Brown Flush With Anger

Pitcher Kevin Brown destroyed a toilet with a baseball bat in the Dodgertown clubhouse Saturday because he was angry about being scalded while taking a shower.

The water temperature in the shower became hotter when someone flushed the toilet, inciting the all-star right-hander to smash it after grabbing a nearby bat. The incident occurred after Brown completed his daily workout, and he left the spring training complex shortly after venting his frustration.

Several people familiar with the water situation at Dodgertown said the problem is nothing new. For many years, players have been scalded while taking showers when toilets are flushed in the clubhouse.

Manager Davey Johnson lived vicariously through Brown.

“He did something I’d like to do many times when I was in the shower and someone flushed the toilet,” Johnson said. “Sometimes it’s better to get that [frustration] out. No one was hurt by it. You can repair a toilet.”

*

Right-hander Ismael Valdes left in the second inning against the Cleveland Indians on Saturday after suffering a strained quadriceps muscle. The injury is not believed to be serious, Johnson said. Right-hander Dave Mlicki, who replaced Valdes, improved to 3-0 in a 7-4 victory at Winter Haven.. . . . Struggling reliever Mel Rojas earned the save by pitching two innings. But Rojas gave up four hits and a run.