Lucas continues to be a man of many gloves

PITTSBURGH -- The many gloves of Ed Lucas have come in handy for the Marlins.

The 31-year-old rookie, who possesses an Ivy League degree from Dartmouth, has played himself into being one of the club's most versatile performers.

Steady anywhere he is placed on the field, Lucas has already played five positions. He's mostly been used at second and third base, but he's also seen time at shortstop, first base and left field.

In case of an emergency, he is listed as Miami's third-string catcher.

"I really can't take him out of the game," manager Mike Redmond said.

In cases of double-switches, Lucas has found himself shifting from either third base to second or first, or from second base to third. He's typically the player who remains in the game in those situations.

Third base is where he has been used most often, appearing in 37 games, with 35 starts. He's also play second base 13 times, with three starts. First base was a new position for him, but he's played there in nine games, with seven starts.