Lo Duca Still in Equation After Addition of Baldwin

Chan Ho Park has flourished with Chad Kreuter as his personal catcher. Kreuter and James Baldwin formed a similarly effective team when both played for the Chicago White Sox from 1996-98.

Although the Dodgers acquired Baldwin from Chicago Thursday, Manager Jim Tracy emphasized Friday that Paul Lo Duca will catch Baldwin.

“If you’ve got a guy hitting .350 and doing the job defensively, it’s one thing to give him a day off occasionally, but I can’t take at-bats away from him,” Tracy said. “I won’t go there.”

Lo Duca entered play Friday batting .345, including a major league-leading .329 as a leadoff hitter.

Kreuter will continue to catch Park.

“My goal in working with James and working with Chan Ho is not that they need me. It’s that they learn from me and become self-dependent,” Kreuter said. “James has pitched well since I left Chicago, and I’m proud of him.

“I don’t want him to use me as a crutch. I don’t want any pitcher to use a catcher as a crutch. If they have a crutch, they have a built-in excuse, and you don’t want that.”

With the Dodgers considering the acquisition of Kansas City Royal shortstop Rey Sanchez, what does incumbent Alex Cora believe the Dodgers should do?

“I’d sign me for $250 million,” Cora said, smiling at the reference to the record contract of Texas shortstop Alex Rodriguez.

Said interim General Manager Dave Wallace: “Alex has done a pretty good job for us. We’re not desperate in that area. That is not at the top of the priority list right now.”

The Dodgers also might trade for another pitcher. With the trading deadline three days away, the Dodgers believe some clubs might be inclined to make a lesser deal than none at all.

“We’re not done. We’re still exploring,” said Wallace’s assistant, Dan Evans.

When Chicago reporters asked why the White Sox wanted journeyman outfielder Jeff Barry, 32, as one of three minor leaguers in Thursday’s trade, Chicago General Manager Ken Williams said he actually wanted pitcher Jon Berry, 23. The White Sox even issued a press release including Berry in the trade, then corrected it to Barry.

“There was a misunderstanding on reports,” Williams said. “We were looking at a report on the pitcher and we didn’t have one on the guy we got. We’ll honor the deal.”

Berry is 1-2 with a 3.80 earned-run average at Class-A Vero Beach, with 50 strikeouts in 45 innings.

Dodger sources insisted Friday that the White Sox did not ask to redo the deal, that Berry’s name never came up in trade talks and that any miscommunication was within the Chicago front office.

TODAY

DODGERS’ CHAN HO PARK

(10-6, 2.93 ERA)

vs.

ROCKIES’ MIKE HAMPTON

(10-7, 4.47 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 1 p.m.

TV--Channel 11.

Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

Update--The Dodgers will push Luke Prokopec’s next start to Thursday, giving him two extra days to resolve blister problems. The Dodgers cleared roster space for Baldwin by sending outfielder Bruce Aven to triple-A Las Vegas.