The experiment in which Javy Lopez shed his catcher's gear in favor of a first baseman's mitt will be put on hold by the Baltimore Orioles, who now will insist that their former catcher become a designated hitter, a move he does not seem eager to accept. It has financial implications for the player, who is in the final year of his contract. "I think what we're going to do is DH him early now and let him continue to work on his first base and catching," Perlozzo said. "We need to take a little pressure off with his defense now and get him straightened out and get his bat going. We really need his bat. We're going to let him DH and work on his hitting and continue to let him work on his first base. As we go into the season we'll start using him at the right time. The better he gets the more he plays."