Aaron Sele Wins Dodgers Roster Spot, Throws Gem

Only last week Los Angeles Dodgers farm property Aaron Sele cleaned out his locker to try to hook on with another team. Sunday Sele was back with the Dodgers, starting his first major league game of the season and picking up the win after allowing only a run in six and two thirds innings. For the time being, Sele ranks behind Dodgers No. 4 and No. 5 starters Odalis Perez and Jae Seo, respectively. But Sele now owns a spot-starter and relief role on LA's active roster. To play in Los Angeles, Sele agreed to a guaranteed $500,000 contract plus incentives, sacrificing $400,000 of his pre-existing $900,000 pact rather than languish in the minors. Sele, 35, a 1992 first round draft pick with Boston, had walked out on the the Dodgers last week when it became clear that the parent club had no plans to call him up from AAA Las Vegas, even though his record was 3-0 with a 2.43 ERA. But no sooner had Sele left town than Sele's agent, Adam Katz, was informed that Sele was needed in Los Angeles because Perez had left the team to be with his hospitalized mother, who recently underwent surgery for stomach cancer in Santo Domingo. Perez, on bereavement leave, is expected back Tuesday. Perez is scheduled to start with nine days rest on Friday. Perez has struggled with an ERA just under 7.00, and time is running out for him to find his form. In the second year of a $24 million three-year contract, Perez is a difficult candidate to be traded, though that hasn't stopped the Dodgers from trying to move him. Perez is being pushed not so much by Sele but by top prospect Chad Billingsley. Billingsley, 21, has a 1.59 ERA and has struck out 31 in 28 innings for the Las Vegas 51s.