DeWitt's Dodgers debut is a hit
DODGERS REPORT
Emergency opening-day starter at third base singles for his first major league hit, scores a run and starts a key double play, all in the same inning.
The kid started the spring in minor league camp, and his reward for being promoted was a jersey without his name across the back. He wore a helmet with two earflaps for nearly two weeks because of an equipment shortage.
But on Monday, 22-year-old Blake DeWitt was the Dodgers' opening-day third baseman.
With his parents and younger sister visiting from Missouri and in the stands at Dodger Stadium, DeWitt started a double play on the first ball hit to him to end a first-and-third threat by the San Francisco Giants in the second inning.
In the bottom half of the inning, DeWitt singled to left for the first hit of his big league career and scored his first run on a hit by Rafael Furcal.
"Walking up to that plate, I heard my named called and I told myself, 'Be patient, be calm, breathe,' " DeWitt said. "You can get caught not breathing and start shaking a bit."
Said catcher Russell Martin: "He didn't waste much time."
DeWitt finished the day one for two with a pair of walks.
"I hadn't even thought about the first hit," DeWitt said. "But looking back at it now, it's good to get it out of the way."
DeWitt, who previously had never played a regular-season game above double A, had his bags packed Sunday and was bracing himself for a minor league assignment.
But the Dodgers were unable to acquire a third baseman to replace the injured Nomar Garciaparra, Andy LaRoche and Tony Abreu, and he was told to come back to the ballpark Monday ready to play in case they couldn't add a reinforcement.
They couldn't.
So the Dodgers, who began the day with 24 active players, made room for him and infielder Angel Chavez by moving Abreu to the disabled list. Right-hander Eric Hull, who was sent down to triple-A Las Vegas last week, was designated for assignment to carve out the space for DeWitt and Chavez on the 40-man roster. Management has temporarily slowed its search for a new third baseman.
The last-minute roster moves resulted in last-minute work for clubhouse manager Mitch Poole, who was sewing the jerseys of four players who changed numbers: DeWitt (No. 33 from No. 62), Chavez (No. 30 from No. 80), Mark Sweeney (No. 22 from No. 47) and Ramon Troncoso (No. 38 from No. 72).
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