Lo Duca Keeps Trying to Do the Right Thing

Good things happen when Paul Lo Duca picks up a lot of hits to right field. That has been the case this season, with the Dodger catcher parlaying his success hitting the ball to the opposite field into a .550 batting average. He was second in the National League going into Saturday’s game against the Colorado Rockies.

“I just really worked hard this spring on going the other way and using the whole field,” said Lo Duca, who has stroked four of his 11 hits to right field. “That’s probably been the key.”

Said Manager Jim Tracy: “He’s putting himself in a position to not only become hot but remain hot for a very long period of time.”

Lo Duca, a career .269 hitter in March and April before this season, said hitting fifth in the batting order as opposed to his more accustomed No. 2 spot hasn’t made much of a difference besides giving him more opportunities to drive in runs.

“He’s a real good guy to have in that spot in our order right now,” Tracy said. “If you’re going to strike him out, you better make three very special pitches.”

Lo Duca has been such a critical component of the Dodger lineup that Tracy said he probably would start Lo Duca in left field today instead of giving him a day off. David Ross would replace Lo Duca at catcher in that scenario.

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Perhaps the player most unlikely to clash with Tracy over his role is reliever Wilson Alvarez, who said “If they want me as a batboy one day, I’ll do it.”

Alvarez, who split time last season as a starter and long reliever, excelled in a late-relief role Friday against the Rockies, striking out six over three scoreless innings. It’s a role Alvarez probably will see more of in the early going with setup man Paul Shuey on the disabled list.

“He’s a very valuable guy,” Tracy said of Alvarez. “You know what you’re going to get when you call on him because his ability to throw strikes to the four quadrants is impeccable.”

Alvarez relies on location because his fastball reaches only about 88 mph. “I don’t throw 90s anymore,” he said, “so I have to hit the spots to get people out.”

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Adrian Beltre reported a slight lessening in the discomfort in his right shoulder and said Thursday’s precautionary MRI exam eased his mind “that it’s probably not going to get worse. I’m not worried that I can’t keep playing and throwing even if it hurts. They say eventually it’s going to get better, but nobody knows how long it could take.”

The third baseman said the shoulder, which first bothered him toward the end of spring training and is only an issue when he throws, flared again the day before opening day “and kind of got worse and worse,” but he hasn’t missed any playing time as a result.

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Outfielder Jayson Werth said he felt “a lot better” three days after straining a muscle on his side during batting practice but remained available only to pinch-run or play defense in an emergency. Werth said he hoped to return in a couple of days.