Wolf could come in handy with bat, too
Most starting pitchers are spectators on days they don’t throw. Randy Wolf, however, might need to stretch his legs and take some batting practice.
Manager Grady Little said Wolf could be used as a pinch-hitter or pinch-runner when he’s not pitching. Wolf is a career .193 hitter with 19 doubles and four home runs in 353 at-bats, not bad for a pitcher. His best season with the bat was 2004, when he hit .267 with three home runs, including two in one game.
Wolf could be used as a pinch-runner, not because he’s especially fast, but because he has considerable experience running the bases. At Pepperdine from 1995 to 1997, he batted in the middle of the lineup as a designated hitter when he wasn’t pitching.
Using Wolf to bat for a pitcher in the early innings would enable Little to save his primary bench players for later in a game. Olmedo Saenz and Marlon Anderson are expected to be the top pinch-hitters.
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The right ankle injury Jason Repko suffered May 9 when he ran into the outfield wall at Dodger Stadium has healed and the planter fascia in his left foot that pained him for three years has healed as well.
Repko had surgery in October for the planter fascia pain. He was anesthetized and doctors used high frequency ultrasonic shock on the ankle, hitting it like a jackhammer several hundred times per second to break up scar tissue and trigger blood flow.
“I lived with that pain for years, and after a month of rehab, it didn’t hurt anymore,” he said. “I’ve been doing everything full speed.”
The Dodgers plan to utilize Repko primarily as a pinch-runner and late-inning defensive replacement -- he throws better than any other outfielder. He is also valuable because he bats right-handed, and all three starting outfielders -- Luis Gonzalez, Juan Pierre and Andre Ethier -- bat left-handed.
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There has been no backlash against pitcher Joe Beimel, who missed the playoff series against the New York Mets because he cut his hand on a glass in a barroom accident. Even pitcher Brett Tomko, who had the harshest comments at the time, says he has no hard feelings.
“He has apologized, the team re-signed him, so there is obviously no problem there, and as players, we turn the page and all pull together,” Tomko said.
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The Dodgers finalized contracts with Repko, Jonathan Broxton, Tim Hamulack, Hong-Chih Kuo, Chad Billingsley, Matt Kemp, Zach Hammes, Greg Miller and Eric Hull. All have split contracts and will make the major league minimum of $380,000 or slightly more if they make the team.... Wolf will start the first Grapefruit League game Thursday against the Atlanta Braves.
