Dodgers Diaries

Sports Illustrated recently asked 306 big leaguers to rank the 15 toughest catchers to steal on. It's hard to argue with their perception that Yadier Molina is the best in the business. But the fact that AJ Ellis is nowhere on the list shows that opposing baserunners just haven’t been paying attention. Ellis ranks fifth in baseball at throwing out would-be stealers, behind Arizona’s Miguel Montero (with a whopping 50 percent success rate), Cincinnati's Ryan Hanigan, San Francisco's Hector Sanchez (Buster who?) and Philadelphia's Carlos Ruiz.

Joe Mauer, who placed 5th on the SI list, has thrown out just 15 percent of baserunners this year. Mike Napoli, supposedly inept at this task, has a better success rate. Yadier's older brother Jose Molina, ranked 8th, has thrown out just 3 of the 19 men who've tried to steal on him.

I don't know whether this is one of those stats that has more to do with pitchers than catchers. Certainly Ellis has been hurt by catching Ted Lilly, whose inability to hold runners on has allowed seven of nine baserunners to advance, and Kenley Jansen, who has never registered a caught-stealing in his short career (he's 0-for-2 in 2012).

What I do know is that this ranking, like the Gold Glove awards, seems to be based not on facts, but on reputation, much of which is established at the plate, rather than behind it. The funny thing is, Ellis has done just as much to acquit himself with the bat as with the glove. Then again, maybe this disrespect is what has made him so successful. Players think they can run on him, so they try it. But 39 percent of the time, they're wrong.

-- JOHN ROSENTHAL

The Dodgers re-signed Brad Ausmus and Ronnie Belliard to deals worth $850,000 and $825,000 respectively. At those prices, it’s hard to argue that they made a mistake. But sometimes you measure a deal not in dollars and cents, but in opportunity costs.

Both players stand in the way of talented youngster’s development. I hope the Blake Dewitt era isn’t pushed back by the signing of Belliard, a free swinger who in my opinion lacks a good head for the game. Ausmus isn’t really thwarting the development of AJ Ellis, a 29-year-old minor leaguer, but it seems his greatest contributions were from being on the bench, something he could do as a coach without taking up a roster spot.

Finally, the Dodgers now have two utility infielders in Belliard and Jamey Carroll, neither of whom can play shortstop. With a rickety Rafael Furcal and his history of injury, they’re going to need yet another guy to play short once a week.

With Joe Torre’s habit of carrying 12 pitchers, that leaves a bench of five players: 1) Ausmus, 2) Carroll 3) Backup SS 4) Repko or some other 4th outfielder 5) Belliard/Dewitt whoever doesn’t start. Not exactly Murderer’s Row. Combined, these guys probably don’t hit a whole lot better than the pitcher they’d be replacing.

-- JOHN ROSENTHAL

Do the Dodgers hold stock in Southwest Airlines? How else to explain the roster moves they made yesterday.

The team called up catcher A.J. Ellis and 31-year-old rookie Mitch Jones, a favorite of those who love to see Crash Davis types finally get their big break. To make room for the two newbies, Blake DeWitt and Jamie Hoffmann were returned to Albuquerque.

Ellis had one cup of coffee with the big league team May 29-31 but did not appear in a game. He’s not likely to see much action this time either. Russell Martin hates to sit, and Brad Ausmus has been fine as his once-a-week replacement. Ellis bats right-handed, so he’s not even likely to be a bat off the bench.

Jones, like the man he replaces in Hoffmann, is also a right-handed batter. Unlike Hoffmann, he’s a poor defender. The move effectively leaves the Dodgers without a fourth outfielder. Hoffmann started his major league career with a bang, hitting a homer in his third at-bat against the Angels. He got one more start after that, and then went 1-for-7 in pinch-hitting appearances. To my mind, his .182 average reflected a lack of regular use more than any slump.

DeWitt, meanwhile, has hit .158 in two stints with the Dodgers this year. He has to be wondering what the Dodgers’ plans are for him long-term. Originally slated as the second baseman, he returned to the minors to get regular playing time when Orlando Hudson signed as a free agent. But DeWitt stayed in the majors through April, getting all of 17 at-bats. He shuttled back to Albuquerque in May before getting a second call-up June 8. He appeared in three games, walking once in three plate appearances.

I wasn’t the only one who had hoped DeWitt might get a little more playing time during interleague, allowing Joe Torre to rest Hudson and/or Casey Blake at DH. With six more games to be played in AL parks over the next 10 days, the move is even more perplexing.

I can only guess that the Jones move is symbolic, an effort to get the career minor leaguer a few days of major league service so that he qualifies for a membership in the players union (and all its attendant benefits). I look for Xavier Paul to return to the roster when the Dodgers travel to Anaheim on Friday. --- John Rosenthal.