SPRING TRAINING 86 : Dodgers Start Out More at Ease Than Angels : For NL West Champions, Tranquility Has Replaced the Anxiety at Vero Beach

When the Dodgers assemble Wednesday for their first full workout of 1986, the frights of spring will be just a memory.

The evangelists who tried to convert Pedro Guerrero into an infielder have struck their tents, leaving Guerrero an unrepentant, happy outfielder.

The salesmen who tried to pass off Al Oliver as an outfielder--the “man with the dishrag arm” was the label he picked up in Philadelphia--have packed their suitcases and slipped out of town.

The blind optimists who hoped against hope--and perhaps reason--that Steve Howe would rise again, have beaten a sad retreat, having witnessed that all of Peter O’Malley’s doctors and all of his men couldn’t put Howe back together again.

And the cynics who were counting on the demise of the Dodgers have canceled their celebration, the Dodgers’ division title having dampened their party mood.

Those were last year’s intrigues, when the Dodgers were trying to sort through the wreckage of their first second-division finish since 1968.

This spring, if all isn’t tranquil on the Dodger front, it comes close, unless your idea of excitement is figuring which utility infielders the Dodgers plan to keep.

There are other subplots, to be sure, namely whether Alejandro Pena will pitch again and how persecuted Greg Brock feels after losing his arbitration case. And it wouldn’t be spring if Dodger Vice President Al Campanis didn’t have another phenom to tout.

Campanis’ 1986 pick to click: Jose Gonzalez, a 21-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic who will be given every chance to beat out Ken Landreaux in center field. What does Campanis like about Gonzalez, who was only 16 years old when he signed with the Dodgers?

--He’s the fastest man in the Dodger organization, having won the annual footrace here four springs in a row.

--He has the best arm among Dodger outfielders and is the best fielder.

--He has good power, “outstanding power,” according to Campanis.

--He looks a little like Harry Belafonte.

“A kid like this comes around through a scout’s eyes about once every 25 years,” Campanis said.

Two years ago, when Campanis was drawing up one of his master plans, he had Gonzalez’s name penciled into the 1986 lineup. So what’s keeping the Dodgers from giving Gonzalez a locker between Pedro Guerrero and Mariano Duncan, 1985’s phenom?

Well, they’re not sure yet whether Gonzalez can hit. He batted .306 in San Antonio, which is a long way from Los Angeles. Duncan made that jump in a year, but Campanis also is mindful of another hot prospect, Franklin Stubbs, who came undone when he was rushed to the majors too soon.

“We liked Duncan, but we thought he needed another year,” Campanis said. “He disproved us, but it took an injury (to Steve Sax, enabling Duncan to start at second base before moving to shortstop) to disprove us.

“If Gonzalez shows he can do the necessary things to keep him, here’s the guy you’re looking for for the next 10 or 12 years. . . . If he pulls a (Vince) Coleman and goes from Double-A to the big leagues, we will have a pretty good ballclub. He’s a hell of a center fielder.”

And what of Landreaux? Campanis answered with a question of his own: What happened to Lonnie Smith when Coleman made the St. Louis Cardinals? Smith was traded to the Kansas City Royals.

If Gonzalez isn’t ready, he’ll go to Triple-A Albuquerque, and Landreaux will be platooned in center field, most likely with Reggie Williams, who played so well last September with the Dodgers.

The rest of the team, as Campanis sees it:

Infield--Brock, who is sensitive to criticism anyway, was shaken by the pounding he took from the Dodgers during his arbitration hearing.

Team attorney Bob Walker denies telling Brock that he doesn’t have this team made, but Brock has to wonder how long he can hold off Stubbs, even though Manager Tom Lasorda insists that Brock is his first baseman.

Brock’s .178 average against left-handers is a problem, but Brock responds by asking how many first basemen playing now have hit 20 or more home runs in two of their first three seasons.

“I’d like Brock to be more consistent,” Campanis said.

Campanis is so impressed with Bill Madlock that he’s already talking about re-signing the 35-year-old third baseman when his contract runs out after the ’87 season. Take that, Ron Cey.

The middle of the infield is set, with Duncan at short and Sax at second.

“I think Sax is back to where he was before he went through a period of anxiety,” Campanis said.

Sax hit .287 after the All-Star break last season, and seemed to flourish in the No. 8 spot in the order, where his bad-ball swinging can do less harm than in the leadoff spot, which he relinquished to Duncan.

Campanis said that Duncan made “fantastic progress” as a switch-hitter during the winter.

“I think he’ll hit as well or better than he did last year,” Campanis said. “And I think eventually he’s going to have more power.”

Outfield--Guerrero in left and Mike Marshall in right should give the Dodgers close to 60 home runs and 200 RBIs between them.

“I don’t think Pete’s reached his full capacity,” Campanis said.

Lasorda said that Guerrero probably won’t mind relinquishing the designation as most highly paid Dodger to Fernando Valenzuela. “Pete signed his contract in good faith,” Lasorda said. “At the time it was a tremendous contract. When his contract is up, he knows he can get more.”

Catching--Mike Scioscia had a career year last season, but he doesn’t need to hit .300 to be valuable to the Dodgers. Campanis still would like to see him get rid of the ball faster on his throws, though.

Alex Trevino is a solid backup, but the Dodgers continue to wait for Gilberto Reyes, who is just 22 but has annoyed some team officials with his work habits.

Lazy?

“That may depict his problem,” Campanis said. “You have to stimulate and motivate him every day.”

Starting Pitching--If Pena makes it back, and that’s still a longshot, the Dodgers will have six starters, which means one could go in a deal.

Jerry Reuss would have to approve a trade, and Rick Honeycutt’s shoulder is suspect, so it might not be that easy. Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser and Bob Welch are as good a 1-2-3 as they come.

Relief Pitching--Assuming that Tom Niedenfuer’s psyche is intact after he made Jack Clark a household name in Los Angeles, the Dodgers should be OK here. Campanis wants Ken Howell to drop some weight, but is delighted with the balance that the addition of left-hander Ed Vande Berg gives the Dodgers in the bullpen.

Bench--With Campanis having said that the Dodgers will trim their roster by one player, to 24, the competition here should be interesting.

Anderson, who was the Dodger shortstop of the future until his back gave out on him, said that it should be between him and Bob Bailor.

“Anderson called it,” Campanis said.

With 14 pinch hits, Terry Whitfield came within one of the team record. He and Len Matuszek should be the left-handed bats on the bench.

Bill Russell, who can play both the infield and outfield, and Enos Cabell, who will spell Madlock at third and could platoon with Brock at first, will be the right-handed hitters.

Cabell, however, is waiting to see whether Commissioner Peter Ueberroth plans any disciplinary action for his part in baseball’s drug trial last summer.

“This team has jelled together,” Campanis said. “The picture looks good. What a difference a year makes.”