Martinez Wins Spot on Roster

The Dodgers have decided to keep utility infielder Ramon Martinez, leaving incumbent utility man Oscar Robles in limbo.

If the Dodgers go with 11 pitchers rather than 12, it would open another spot for a position player and Robles might get the nod. Otherwise he would play shortstop at triple-A Las Vegas after batting .270 in 399 at-bats as a rookie last season.

Under Martinez’s contract, he could’ve become a free agent if he hadn’t been guaranteed a spot on the major league roster within five days of the start of the season. Robles can be sent to the minors without losing him.

Robles played in the Mexican League until the Dodgers purchased his contract last May.

Martinez, who played for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies last season, is more versatile than Robles because he can play first base and serve as an emergency catcher.

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Raffy the Dodger sounded a lot like Tony the Tiger.

“I feel great,” he said.

New Dodger shortstop Rafael Furcal continued his blistering Grapefruit League pace, hitting a double and a single against his former team in a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.

He raised his average to .417 and appears ready to begin the season at full strength. Furcal had minor knee surgery shortly after signing a three-year, $39-million contract with the Dodgers in December and had lingering pain through the first two weeks of March.

But once he started playing, he has been nothing short of spectacular in eight games, displaying excellent range and a powerful arm.

“We designed his program to have him ready to start the season, and he is ready,” Manager Grady Little said.

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Efforts to keep the Atlanta Braves from knowing Odalis Perez was pitching in a minor league game on a back field of Dodgertown apparently were successful. The Atlanta scout working the major league game at Holman Stadium said the team did not have anyone watching Perez because they didn’t know he was pitching.

Perez will make his first start April 5 against the Braves, and the Dodgers did not want Atlanta’s hitters to see him so close to the season.

Perez sailed through 4 2/3 innings against the St. Louis Cardinal triple-A team before giving up a double and a home run to the last two batters he faced.

“He threw five fastballs in a row that last inning because he had thrown so many changeups and breaking balls earlier,” catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. said. “That’s the only reason for those hits.”

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Eric Gagne’s fastball topped out at 89 mph in his one inning and he gave up one run and two hits. Five days ago he threw one pitch 94 mph and was consistently at 92. However, he said the problem was with his changeup.

“My off-speed stuff was all over the place,” he said. “It wasn’t diving. But I feel better than I usually feel at this time of spring. I’m just battling, trying to get some work in.”

He is scheduled to pitch again Tuesday and Wednesday, which would mark the first time this spring he will have pitched two days in a row.