Anthony Goes From Left Out to Left Field

Eric Anthony still can’t believe this is happening.

Only three weeks ago, he was unemployed and desperately looking for work, terrified no one would sign him.

Sunday, he was the Dodger starting left fielder.

Anthony, a left-handed hitter, will platoon with Billy Ashley. Because there are few left-handed starting pitchers in the league, Anthony will receive the bulk of the playing time, relegating Ashley to the bench.

“It’s hard to believe, isn’t it?” said Anthony, who hit two triples, albeit with generous scoring calls, in the Dodgers’ 7-4 loss to the Montreal Expos on Sunday. “I go from looking for a job one month ago to being here with the L.A. Dodgers. I never would have thought it would end up this way.”

Anthony, 29, who never played high school baseball but was drafted in the 34th round by the Houston Astros, has not had an opportunity to play regularly since 1993 with the Astros. He played for five organizations before signing with the Dodgers.

“Anthony is swinging the bat well,” Dodger Manager Bill Russell said. “He can do a lot of things for you.”

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First baseman Eric Karros, demoted from the cleanup spot to sixth in the order Saturday, might be moved back to his cleanup position today. Dodger Manager Bill Russell said he was contemplating the move.

Karros, who has not batted with a runner on base in three consecutive games, hit a leadoff homer in the seventh inning off Pedro Martinez. It was only Karros’ second RBI of the month.

Cleanup hitter Raul Mondesi went hitless in four at-bats, striking out twice and grounding into a double play.

“It was something that needed to be done,” Russell said of his decision to move Karros. “We needed to make a change.”