Dodgers reap benefits of Brad Ausmus’ commitment

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Most people would have called it a career. Maybe had a nice emotional news conference. Thanked their family, their coaches, their teammates. Wiped away a tear and headed into the proverbial sunset.

Brad Ausmus was 41 years old. He had been catching in the major leagues for 17 years. Had already said that this was going be his final season.

And then during the first week of the Dodgers’ season, he suffered a herniated disk in his back. He had back surgery and was told that it would be at least three months before he could play again.

That would put him out until the end of July. For that, he was going to battle to come back? All just to sub for Russell Martin once every two weeks?

‘Initially, I thought he was done,’ Manager Joe Torre said. ‘Until I watched him come in here every day.

‘To me, it was a challenge to him just to prove he could come back and be a player. Which doesn’t surprise me. I didn’t know him before he got here, but having been around him for a couple of years, there’s a lot going on there.’

Ausmus not only came back, but now with the hip injury to Martin, he is likely to be the Dodgers’ primary catcher.

Ausmus said not returning this season was never an option.

‘It never crossed my mind to not try and get back,’ he said. ‘The Dodgers signed me to play baseball in whatever capacity they needed me, and just because I was injured during the course of the season and knowing I’m going to retire doesn’t mean you pull up shop.

‘You still have that honor contract. And in order to honor the contract, I felt like I had to get myself back on the field of play of play as soon as possible.’’

That Ausmus’ career would end in an unusual manner is only fitting. He was drafted by the New York Yankees in 1987 but attended Dartmouth College and played in the Yankees’ farm system primarily in the summer.

His father, Harry, is a retired professor of European history at Southern Connecticut State University. He is the author of ‘A Schopenhauerian Critique of Nietzsche’s Thought.’ Ausmus has called it his favorite book.

Ausmus played for the San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros before signing with the Dodgers before the 2009 season to be Martin’s backup. He won three Gold Gloves. Started for the Astros in the 2005 World Series.

He recognizes that he is not exactly the same player who was an All-Star for the Tigers in 1999.

‘I don’t throw the ball nearly as well, I don’t run nearly as fast,’ he said. ‘I have a little more experience. I don’t think the desire to win has changed.

‘You hope with the experience you can use a mental advantage at times to make up for the physical deficiencies. That being said, I don’t feel like an invalid either.’

Ausmus has had only 16 at-bats, so his .188 average is hardly representative. But he’s always been a defensive catcher first -- he has a .252 career batting average -- though he did bat .295 for the Dodgers last season.

No one, of course, can be certain how much Ausmus will be able to play the next two months at age 41, coming off back surgery and not having been an everyday catcher since 2007.

Torre plans to split the catching duties between Ausmus and rookie A.J. Ellis until he gauges how much of a workload Ausmus can handle.

‘It’s been a few years since I had any kind of real workload,’ he said. ‘But then again, we’re only talking two months.’

After that? Ausmus would like to enjoy a couple of summer vacations with his wife and daughters (12 and 11) but has talked about managing.

‘I’ve said there are days when I think it would be fun,’ he said. ‘But there are no guarantees with 30 managerial jobs out there that I’d ever have the opportunity.

‘There are also days when I want to walk away from the baseball field and never see it again.’

Ausmus would have some distinguishing qualifications as a manager. Few can claim an Ivy League education and 17 years as a player in the majors.

Torre thinks he would be an excellent manager.

‘He knows baseball,’ Torre said. ‘I’m a little partial to catchers. Pitching is so important, and he has a feel for pitching. He asks a lot of questions. He’s played for a number of managers.

‘And the fact that he just seems interested in doing it. He’s very intelligent. That’s not necessarily required to be a manager, trust me -- you can take that from me. But he’s very confident with who he is. What’s important, there are a lot of communication skills he possesses.’

And, as the Dodgers know, perseverance and commitment.

-- Steve Dilbeck