Story Created:
Aug 23, 2010 at 10:18 AM PST
Story Updated:
Aug 23, 2010 at 10:18 AM PST
Rod Barajas has returned home.
The product of Santa Fe High School and Cerritos College was claimed by the Dodgers from the New York Mets off waivers Sunday.
The 12-year Major League veteran will officially be added to the roster Tuesday in Milwaukee.
The Dodgers are hoping the 34-year-old Barajas can give the catching spot more offensive punch, something that’s been lacking without the injured Russell Martin.
A.J. Ellis, Sunday’s starter at Dodger Stadium against the Reds, will be optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque until Major League rosters expand in September, when he will likely return.
Barajas had played in 74 games for the Mets this year, including 67 starts. He hit .225 with 12 homers, 11 doubles and 34 RBIs in 249 at-bats in his first season in New York, bringing a power threat to a position where the Dodgers essentially had none.
When Martin was lost for the season with a labral tear in his right hip Aug. 4, the Dodgers turned to 41-year-old Brad Ausmus, who had missed the first half of the season because of back surgery, and the 29-year-old Ellis, who had played 10 games in the Majors before this season. They hit a combined .183 with no home runs and 11 RBIs in 128 at-bats.
“It’s a move that’s going to make us better, especially offensively,” Ellis said. “We both did a really good job in terms of handling the staff. I think we’ve done a good job preparing and calling games. The problem’s been offense.”
“At this point in time we need that third catcher,” manager Joe Torre said. “We were hard pressed to find another catcher to bring up. We’ll catch (Barajas), he’ll share with Ausmus and probably do most of the catching.”
After starring on a Santa Fe High team that also featured Mark Kotsay, currently of the Chicago White Sox, Barajas played for Cerritos College from 1994-1995.
He was a first-team All-South Coast Conference designated hitter and team MVP as a freshman and a second-team All-SCC first baseman the following year. Cerritos made its last appearance in a state championship game his sophomore season.
The undrafted Barajas was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks from a tryout camp.
RSS Feeds 
