Tracy Sticking With His Catchers

Even though Tom Wilson has played in more than twice as many major league games as David Ross and might present an offensive upgrade at catcher for the Dodgers, Manager Jim Tracy said Wednesday that he was reluctant to start Wilson or use him as a late-inning defensive replacement.

“My concern is his familiarity with the [pitching] staff,” Tracy said of Wilson, who joined the Dodgers on Wednesday after having his contract purchased from triple-A Las Vegas.

Tracy inserted catcher Brent Mayne into his starting lineup Aug. 4, only four days after Mayne was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks, but the manager said he would not do the same with Wilson because he was not as familiar with Wilson’s catching abilities.

A career .255 batter with 15 homers and 76 runs batted in in 205 games with the Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets, Wilson primarily will be used as a right-handed pinch-hitter in the middle innings. Wilson batted .438 last season in 16 pinch-hit at-bats for Toronto and .325 overall with five homers and 14 RBIs in 23 games.

Wilson played sparingly for the Mets this season before the Dodgers acquired him Aug. 18, getting one hit in four at-bats, but he batted .325 with five homers and 14 RBIs in 23 games with Sacramento and Las Vegas.

Ross is batting .180 with four homers and 12 RBIs (and 49 strikeouts in 133 at-bats), and Mayne is batting .160 with no homers and two RBIs in 22 games with the Dodgers.

“We’ll take from them what we can get,” said Tracy, insisting that he is more concerned with his catchers’ defensive contributions.

Though Wilson listed hitting among his strengths, the 33-year-old Fullerton native said he was not vying to supplant anyone on a first-place team in September.

“I’m going to try to stay out of the way,” Wilson said. “These guys have a good thing going right now, and I’m going to try to chip in and do whatever I can to help win games. Catching is a defensive position, and if you get offense out of a player, then great.”

To make room for Wilson on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers put reliever Masao Kida on waivers.

The Seattle Mariners claimed Kida, who pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings in three appearances for the Dodgers.

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The Dodgers are concerned about a decrease in Edwin Jackson’s velocity. The right-hander’s fastball, which typically reaches 97 mph, topped out at 94 mph Tuesday during a shaky rehabilitation start with Las Vegas in which Jackson gave up six runs and walked five in four innings.

Tracy attributed Jackson’s woes to a mechanical flaw and said Jackson remained on track to rejoin the Dodgers after making another start for the 51s on Sunday.

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Wilson Alvarez, who had to leave in the second inning Friday after taking a one-hopper off his pitching elbow, has resumed playing catch. Tracy has not decided whether Alvarez will rejoin the rotation or move to the bullpen upon his return, but Alvarez could start no sooner than Sept. 10 against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium because Tracy already has set his rotation until then. ... Tracy said he was encouraged that Brad Penny had increased the intensity of his throwing program, though there remained no timetable for the right-hander’s return from a strained right biceps.

Tickets for potential National League division series games at Dodger Stadium will go on sale at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 10 in Lot 10 at Dodger Stadium. Tickets also will go on sale at 10 a.m. the same day by calling (323) 224-1448 or at dodgers.com.