If that's the case, Cody Ross isn't going anywhere soon after he challenged Olmedo Saenz for ownership of PNC Park on Thursday.
Playing to give J.D. Drew the day off, Ross slugged a grand slam and a three-run homer for seven RBIs, outproducing Saenz's home run and four RBIs, as the Dodgers coasted to a 13-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates that salvaged a split of their four-game series.
Out of options after an impressive Spring Training, Ross made the Opening Day roster only because of a calf injury to Kenny Lofton. As Lofton's return approaches (probably Friday or Saturday), Ross has been anticipating the news that he's been either traded, claimed by another club, or worst of all, outrighted back to Triple-A because no other club wanted him in the Major Leagues.
Chances are, it will be none of the above. After Ross' muscle-flexing, which included a 440-footer off the back of the bullpen wall, manager Grady Little indicated that the club might make room for Lofton by moving a player other than Ross, and possibly by reducing the staff to 11 pitchers, even if it would be only a temporary solution.
"It's a possibility," he said. "That's something we were leaning toward before we got on the plane [to leave Pittsburgh]."
Little said his struggling relievers might be more effective if there were fewer of them pitching more regularly. That could mean optioning to Las Vegas a young reliever like Franquelis Osoria, whose ERA is 12.27 after he allowed a run Thursday.
Even more likely, something could be done with Yhency Brazoban, who is pitching as if the sore shoulder and elbow he battled during Spring Training still aren't sound. He was shut down for two weeks in Florida and might be headed back to the sidelines.
"The guys feel he's not throwing like he's capable of throwing," said Little.
