Brad Ausmus '91 recently signed a one-year, $1 million contract to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2009. The contract also contains up to $350,000 more in performance incentives, based on plate appearances.
The Dodgers will be the fourth major league team Ausmus, 40, has played on, having spent the last eight years in Houston playing for the Astros.
In an interview with The Dartmouth on Wednesday, Ausmus, who makes his off-season home an hour south of Los Angeles in Del Mar, Calif., said that he was pleased to end up with the Dodgers.
"In my mind, I wanted a [National League], Southern California team that showed any interest in me," he said. "I'm excited to show for spring training as a Dodger."
Ausmus is projected to back up All-Star catcher Russell Martin for the team. He said his new position will take some getting used to, as he has been a starter for most of his career.
"Assuming I'll be the backup for an All-Star caliber catcher is something new," Ausmus said. "I've been a starter, so it's not something I've really done before."
During his last year in Houston, Ausmus was expected to mentor rising catching prospect J.R. Towles. When Towles underperformed, however, Ausmus took over the permanent duties.
Besides the proximity to home, Ausmus was also drawn to the allure of playing for Dodgers' manager Joe Torre.
"The idea of playing for Torre was a big plus when deciding where I was going to play," he said. "He has a sterling reputation. People I know speak very highly of him."
When asked about his personal goals for the upcoming season, Ausmus instead focused on the success of the team.
"I don't really set personal goals, I'd just like to win a championship before I retire," he said.
Ausmus came close to earning a ring in 2005, when the Astros lost to the Chicago White Sox in the World Series. He played in all four games of the series.
Ausmus said he does not yet have plans for retirement, but that many of his former coaches and some baseball personalities have cited his intelligence for the game as a sign of a great future manager, a prospect he said he does not rule out.
"It's certainly not in my immediate plans to do it," he said. "I'm not saying I won't, but you have to get the opportunity to do it. There are only 30 major league coaching jobs, so it's very hard to get that opportunity. Maybe some point in the future."
Reflecting on his pro career thus far, Ausmus stressed the importance of the friends he has made while playing in major league baseball.
"My favorite part about the game is the people you meet," he said. "The teammates and the friendships you build are the most important things. Relationships will be the strongest memory in my mind."
"Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Mark Loretta and Mike Hampton are all guys that I'll stay in good touch with even though we aren't playing together anymore," Ausmus said of his former teammates. "I still see Trevor Hoffman once a week and we stay close, and I haven't played with him since 1996."
When asked if he was sad to be leaving Houston after nearly a decade, Ausmus remained optimistic about starting anew in L.A.
"I was very comfortable playing in Houston, and I'll always consider myself an Astro more than anything else," he said. "But the Dodgers are a storied organization with a great history. It'll be fun to play there."
Ausmus, who was a member of Chi Gamma Epsilon fraternity, never actually played a game for the Dartmouth baseball team. He was recruited to the Big Green in 1987, but was was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 48th round of Major League Baseball's amateur draft that year.
Because of NCAA eligibility rules, he was unable to compete for Dartmouth, and instead served as a volunteer assistant coach and bullpen catcher for the team.
"I played with the team during the fall and the winter," he said. "Then I took the spring and the summer off to go to spring training and start the season. The trimester schedule worked well for me that way. I would take an extra course every semester, so that helped me keep pace."
After graduating in 1991 with a major in government, Ausmus dedicated his life to professional baseball. Still, even though he has only returned to campus once since his departure, Ausmus still has a fond memory of the school.
"I don't know if Dartmouth really helped me in professional baseball, but I certainly value the time I had," he said. "I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to go to school there."
Ausmus is a three-time Gold Glove winner and was an All-Star in 2000. He has a career batting average of .251, with 79 home runs and 596 runs batted in.
Known for his defensive prowess, Ausmus is ranked second all-time in career putouts, behind future Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez.
In 2004, he was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
