Aybar is missed in two dugouts

There’s nothing unusual about Willy Aybar’s locker, which sits near the end of a row facing the door in the Atlanta Braves’ clubhouse.

Four pairs of cleats and two pairs of athletic shoes are neatly aligned near the floor, and Mizuno bats rest on each side. A pair of socks with Aybar’s No. 14 penned on them in ink dangle from a hook, and a home white jersey, uniform pants and a navy blue Braves windbreaker hang inside the locker.

About the only thing missing is Aybar, who hasn’t been seen or heard from in more than three weeks.

“A lot of people say he’s a got a future in baseball. He’s got a chance to be a very exciting player,” said Dodgers coach Mariano Duncan, who worked with Aybar for two years in the minors and for half a season in the majors before the infielder was traded to the Braves for Wilson Betemit last July. “But my concern right now is about him. I hope that nothing bad happened to him.

“We’ve got a great relationship and for him to be missing like that, it’s very sad.”

Aybar, known as something of a loner among his Atlanta teammates, angered the team in spring training when he showed up more than a week late because of what he said was a visa problem. He started the season on the disabled list because of a hand injury incurred during winter ball and then, after being suspended for missing a rehab session, he mysteriously disappeared.

Atlanta General Manager John Schuerholz said he hasn’t spoken with Aybar, who reportedly is battling substance-abuse problems, since the player went AWOL on April 14. Aybar’s agent, Luis Valdez, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in a phone conversation this weekend that Aybar is “OK right now” and with family, but he refused to elaborate before hanging up.

Even Aybar’s brother Erick, an infielder with the Angels, said last week he hasn’t been able to locate Willy.

“It’s pretty sad that kind of stuff is happening to a guy like that,” said Duncan, who also tried to reach Aybar by phone only to find the number had been changed.

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Betemit, who had one hit and six strikeouts in his last 12 at-bats before Saturday, was not in the starting lineup and Manager Grady Little said he wasn’t sure when -- or if -- he would get his job back.

“It’s a day-to-day thing, that part of the lineup,” Little said. “At this point I can only speak for the manager, who is me. I’m looking for whatever can give us the best opportunity to win.”

Little said Betemit, who had started 20 of the Dodgers’ first 29 games before being replaced by Ramon Martinez, is working hard to find a way out of his slump. And the work appeared to pay off in the eighth inning Saturday, when Betemit pinch hit and homered against Tim Hudson.

“We’re searching, he’s searching,” Little said. “And hopefully we’ll find some key to get him going.”

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Right-hander Jason Schmidt, on the disabled list since April 17 because of shoulder bursitis, said he felt fine after throwing for the first time in more than two weeks Friday. He was scheduled to throw again Saturday though there remains no timetable for his rehabilitation.... Reliever Yhency Brazoban, who is coming back from elbow ligament replacement surgery, was activated off the disabled list Saturday and optioned to triple-A Las Vegas, where he was expected to make his fifth rehab appearance today. Left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo was activated and optioned to Las Vegas on Thursday.

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Little refused to disclose his pick for the Kentucky Derby early Saturday, but he did have a favorite going into the Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jr. super-welterweight title fight.

“Pay for view,” he said. “I think they’re going to win.”

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kevin.baxter@latimes.com