By Tot Holmes Publisher, Dodger Dugout A third base question mark has been a nearly annual thing with the Dodgers since Fred Warner earned the spot over Charlie Jones in 1884. As it was in Brooklyn so came the virus West with the Bums in 1958 and infested first the Coliseum and then brand-new Dodger Stadium. No cure has apparently been found. The problem has been perennial, with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles front office starting a new year by wondering who would be their third baseman. On two occasions, they used nine men at the hot corner. (1995 and 2006) Only a couple of times in Los Angeles would the problem be solved for any length of time. Ron Cey staked his claim to the position for 11 years, becoming the best all-around third baseman in over 100 years of franchise history. Then a young man from the Dominican Republic, Adrian Beltre, came along at 19 and took over the position. The Dodgers suffered while the kid learned on the job from 1998 to 2003. In 2004, just when he finally demonstrated that he had not only learned it, had mastered it-----home run champion with 48, a .334 batting average, 121 runs batted in, a team record 376 total bases, Silver Slugger winner and the sweetest glove West of Billy Cox----the Dodgers let him walk away. (Quoting FDR: "A date that will live in infamy") for reasons that are still completely inexplicable (as well as unforgivable) and the process started all over again Brooklyn had the same problem. Try to name the third best third baseman in Brooklyn history. Sure you got Billy Cox first and Cookie Lavagetto, then there was.........er...... Overall, counting all the third basemen who have donned a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform since 1958, the grand total comes out to be 137 players of assorted sizes, weight, color and talents. Goodness knows how many jostled for the job when the team was in Brooklyn. And some of the names would surprise-----no-------shock you. Among them, for example, were outstanding first basemen Gil Hodges, Moose Skowron and Eddie Murray. Catchers Johnny Roseboro, Jerry Grote, Alex Trevino, Carlos Hernandez, Henry Blanco and Paul LoDuca. Outfielders Tommy Davis, Manny Mota, Reggie Smith and Mike Marshall. Hall of Fame shortstop Pee Wee Reese. All-Stars Steve Sax, Maury Wills, Bill Russell and Paul Konerko. And (drum roll) Pedro Martinez. Well, this is a bit deceptive. Pedro didn't even go onto the field. He was penciled in to start at third base, but in the top of the first inning, before he even came out of the dugout, Dave Hansen pinch-hit for him in an attempt to set a new Dodger pinch-hitting record. Hansen singled, his 18th pinch hit of the year, and passed Mitch Webster who had held the club record set just the season before. Pedro stayed in the dugout and smilingly wrote "third base" on his resume. Who was the first third baseman in Los Angeles Dodger history? Dick Gray. His home run won the first Dodger game in the City of Angels in 1958.