Little Wants Room for a Pinch-Hitter

Dodger decision-makers met to voice opinions on lingering roster questions, and barring an unforeseen circumstance, Manager Grady Little will get his wish and begin the season with 11 pitchers rather than 12.

The additional position player would come from “a small handful” of candidates, Little said, that includes first baseman Hee-Seop Choi, rookie left fielder Joel Guzman or infielder Willy Aybar. The primary role would be to pinch-hit.

Another alternative would be to keep both Ramon Martinez and Oscar Robles, who have been in heated competition for a utility infield spot. That would be done only if Robles is considered the best pinch-hitter of the group because there is no need to carry two utility infielders.

Choi returned Monday from the World Baseball Classic, in which he helped Korea to a 6-1 record and hit a dramatic three-run home run in a victory over the U.S. Now he must prove himself to Little.

“I need to play him and make some evaluations,” Little said.

The question with Guzman, a power-hitting converted shortstop, is whether he is better off at this point in his development playing every day at triple-A or filling a part-time role with the Dodgers.

“There are few people who don’t think he can help the team right now,” Little said. “Standing in the outfield, he looks a lot like Dave Winfield, and at the plate he looks like Dave Winfield too.”

Aybar, a switch-hitter who batted .326 in 26 games last season and can play third or second, has impressed Little despite batting .189 this spring.

“Willy is doing a lot of things right without getting the results,” Little said. “He’s been hitting the ball hard, and against good pitching. He’s an interesting player. He can pinch-run and pinch-hit.”

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Little said second-year outfielder Jason Repko has made the team. Repko is an excellent fielder and baserunner who has yet to prove he can hit for average. Repko doubled to drive in two runs during a six-run seventh inning that keyed an 11-5 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday night..

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Pitcher Chad Billingsley, outfielder Matt Kemp and reliever Joe Beimel were reassigned to minor league camp and first baseman James Loney and outfielder Delwyn Young were optioned to triple-A Las Vegas. “A couple of those kids won’t be wearing numbers like 63 or 65 much longer,” Little said. “They’ll be coming in and picking their number.”

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Jae Seo and Odalis Perez returned to camp after pitching in the WBC. Perez will pitch in a minor league game today and Seo will start Thursday against the New York Mets.

Seo started three games for Korea, giving up one run on seven hits in 14 innings and notching two wins. Perez won in two starts but took the loss in relief to Cuba that eliminated the Dominican Republic.