five for six) with a home run and three runs batted in. His run-scoring triple in the ninth inning Tuesday night helped force extra innings in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 7-6, 16-inning victory at Bank One Ballpark.

“It’s not the most fun job in the world, and it’s never easy,” said Hansen, who established the Dodger all-time single-season record with 18 pinch hits in 1993. “The key is to always be prepared and ready for anything. You have to be prepared every moment you’re on the bench because you can get called on at any moment.

“You have to think ahead about who you’re facing, how they’re going to try to work you, what they’re going to throw, what the situation is. You always have to think ahead.”

Hansen, 30, has done that throughout his seven-year major league career.

In 1993, Hansen set the Dodger pinch-hit record while batting .362 (38 for 105) with four homers and 30 RBIs overall. General Manager Kevin Malone brought Hansen back to the organization because the Dodger reserves haven’t been productive in recent seasons, and Hansen knows how to work off the bench.

“You have to be able to adjust quickly,” Hansen said. “Obviously, that comes with experience.”

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ DARREN DREIFORT (1-0, 3.60 ERA)

vs.

DIAMONDBACKS’ RANDY JOHNSON (1-0, 2.81 ERA)

Bank One Ballpark, 7 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports West 2. Radio--AM 1150, KWKW (1330).

* Update--This was supposed to be a rematch of the opening day starters at Dodger Stadium, but the rainout Sunday bumped everyone in the Dodger rotation back a day, meaning Kevin Brown will not face Johnson. Dreifort won in his first start against the Colorado Rockies despite pitching five shaky innings. Johnson was dominant in his last start, striking out 15 in an 8-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.