Brito a Familiar Face at Son’s Side

Dodger scout Mike Brito, wearing his familiar white-brim hat, took his usual spot Saturday afternoon in the dugout box behind home plate at Dodger Stadium. He pointed his radar gun, charted each pitch, and was seen by millions on television.

There may not be a more recognizable scout in all of baseball, but what the TV cameras don’t show is Brito making the long drive each day to the Lanterman Developmental Center in Pomona, and staying until midnight.

That is where his son, Miguel Brito, has resided the last 12 years.

Miguel Brito, 19, suffers from a degenerative disease of the central nervous system. He is on oxygen 24 hours a day. He cannot talk. He cannot feed himself. He cannot bathe himself. He cannot dress himself.

“Basically, he has the functions of a four-month-old,” said Brito, the scout who has become instrumental in the Dodgers’ success, signing Fernando Valenzuela, Ismael Valdes, Antonio Osuna, Juan Castro and Karim Garcia, among others.

Brito, who has been with the Dodgers for 20 years, refuses to feel sorry for himself. Instead, he feels blessed. He has a son, and he or his wife, Rosa Maria, visit him every day. They have a gala birthday party for him and the 900 others in the center each Sept. 16.

“Those kids are all mentally retarded or disabled at the center,” Brito said. “You see kids deformed and in wheelchairs.

“But when I’m in there, I feel like I’m in heaven with angels all around me. You walk out, and suddenly, you don’t feel like you have any problems. You walk out, and it doesn’t matter if you don’t have money. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a job. You say, ‘Thank God I’m alive.’

“I am not ashamed. I am proud.”

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Brito knew that he should have been pulling against the first-place San Diego Padres last week in their series against the New York Mets in Monterrey, Mexico, but he couldn’t help but pull for Valenzuela.

“I remember six years ago when we released him,” Brito said, “and everybody thought he was through. I told them that Fernando is not finished. I said he has at least three years left. Now, look at him. He still has that great control.

“I was so proud to see him pitch in Mexico. Everyone still loves him. The guy deserves this.”

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Dodger starter Ramon Martinez is scheduled to face his younger brother, Pedro Martinez of the Montreal Expos, for the first time in his career Thursday in Montreal. It will be the first time two brothers have started against each other since Mike Maddux of the Philadelphia Phillies defeated Greg Maddux of the Chicago Cubs on July 31, 1988.

Neither brother is looking forward to the task.

“I’ll do it if I have to,” Pedro Martinez said.

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Center fielder Brett Butler, who is scheduled to join the team Monday and will be activated after Sept. 1, is eligible for the playoffs. Realistically, however, Manager Bill Russell said the Dodgers won’t be counting on him to play a key role in the pennant stretch. “He’s progressing as well as expected,” Russell said, “but what is that? He hasn’t played in four months. He doesn’t want to embarrass himself. He wouldn’t want that, and we wouldn’t want it either. We’ll just have to see how he looks and feels. There’s a lot of questions.” . . . The Dodgers tentatively have no plans to call up any players before playoff rosters are due on Saturday, Russell said. . . . Dodger catcher Mike Piazza probably will be given today off, Russell said, giving him two consecutive off days because Monday is a travel day.