Lo Duca Is Finally Catching a Break

PHOENIX —  Paul Lo Duca figured there would be skeptics.

Entrusting inexperienced catchers with a $62-million pitching staff should raise eyebrows, he said, but how about a chance?

“I can accept people saying, ‘What are they thinking?’ ” said Lo Duca, in his first full season in the majors. “I can understand where people are coming from because I don’t have a lot of time in the big leagues, Angel [Pena] has even less, and we have a staff that could be one of the best in baseball.

“But what I can’t understand is people saying, ‘Hey, Lo Duca won’t deliver,’ because I haven’t had the chance to prove that I can’t. I’m getting that chance now, so maybe people should just trust that [Chairman] Bob Daly and [General Manager] Kevin Malone know what they’re doing. We’ll see who’s right soon enough.”

The experiment resumes tonight in the opener of a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Bank One Ballpark.

The Dodgers did not re-sign Todd Hundley or aggressively pursue free agents Charles Johnson and Sandy Alomar because they believe Lo Duca, Pena and 11-year veteran Chad Kreuter, coming off a productive season, will form an effective unit, having acknowledged that their former offense-first catching strategy failed.

Malone said defense is now the priority and that others must fill the void in the batting order.

The Dodgers are optimistic about Lo Duca in the primary role, hoping to limit Kreuter’s workload. Pena provides depth and a right-handed bat off the bench.

Much is riding on the Dodgers’ gamble. No one need tell the guys on the spot.

“I know there are still a lot of people I have to prove wrong,” Lo Duca said. “But that doesn’t bother me because I’ve been doing that my whole career.”

Lo Duca, who turns 29 Thursday, forced the Dodgers to notice him during eight difficult seasons in the farm system.

He played in the shadow of Pena--selected the organization’s 1998 minor league player of the year--until last season.

Lo Duca led the Albuquerque Dukes to the triple-A playoffs while playing several positions and taking charge of the team.

Meanwhile, Pena fell out of favor because of his poor attitude, work ethic and weight-control problems.

When Lo Duca shuttled between Albuquerque and Chavez Ravine three times in 2000, it became clear he had moved ahead of Pena.

But in an uncommon move, the Dodgers are carrying three catchers on the 25-man roster because Pena, 26, is out of options and Malone feared losing him on waivers.

Pena might be the everyday catcher at some point, but the spotlight is on Lo Duca.

“Paul Lo Duca is a grinder,” Malone said. “He’s a maximum-effort guy, he’s a guy who puts the team first, and that’s the type of guys the Dodgers need.”

Manager Jim Tracy said Lo Duca has ability.

“Mentally, he understands the process of what goes on 60 feet 6 inches away, how to handle a staff and what we’re trying to do against an opposing team’s running game,” Tracy said. “There’s an awful lot of good about Paul Lo Duca.”

The Dodgers are especially impressed with Lo Duca’s receiving and throwing.

He caught seven of 15 baserunners last season; Kreuter caught 19 of 40. In two seasons with the Dodgers, Hundley threw out only 43 of 226.

This season, Kreuter is two for four, Lo Duca 0 for 1 and Pena does not have an attempt.

“Lo Duca and Kreuter are great,” starter Darren Dreifort said. “Both have great heads behind the plate, call great games, block the plate great and are great defensively. I’m comfortable throwing to either one of them.”

Last season, Kreuter helped starter Chan Ho Park achieve a career season as his primary catcher.

They will work together again. Kreuter also might have a similar role with Dreifort.

That would leave plenty of work for Lo Duca, who plans to make the most of his opportunity.

Although Lo Duca does not have to match Hundley’s production offensively, he must produce. He is batting .375 with two home runs and seven runs batted in.

“I know I need to put up numbers so I can play,” Lo Duca said. “I’m not going to put up numbers like Hot Rod [Hundley], but I’m going to be able to handle the bat a lot better.”

He had five homers and 20 RBIs in 174 at-bats in his first three seasons with the Dodgers. Kreuter has a .239 career batting average with 46 homers and 245 RBIs.

Hundley had 24 homers in 299 at-bats last season--the same number Shawn Green hit in 610 at-bats.

Moreover, Hundley was the Dodgers’ best hitter with runners in scoring position, batting .364 with 10 homers and 53 RBIs.

But Malone said the Dodgers are not concerned.

“The key to a successful club is defense,” he said. “We want to prioritize pitching and defense, and we should have enough offense with E.K. [Eric Karros], Sheff [Gary Sheffield], Greenie [Shawn Green] and the rest of the players.”