Stout Resolve

The embodiment of the Dodgers is a stout, sturdy, barrel-chested, 5-foot-8, 195-pound catcher, a guy whose frame and slugging prowess bring to mind former Dodger Jimmy Wynn, who was known as the Toy Cannon.

He is Paul Lo Duca--as in bazooka--and he emerged as an offensive force in his first full big league season, batting .320 with 25 home runs and 90 runs batted in last year. But he was more than just another productive bat.

“He was a leader, a true Dodger, and there’s a lot that goes with that,” Dodger hitting coach Jack Clark said. “The Dodgers, throughout the minor leagues, teach kids how to be men on and off the field, how to dress and act and play the game a certain way.

“When [Lo Duca] hits a grounder back to the pitcher he runs hard to first base. He does that in spring training and in the regular season. When you look at Lo Duca you see the pride of the organization, the history of the franchise, all in one man.”

Lo Duca seemed awed by Clark’s remark.

“It’s a great compliment from a great person,” Lo Duca said. “For me, to spend three hours a day playing a game you’re paid well to play, it’s easy to play hard.”

When you spend six full years in the minor leagues, have been tabbed as too small and too slow, and had to scratch and claw just to get to the big leagues, you tend to appreciate every day you’re here.

That showed in 2001; Lo Duca was hungry, and his relentless work ethic in spring training and the regular season, in the weight room and on the field, helped him win the No. 1 catching spot and the respect of his teammates during the season.

“He’s just a solid player, and when you see his consistency every day, those are the guys you like to surround yourself with,” Dodger utility player Dave Hansen said. “He keeps the pitchers locked in and everyone focused. He doesn’t have to be a rah-rah type person in the clubhouse. That’s not what we’re looking for. We’re just looking for guys who want to win.”

Now that Lo Duca has had a breakthrough season, new expectations await him. Odd as it sounds, he may be better off not trying hard to fulfill them.

“When I try to hit home runs, I don’t,” Lo Duca said. “That’s always been a big thing for me. If I relax, just put the ball in play, use all fields, the home runs will come.”

They came at an unusual pace last season. Lo Duca hit only six home runs in 2000, four in 78 games at triple-A Albuquerque and two in 34 games for Los Angeles. The most home runs he hit in any previous season was eight in 126 games at Albuquerque in 1998.

But a confluence of developments--increased strength, a better offensive approach and an improved ability to pounce on mistake pitches--led to a monster 2001 for Lo Duca, whose primary objective last spring was to make the team.

“This is my first spring where I won’t be fighting for a job, where I know I’m going to be here, and that’s made it a lot more relaxed of an atmosphere,” Lo Duca said. “I’m not going to try to do anything more than last year. I’m going to take the same approach.

“I’m sure others will perceive me differently, knowing that if I don’t have the same year as last year I’ll be a disappointment. But my feeling is if we win, I’ll be happy. There will be more pressure, but I’m going to go about it the same way.”

Dodger Manager Jim Tracy is confident Lo Duca won’t look at last year’s numbers and think he has to be the next Mike Piazza. He wants Lo Duca to concentrate not on his home run total but on numbers such as on-base percentage, average with runners in scoring position and walks-to-strikeouts ratio.

Lo Duca had a .374 on-base percentage last season and hit .379 with runners in scoring position, third best in the National League. He had 39 walks and only 30 strikeouts, almost unheard-of figures in today’s slugger-dominated game, in which players routinely strike out more than 100 times a year. Lo Duca was the third-hardest player to fan in the NL, striking out once every 17.3 at-bats.

“Offensively, all he needs to do is be the same type of player, and that doesn’t necessarily correlate into big power numbers or 130 RBIs,” Tracy said. “Just be a tough out, use the whole field like you did a year ago. When you do that, there’s no such thing as a prolonged slump.

“If he wants to hit more home runs, that can lead to some problems, but he’s intelligent enough to understand exactly the kind of offensive player he is, and he won’t deviate from that.”

Lo Duca is a known commodity now, but no matter what adjustments pitchers make in their approach to him, Tracy believes Lo Duca can counter.

“When you search for flaws in a guy who has a short swing, makes contact and uses the whole field,” Tracy said, “they’re not easy to find.”

Lo Duca hits for average, power, and he’s one of the toughest outs in baseball. As far as his defensive ability, he threw out 39% (31 of 79) of would-be base stealers in 2001 and improved his game-calling skills throughout the season. He also played through several nagging injuries.

He showed his versatility, too, by playing catcher, first base, left field and right field, and hitting in six spots in the batting order--all while never complaining.

“Everyone likes to talk about home runs, but he brings so much more to the party,” Clark said. “He’s an outstanding defensive catcher, he throws and runs well, he’s smart. He was always tagged as a guy who was too small, but he’s obviously blown that out of the water.”

With a toy cannon.

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Catching Up

Dodger starting catchers since Mike Piazza was traded. Piazza’s average during the same span: .316, 37 home runs and 111 runs batted in.

(text of infobox not included)

*

Tools of Ignorance

(text of infobox not included)