Catching Their Eye

A clue to catcher Dioner Navarro’s intentions can be found in his first name. It’s pronounced dee-owner, as in, he intends to be dee owner of dee real estate behind home plate at Dodger Stadium for dee foreseeable future.

“I have a great opportunity and I’m not taking it for granted,” he said. “This is where I want to be for a long time.”

As neighbors go, it appears Navarro will be a credit to the community.

In 14 games since being promoted from triple A, he has quietly and confidently developed into an unyielding force. Pitchers rave about his ability to call a game and coaches rave about his patient approach as a hitter.

“It’s like he’s been in the big leagues for years,” pitcher Odalis Perez said. “I already have a lot of trust in that kid.”

Navarro, 21, had two highlight-reel moments in the last three games, hitting a walk-off home run to defeat the New York Mets in the 10th inning Friday and blocking the plate while tagging out a sliding Marlon Anderson in the ninth inning Sunday to preserve a one-run victory.

“He has exceeded expectations offensively and defensively,” Manager Jim Tracy said. “His approach at the plate is something you normally only see in veterans. The kid is sharp.”

Navarro’s development is helping validate a trade made by General Manager Paul DePodesta in December. After the Dodgers pulled the plug on a 10-player, three-team blockbuster involving the New York Yankees and Arizona, DePodesta downsized the deal and sent outfielder-first baseman Shawn Green to the Diamondbacks for Navarro and two minor league pitchers.

The Dodgers also agreed to pay $10 million of Green’s $16-million salary, a concession that hampered their ability to sign other players.

The Diamondbacks had acquired Navarro from the Yankees specifically to complete the trade with the Dodgers. As the deal moved toward completion, it became apparent DePodesta held the young catcher in higher regard than just about anyone else.

Navarro’s stock had slipped in the Yankee organization, where he went from being their top prospect to someone they considered expendable. Several scouts have raised questions about his lack of muscle tone, inability to hit with consistent power and average throwing arm.

At 5 feet 9 and 190 pounds, he could use time in the weight room to build upper-body strength. Although Navarro was promoted from triple A largely because incumbent Jason Phillips couldn’t throw out opposing base stealers, improvement in that area has been minimal.

When Navarro threw out Miguel Cairo of the Mets attempting to swipe second Sunday, it marked only the third time in 18 attempts a base stealer had not succeeded against him.

Even in the Dodger farm system, another catcher is held in higher esteem by most scouts. Russell Martin, who is batting .315 with a .433 on-base percentage at double-A Jacksonville, has more athleticism, arm strength and power than Navarro.

“Martin would take the job right now if the Dodgers called him up,” said a scout from another organization who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “Navarro can be a solid major leaguer, but Martin is a franchise catcher. He’ll be an all-star.”

Martin, 22, is expected to be promoted when rosters expand Sept. 1. Until then, Navarro is being given an opportunity to cement himself as the Dodger catcher of the future.

“If I help the team, I help myself,” he said. “I love to learn and here I am learning every day. Basically, I just want the pitching staff to be happy with me.”

Impressing the general manager doesn’t hurt, either. Asked if Navarro could hold the job for the next few years, DePodesta said, “I sure hope so.”

The quality that most impresses DePodesta and Tracy is Navarro’s maturity. Maybe it comes from helping his wife of four years battle a brain aneurysm that has required her to have several surgeries. Although it appears she has recovered, she still needs periodic medical procedures.

Her condition was one reason the Dodgers sent Navarro back to triple-A Las Vegas after he was called up for four days in late May when backup catcher Paul Bako injured his knee.

Navarro did not play during the short stint with the Dodgers, and journeyman minor leaguer Mike Rose became Phillips’ backup.

“You don’t take a young prospect like Dioner and have him come up and sit on the bench,” Tracy said. “He needed to play. I see a more mature, confident catcher now than I did during spring training. He’s really developed.”

Navarro is batting .271 with a .386 on-base percentage. He has shown the ability to get deep into counts, the best example coming when he fell behind 0-and-2 to Met closer Braden Looper. Navarro took two balls, fouled off three pitches, took ball three, then drove a high fastball over the right-center field wall for the walk-off home run.

Dodger Coach Manny Mota told him, “You looked like a big league hitter right there.”

Navarro relished the moment, but realizes his primary contribution is to call a solid game. Tracy allows him to call all the pitches, although occasionally Navarro looks to the dugout for guidance.

“The first day I got here, Tracy told me, ‘You are here because we want your defense, and whatever comes offensively we’ll take,’ ” he said. “After he said that I knew I had a big responsibility with the team.

“Now that I am here and playing, I don’t want to go back to the minors. I want to stay.”