Little Asks Izturis to Switch to Third Base

The Dodgers, unsure whether Bill Mueller will play again this season and unconvinced that Willy Aybar can play third base every day, told Cesar Izturis on Tuesday that he is their new third baseman.

“That’s the only spot we’ve got,” Izturis said. “I’ve got to take it.”

Izturis, a Gold Glove shortstop, has not played third base in the majors or minors. The Dodgers activated him Tuesday, optioning Aybar to triple-A Las Vegas with an eye toward making him a utility man.

Manager Grady Little said Izturis would start at third Thursday, after a two-day crash course at the position. He did not play there during a 15-game minor league rehabilitation assignment.

“Is this perfect? No,” General Manager Ned Colletti said. “This season’s been far from perfect.”

Little called Izturis last week in Las Vegas and asked him to play some third base.

“His initial reaction was, maybe it wasn’t that good of an idea,” Little said.

When Izturis returned to Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, he met with Little and agreed to switch positions. When Mueller underwent knee surgery last month, the Dodgers expected him to return in one to two months and recalled Aybar in the interim.

But Colletti said Tuesday he is “not convinced” that Mueller can return this season, citing the slow pace of his rehabilitation. Aybar, whose defense has been wobbly at third, said he was “very surprised” when the Dodgers demoted him, more surprised when they told him he would play left field in Las Vegas.

Aybar said he considers third base his best position. Colletti said Aybar would play second base, third base and left field in Las Vegas.

“The more positions he can play, the better chance he’ll have,” Colletti said.

The Dodgers signed Rafael Furcal to a three-year, $39-million contract last winter, when they were unsure whether Izturis could return from elbow surgery this season. Furcal leads all major league shortstops in errors, but Little said he never asked Furcal to consider third base.

“Why would I talk to him about moving him if I don’t want to move him?” Little said.

Izturis, an All-Star last season, said he “definitely” considers himself a shortstop. He deflected the questions of whether he believed the Dodgers should have moved Furcal to third base and whether he would prefer to play shortstop for another club or third base for the Dodgers.

“I just have to go out there and prove I’m healthy,” he said.

If he does, the Dodgers could trade him to a club in need of a middle infielder, for a third baseman or pitcher. But they will evaluate this alignment first, in advance of the July 31 trading deadline, and so they’re not shopping Izturis now.

“I’m not actively trying to trade him,” Colletti said.

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Aaron Sele, who has failed to pitch five innings in each of his last two starts, will start again Saturday, Little said.... Outfielder Ricky Ledee, out since May 2 because of a groin injury, could start a rehabilitation assignment next week.