Versatile Ust just indispensable to Hens

The Mud Hens' Brant Ust charges a ball from third. Ust has also played shortstop, second base and left and right fields, proving to be a very valuable asset.

Brandon Inge has opened eyes in Detroit this season as a valuable jack-of-all-trades.

Last week circumstances shined a similar spotlight on the versatility of the Mud Hens' Brant Ust. And Ust didn't disappoint.

So far this season the 25-year-old has played second base, shortstop and third base as well as both corner outfield positions.

In fact, when Danny Klassen was knocked out of the lineup last week it was Ust who moved to shortstop rather than Jason Smith, who was voted the top shortstop in the IL last season while with Durham.

“[Third base] is a new position for [Smith],” Parrish said of the move. “We want to keep him comfortable, because when Danny comes back he's going to go back in at shortstop. So rather than making Smitty move to one place and then moving back, [we did this].”

Of course, it hasn't hurt that Ust has played well at short in Klassen's absence. While Ust has spent most of his professional career at third base — he played all but 10 of his first 374 pro games at that position — he isn't a stranger to short. Last season he saw action in 15 games there, including 14 at Double-A Erie.

“In terms of comfort level I always was a shortstop as a kid and in high school and college,” said Ust, who played at Notre Dame. “I don't feel awkward out there.”

Despite all the movement from position to position, Ust has made only one error in 14 games. And all of the shifting hasn't affected Ust at the plate, where he has a .288 average.

“He's been solid,” Parrish said of Ust's play at shortstop. “He hasn't done anything wrong out there.”

There may be at least one other position in Ust's future. When catcher Guillermo Rodriguez was serving a two-game suspension, Parrish hinted that Ust might have received the call if the team's other catcher, Mike DiFelice, had to leave the game.

Ust has caught during a game. In fact, he's played every position but pitcher in at least one contest during his pro career. That versatility is part of the reason he made the Mud Hens squad this year.

“[Versatility was] what we looked for in the spring,” Parrish said. “It came down to [Ust] or Rayner Bautista, and Brant did everything we asked of him. He played in the outfield like he's always been an outfielder.

“And he's a threat any time he goes to the plate. It's good to have a guy at this level who can play that many positions. He can play shortstop, he can play the outfield, he's our third catcher, and he's not an out when he goes up to the plate. Put those all together and that's a pretty good package.”

If he had his choice, where would Ust tell Parrish to play him?

“I'd tell him to put me in a position where I can swing the bat,” Ust said.

PERSPECTIVE: The crowd of 6,089 for Thursday's first School Celebration Day of the year was the smallest in the history of the event. But that didn't keep the Mud Hens from being pleased by the attendance figure.

One reason is that this is the first time four School Celebration Days are being held in one season. With three last year and no more than two in any other previous year, that means the promotion will draw more school children to Fifth Third Field this year than in any previous season.

What's more, Thursday's crowd was the fourth-largest in 11 April home dates this year.

“It's a matter of philosophy,” general manager Joe Napoli said of the morning games. “In Akron they have five of these contests, and even though they don't sell any of them out, they compare the attendance to that of a night game in May. Even their weakest morning game was better than a typical night game.”

Napoli said he would be surprised if any of the other three School Celebration Days did not sell out.

DON'T ADJUST YOUR SET: Here are some crazy numbers from recent play around the league: