Blake DeWitt starting to look at home at second base

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Even the faithful were crossing fingers. Even if you assumed -- which it largely required -- that Blake DeWitt could hit, there was still the matter of his defense.

DeWitt had been OK during the spring at second, but still looked far from polished, still too much like a natural third baseman trying to learn a new position.

So the season started, and the first month DeWitt played well enough at times to encourage the faithful, and not as well at others to lend credence to the skeptics.

Yet as the season has progressed, particularly in the last few weeks, DeWitt has begun to look like someone clearly growing in his new position. His improvement has been clear.

‘Big time,’ said Dodgers Manager Joe Torre. ‘He’s probably 50% [better] than when he started the season, and I thought when he started the season he worked hard enough to stick him out there.

‘Does that mean I’m not going to put in a defensive replacement for him? I still think Jamey Carroll is more experienced over there, but I’m certainly not afraid to leave him out there.’

DeWitt just generally looks more comfortable on the field. He has made several over-the-shoulder catches and has improved at going into the hole and firing back to first.

During one play in the fifth inning Tuesday against the Cardinals, he went deep into the hole to make a diving stop of a Yadier Molina bouncer, stopped, gathered himself, turned and threw him out.

‘The game has slowed down a little bit for him defensively,’ Torre said. ‘I think [Tuesday] night was an example, where he backhands that ball up the middle, gets up and realizes who’s running and takes his time, sets himself and throws him out.’’

DeWitt has committed three errors, and if he doesn’t have the range of an Orlando Hudson, it is expanding. No one questions his work ethic or desire.

Torre learned of DeWitt in his first year with the Dodgers in 2008. Coming back from a spring training trip to China, he discovered third basemen Nomar Garciaparra and Andy LaRoche were injured and that the Dodgers would have to start the season with DeWitt at third.

At that point, the highest level DeWitt had played at third was a half a season of double-A ball.

‘When I came back, my coaching staff was telling me, ‘This kid is a player,’’ Torre said. ‘That definition really hasn’t changed. He knows how to play the game. And he tries to learn every day. He’s really improved at second base defensively.

‘And his hitting over the last week has been much, much better.’

DeWitt is currently batting .280, with 22 RBI.

-- Steve Dilbeck