Latest Deal Proves Future Is Now for Lasorda

Deadline data . . .

Two salient points were lost amid the rave reviews for the Dodgers’ acquisition of Mark Grudzielanek and Carlos Perez by interim General Manager Tom Lasorda.

1--Shades of Jose Offerman: While Grudzielanek joins Eric Young at the top of the lineup to form a potentially catalytic offensive punch, the new Dodger shortstop is something of a defensive liability. Grudzielanek made 27 errors in his first full season of 1996, led the National League with 32 last year and again leads NL shortstops with 23.

2--Mortgaging the future: In the quest to win a wild-card berth--after all, he has guaranteed the Dodgers would reach the playoffs--and secure his job, Lasorda has traded the organization’s two best pitching prospects (Dennis Reyes and Ted Lilly), two of the three best hitting prospects (Paul Konerko and Wilton Guerrero) and a legitimate and fast-developing outfield prospect in Peter Bergeron.

What’s left is Adrian Beltre and some bats and balls.

Of course, the Dodgers are clearly a better team with Jeff Shaw in the bullpen, Perez in the rotation and Grudzielanek in the batter’s box, but at what price to the system or payroll--or does that matter any more?

Fox will simply buy what it needs. The $47-million payroll that Fred Claire was asked to maintain has crept above $60 million--that’s luxury tax terrain--headed to $70 million next year. The Dodgers already have committed $53.3 million to 12 players in 1999, with Ismael Valdes, Charles Johnson, Darren Dreifort and the newly acquired Perez and Grudzielanek all eligible for arbitration.

In addition, Shaw is certain to make the Dodgers pay--via a contract negotiation--for Lasorda’s gaffe in not knowing that as a player traded with a multiyear contract he can demand a trade, which his new club has to honor or he can become a free agent. Shaw may save 40 or more games, which could translate to a salary of $5 million or more--compared to the $2.8 million he is currently guaranteed next year.

As for Lasorda securing his job, bet this: He will remain in a visible and meaningful capacity as president or advisor.

To whom? The latest speculation has either Dave Dombrowski coming from the Florida Marlins or Jim Bowden from the Cincinnati Reds as general manager.

MARINER ALBATROSS

Make no mistake: At the 11th hour on the night of the non-waiver trade deadline, Seattle had no alternative but to trade Randy Johnson for two lower-level Houston Astro prospects. The Mariners had been trying to play the New York Yankees off the Cleveland Indians, both concerned about the other landing Johnson as a playoff weapon, but the Indians had refused to trade Dave Burba and long since dropped out. And the Yankees, with 31-year-old GM Brian Cashman making the decision, refused to 1) part with pitcher Ramiro Mendoza or third-base prospect Mike Lowell, 2) tamper with the club’s magical chemistry, or 3) create a scenario where he might be giving millions to Johnson at the expense of potential free agents Bernie Williams and Scott Brosius.

The Mariners wanted a heftier price if they traded Johnson within the American League and ultimately had to reopen the back door to the Astros, who had dropped out earlier in the day after rejecting Seattle’s bid for pitcher Scott Elarton.

There is no use chronicling the mistakes made by Johnson and the Mariners in reaching their contract impasse, but in dealing the left-hander for Carlos Guillen and Freddy Garcia, the Mariners must swallow the mistake of June 1 when ownership overruled the baseball department and rejected three options presented by Claire and the Dodgers.

According to a source familiar with the situation, the Dodgers offered Valdes and Hideo Nomo; Valdes and Guerrero; Valdes and Roger Cedeno.

Two months later, the Mariners were left with Guillen and Garcia, and first baseman David Segui seemed to speak for the clubhouse when he said, “I’m not knocking the two guys we got personally, but that was a lousy trade. They basically gave him away for nothing.”

Conceded a Seattle scout: “At the end, we didn’t have an option. I mean, I don’t blame the players for their reaction, but they also could have played better the last four months and the situation might not have been as difficult.”

CIRCLING THE WAGONS

The deal was made, according to the Angel source: Jim Edmonds, Dave Hollins and a prospect for the Oakland A’s Mark McGwire and Brosius.

Then Disney, fearing the McGwire economics, squashed it.

That was before last July’s trade deadline--an impact opportunity forever lost.

The opportunities of this July were far less glamorous but no less important for a team striving to win its division with an injury-depleted rotation and end a 37-year World Series famine. But while the American League West-rival Texas Rangers made important improvements, the Angels came away empty.

Economics, they insist, weren’t an issue. They made the effort, they insist, refused to break up their nucleus or mortgage their future (no way, for example, were they going to trade both Jason Dickson and Jarrod Washburn for Tim Belcher) and were left to consider the post-mortems.

“If we screwed up, I want to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” General Manager Bill Bavasi said.

Too late for ‘98, of course, which meant that Manager Terry Collins held a pregame clubhouse meeting Saturday to deliver an us-against- them message, telling his players they would have to do it with what they have.

“We have the makeup and ability to get it done,” Collins said. “Now we have to perform.”

And unless the waiver wire produces a miracle, hope that Ken Hill and Jack McDowell and Randy Velarde return before it’s too late, hope that a first-year pro, Troy Glaus, can stimulate the offense.

Betting the come line again. Some things never change.