Karros Is Not Eager to Lose Playing Time

First baseman Eric Karros has not been told that newly acquired utility player Tyler Houston would be cutting into his playing time, and Karros was surprised to hear Manager Jim Tracy say that the Dodgers now have three players--Houston, Adrian Beltre and Karros--to play two positions, third base and first.

“I would be very shocked if I was in any kind of rotational system unless my play warranted that,” said Karros, the cleanup hitter who is batting .285 with nine home runs, 18 doubles and 45 runs batted in.

“It depends on how all of us are doing, and that’s fine, that’s the way it should be. I don’t know if I’d go so far as to say we have three guys for two positions, but at least we won’t have to use [catcher Paul] Lo Duca at first base in an emergency. And if me or Adrian is struggling, we have another good offensive option to put out there.”

Tracy hasn’t specified how he will use Houston, who bats left-handed and had four hits and four RBIs in his Dodger debut Friday night against San Francisco. But he made it clear Houston will get plenty of at-bats.

There won’t be a straight platoon at third because Beltre is a superior defensive player and Tracy doesn’t want to sacrifice defense every time the Dodgers face a right-handed pitcher, which is most of the time.

Most likely, Houston will start two or three games a week at third base and once every week to 10 days at first base, when the Dodgers are facing a tough right-hander whom Karros doesn’t match up well against.

“I know Adrian Beltre has made some errors, but he’s also made some great plays that not a lot of third basemen can make, and I have to be mindful of that,” Tracy said. “[Decisions] will depend on how they match up with an opposing pitcher, and what lineup will be the best on a given day.”

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The Dodgers thought a bonus to the Houston trade was that the former Milwaukee utility player has extensive experience behind the plate and would give them the third catcher they’ve lacked this season. But Houston has about as much interest in catching as he does in re-signing with the woeful Brewers this winter.

“I wouldn’t be excited about that,” Houston said. “I worked all my career to get out of that.”

An infielder in high school, Houston was the second player chosen in the 1989 draft by Atlanta--as a catcher.

“I always hated catching,” Houston said. “I liked to use my athleticism, I liked to hit, and catching took away both. My first year [in the minor leagues] they sent me to Sumter [S.C.], the hottest place on Earth. I was ready to give it up after one year.”

After five minor league seasons behind the plate, Houston evolved into a utility player, and he hasn’t caught in two years.

When the Dodgers discovered Houston’s distaste for catching, utility player Mike Kinkade, who has some catching experience, began catching bullpen workouts and sitting in on pitchers’ meetings. Kinkade, and not Houston, will be the team’s emergency catcher.

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General Manager Dan Evans addressed the Dodgers’ two biggest needs, boosting the bench and bullpen with the acquisitions of Houston and Cleveland reliever Paul Shuey, who will join the team in Cincinnati today.

Evans didn’t rule out the possibility of another deal before Wednesday’s nonwaiver trading deadline, but didn’t expect to pursue one.

“You really never know what is going to come up from other clubs, what names might become available, but we’re just going to be good listeners the next couple days,” Evans said. “I don’t want to say we’re done, because you never know when the right situation will come up.”

ON DECK

Opponent--Cincinnati Reds, three games.

Site--Cinergy Field, Cincinnati.

Today--4 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports Net 2 today, Wednesday and Thursday.

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

Records--Dodgers 59-46, Reds 54-50.

Record vs. Reds--1-2.

TODAY

DODGERS’

KAZUHISA ISHII

(12-6, 3.36 ERA)

vs.

REDS’

RYAN DEMPSTER

(5-11, 5.44 ERA)

Update--The surprising Reds are in the thick of the wild-card race, 4 1/2 games behind the wild-card-leading Dodgers. Cincinnati thought it acquired a No. 1- or No. 2-caliber starter when it traded for Dempster, but the former Florida right-hander has given up 12 runs and 13 hits in 9 2/3 innings in his first two starts with the Reds.Wednesday, 4 p.m.--Hideo Nomo (10-6, 3.33) vs. Brian Moehler (1-0, 7.20).