Blake DeWitt hasn't hit a home run and has seen his batting average drop 45 points since being chosen as the league's Rookie of the Month in May.

But the Dodgers' rookie third baseman has also been written into Manager Joe Torre's lineup for the past nine games even with Andy LaRoche on the team when it was the more highly touted LaRoche that was ahead on the depth chart during the spring.

DeWitt is hitting only .258, but it's been his defense that has impressed. Memorable plays this month include a put-out that helped keep Hiroki Kuroda's perfect game bid going and another in Friday's 8-7 win.

DeWitt made a sliding back-handed stop of a ball and threw out Augie Ojeda to end the ninth inning as the potential winning run crossed the plate, and the Dodgers went on to win in the 11th.

"A lot of the young guys if they're not hitting well will let it affect the other side," Torre said. "He's pretty grounded.

"It's not affecting his defense. And he's going to give you an honest at-bat."

DeWitt credited minor league infield coordinator Matt Martin with working with him last year to improve at the hot corner, encouraging him to get his feet going on every single play.

"Sometimes you slip up on routine plays," DeWitt said. "You have to be consistent on every play. There are no routine plays in this game."

Torre said in choosing DeWitt to play the majority of the time that he was going by "feel."

"It probably worked against LaRoche that I've seen so much of DeWitt," Torre said. "It's not anything against LaRoche. Blake is filling the bill, so to speak."

LaRoche has made only three starts at third base this month, with all three coming against left-handed starting pitchers.

"I'm learning my role right now," LaRoche said.

3 Comments

phil on July 20, 2008 7:07 AM said:

Numbers don't lie... laRoche last year in 30 plus games hit .226; this year he is at .174 3 rbi
De Witt 34 errorless games saved game Fri Night w/Glove Saved Kuroda No-No bid, hitting.259 5 Hrs
34 Rbi..He is a cluth performer the proof is in the numbers..unfortunately it appears that DeWitt beat LaRoche out that used to be the American way..competition. The proof is in the numbers

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Craig P on July 20, 2008 12:05 PM said:

Actually, DeWitt's numbers on offense over the past two months are about the worst for any starting third baseman in baseball, alas. And I love the guy's hustle and I love what he unexpectedly gave the team for the first month or so, but if numbers don't lie let's look at all of them, not just the ones that prove half a point. Andy LaRoche has barely been given any playing time. He is considered the top, or in the top 2, third base prospects in baseball. He has not been given more than one start in a row. He hit a home run awhile back and then was benched the next day. I love everything DeWitt has given the team in the past but he has been basically a black hole at the plate for 2 months. Everyone in baseball who is not connected to the Dodgers is wondering why LaRoche doesn't get a consistent shot. There hasn't been a "competition" between the two because LaRoche hasn't been given an equal shot. I'm sorry, but that's ludicrous.

And yes, I loved the play DeWitt made the other night, too. That doesn't change the illogic of starting him for 2 months.

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tom on July 20, 2008 12:11 PM said:

as much as it pains me to say this, since i'm a big dodgers fan...if they're not going to let laroche have a chance at succeeding here, please trade him so he can start his career elsewhere. he's been misused for the last 2 years and he's about to turn 25.

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