Busch Optioned to Clear Spot for Wallach

To make room for third baseman Tim Wallach on the roster, the Dodgers optioned fellow third baseman Mike Busch to the Albuquerque Dukes.

It’s a route Busch, 28, knows all too well. He played in 1993, ’94 and part of ’95 for Albuquerque before joining the big club. Busch started this season with the Dukes, but was recalled on May 2 when Brett Butler went on the disabled list.

“I’ll be back sometime,” said Busch, who leaves with a .217 average, four home runs and 17 runs batted in. Busch hit two of those homers in two games earlier on this trip.

“We looked at the makeup of this team and he was the obvious guy [to go] at this time,” Manager Bill Russell said. “[Rick] Parker can play a number of positions, he has speed and he might be our best right-handed hitter off the bench. [Infielder Juan] Castro can also play a lot of positions.”

*

Pitcher Tom Candiotti has rejoined the team after missing nearly a month because of a bruised elbow, an injury caused when he was hit by a pitch.

Candiotti might start in Tuesday night’s series opener at St. Louis.

First a spot must be opened on the roster, the most likely candidate to go is pitcher Jim Bruske.

Since his last appearance in a Dodger uniform on July 19, Candiotti made two rehabilitation starts for the San Bernardino Stampede, the Dodgers’ California League team.

It brought back pleasant memories for Candiotti, who spent parts of seven seasons in the minor leagues before coming up to stay with the Cleveland Indians in 1986.

One big difference, however.

“When I started with Victoria in 1979,” Candiotti said, “I was making $400 a month and was getting $5 a day in meal money.”

Candiotti now earns about $250,000 per month and $60.50 per diem.

*

Third baseman Dave Hansen, who left the team for three games to be present in Los Angeles at the birth of his second child, is back with the club.