Miller Happy He’s One of a Kind in Bullpen

Newly acquired reliever Trever Miller was not aware that he is the lone left-hander in the Dodger bullpen.

“Really? Well then, I’m kind of glad they don’t have any,” said Miller, who was claimed off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday and activated Monday. “Otherwise I’d be in the minor leagues.”

Meanwhile, the player he replaced on the Dodger roster, left-handed reliever Onan Masaoka, was across the clubhouse, packing his bags for another trip to triple-A Albuquerque.

Masaoka, 22, who was recalled from the Dukes May 10, made one appearance this go-round. He gave up one hit and had a strikeout and a wild pitch in an inning of the Dodgers’ 12-10 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals May 14.

Dodger Manager Davey Johnson said the option was made to further Masaoka’s development.

“Basically what I want [Masaoka] to do is to get a little more comfortable, use his legs,” Johnson said. “He has such [potential] and I’m not able to use him right now because he’s not all the way back to where he was last year.”

Miller, 26, was 0-0 with an 8.36 earned-run average and nine walks in 14 innings with the Phillies. He has also pitched for the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros.

He said his best pitches are a sinker and slider to left-handed batters and a change-up and sinker to right-handers.

“They said that I’d be a left-handed specialist, coming in to get tough lefties out,” Miller said. “I’m looking forward to it because I’ve been given that job for a couple of weeks at a time but not for an entire season. And I’ve done well with [that role] when I’ve gotten it.

“I just want to be a spoke in the wheel here.”

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Right-handed setup man Mike Fetters, on the disabled list since May 10 because of a sore elbow, said he feels good enough to return to the active roster.

“I’m ready when they’re ready for me,” he said.

Fetters threw 30 pitches in a bullpen workout Friday and 50 Sunday.

Johnson said Fetters might throw another bullpen today and could be activated Friday.

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Adrian Beltre’s and Shawn Green’s bats are on their way to Cooperstown.

The Hall of Fame requested the bats the two used Sunday to hit their grand slams. They will be included in an exhibit commemorating the record six grand slams hit in the majors that day. The Hall of Fame is also trying to procure the bats used by the Angels’ Garrett Anderson, Oakland’s Jason Giambi, San Francisco’s J.T. Snow and Philadelphia’s Brian Hunter.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ ERIC GAGNE (0-2, 4.30 ERA) vs. REDS’ OSVALDO FERNANDEZ (0-0, 5.68 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7

TV--Fox Sports Net 2. Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330)

* Update--In search of his first win, Gagne will be starting against the Reds for the third time this season. He has a 3.86 earned-run average in 9 1/3 innings against the Reds, but does not have a decision against them. All 10 runs he has given up in his last four appearances have come courtesy of the home run. Fernandez, who started the year at triple-A Louisville, is 0-1 with a 9.69 ERA in three career appearances against the Dodgers and has not faced them since June 20, 1997, when he was with the San Francisco Giants.

* Tickets--(323) 224-1448.