Marlins Recall Paul Lo Duca from Albuquerque

The arrival of veteran catcher Paul Lo Duca from the Triple A Isotopes gives the Marlins a veteran presence behind the plate as the team approaches the home stretch in the playoff race.

Though the 37-year-old one-time Dodgers star had been released by the Nationals July 31 after hitting only .230 in 46 games, he had knocked out 11 hits 26 at- bats against Pacific Coast League pitching since agreeing to a minor league contract with Albuquerque. Lo Duca will complement Marlins starter Matt Treanor, who recently returned from the disabled list.

Lo Duca is best remembered for his career year with the 2001 Dodgers, when he hit .320 with 25 homers, benchmarks he has never approached since. With his defensive skills also in decline, his reputation in the twilight of his career has been somewhat mixed.