Ross Goes to Bat for His Offense

BOSTON —  The Dodgers haven’t seen much from his bat this year, but David Ross insists he can offer more than the good glove and good arm that by themselves can make for a good backup catcher.

“They always say, if you hit, that’s a positive,” Ross said. “I want to be a positive player.”

In spring training, the Dodgers wondered how they could get Ross’ bat into the lineup as often as possible. But he did not bat in this three-game series, and his statistics do not indicate that he can make contact often enough to be an effective hitter.

In his rookie season last year, he hit .258 with 10 home runs and 42 strikeouts in 124 at-bats. This season, he is hitting .179 with two home runs and 20 strikeouts in 56 at-bats.

“I am worried about the strikeouts,” he said. “That’s on my mind.”

Manager Jim Tracy said “it’s not fair to judge” Ross’ offensive ability on this year’s statistics, because his playing time has been so limited. If starter Paul Lo Duca were injured, Tracy said, Ross would catch every day.

“He can really catch. He can really throw. And he really cares,” Tracy said. “He has a place in this game for quite a while. Guys like him are not easy to find.”

Ross, 27, said he believed he could hit .270 with at least 10 homers as a regular, although it is increasingly unclear if he might get that chance in Los Angeles beyond this season. In the unlikely event the Dodgers cut Lo Duca rather than risk paying him as much as $6 million in salary arbitration, they could turn to Koyie Hill, batting .315 at triple-A Las Vegas, with eight home runs and 44 strikeouts in 222 at-bats.

“I want to be as prepared as possible when I get that chance,” Ross said, “whether it be with this team or another team.”

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Coach Glenn Hoffman served as the team’s interim manager in the tumultuous 1998 season, after the trade of Mike Piazza and firings of general manager Fred Claire and manager Bill Russell. He has yet to be hired as a full-time manager, although he interviewed for the Boston job that went to Terry Francona last winter.

“I’m at peace with everything,” he said. “My time will come.”

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Reliever Paul Shuey, who has yet to pitch this season because of a torn tendon in his right thumb, said he hoped to embark on a minor league rehabilitation assignment next week. Shuey is scheduled to throw a simulated game in Los Angeles on Wednesday.