RailCats infielder Ott versatile at every position

GARY | Lou Ott could ask for a second locker in the RailCats clubhouse for all the hats -- and gloves -- he wears.

This season, he's played at first, second and third base. He's taken ground balls at shortstop and even played an inning at pitcher.

When the RailCats had to place catcher Yuki Matsumoto on the inactive list, they did so with the confidence that a backup catcher, if needed, could come from wherever Ott happened to be standing on the field.

When it comes to versatility, the RailCats have found their man in Ott.

"The one thing is that we have not had a Juan Diaz on our club or a guy who is that prototypical big player," manager Greg Tagert said. "What we have had are guys like Lou Ott, guys who are so versatile, not that they don't have a position, but that they can play every position. Lou has been so spectacular at third base and we put him over there when second base was his normal position."

Ott emerged from spring training as the only infielder without a position. Since he could play them all, he makes the perfect backup for everyone.

This season he has started seven games at first, seven at second, one at short, four as the catcher and spent an inning as a pitcher. With injuries plaguing the RailCats clubhouse, he's spent the last two weeks at third base.

"I like moving around a lot," Ott said. "I take a lot of pride in being the guy that can play a lot of positions. We're in a tight spot right now, and third base is where they need me."

A pitcher and shortstop in high school, he was converted to a shortstop and catcher in his two years at Sacramento City College. That's also where he learned to hit from both sides of the plate, adding to his baseball utility belt.

But the position Ott would really like to play full-time is catcher.

He was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2005 and as a farmhand there was allowed to catch.

As a RailCats catcher, he's 4-for-9 in throwing out runners trying to steal, matching a defensive standard set last season with the platooning of Anthony Esquer and Brett Wallace.

"I wanted to catch more with the Marlins, but they didn't let me catch as much," Ott said. "The Tigers let me catch a little. ... The goal is definitely to get picked back up and I think my best shot at doing that is to be a catcher."

"He's strong and has a good arm back there. He's not a pure catcher in terms that that is a natural position for him," Tagert said. "If you watch when he's DH'ing or not in the lineup, he's catching bullpens and does all the things the catcher needs if the catcher was left on base."

Playing in only 37 of the RailCats' 45 games heading into Tuesday, Ott has found his way back from a slow start to reach the top three on the team in batting average at .311 to go with 22 RBI.

"It's definitely given opportunities to a bunch of different people," Ott said. "I'm getting comfortable at third, and I don't know that I'm putting anybody's job in jeopardy, but it's definitely fun to play every day."