Baseball Notebook : Sutton, DeCinces Job Hunt

Don Sutton and Doug DeCinces, former Angels, aren’t wearing name tags identifying them as job seekers at the baseball winter meetings, but that’s what they are.

Each is here seeking to perpetuate his distinguished career.

No surprise in the case of third baseman DeCinces. He had said when he was unceremoniously released by the Angels in the next to last week of the season that he intended to try to play again.

Sutton, however, had been undecided when the Angels elected not to pick up the 1988 option on his contract. He had said that he would also like to weigh broadcasting and political feelers.

But here he was, at 42, a winner of 321 games, a future Hall of Fame member, standing in the crowded lobby of the headquarters hotel Monday, talking optimistically about his chances to hook on with another team.

“I had a couple broadcasting opportunities but the closer I got to signing a contract, the more I realized how foolish I’d be,” he said.

“I still like to pitch, I can still get people out and I think I can still go seven or eight innings.

“There are 20 clubs looking for pitchers and I’m confident I’ll be with one of them on a shared-risk basis.

“I can guarantee three things. I’ll be on time, I’ll be in shape and I’ll throw strikes.”

There is one other guarantee: The rules prohibit him from re-signing with the pitching poor Angels until May 15.

Sutton said he hopes to have made three or four starts elsewhere by then.

In their pursuit of a shortstop and relief pitcher, the Dodgers ultimately met with 10 teams Sunday, then eight more Monday.

Executive vice president Fred Claire said: “By the end of today, we’ll have met with the teams that seem to have what we need and we’ll then begin to meet with some of them again.”

Claire would not identify teams or players, but this much is known:

--The Dodgers have made at least two propositions involving Mike Marshall.

They offered Marshall to the San Diego Padres for relief pitcher Lance McCullers and a second player. The Padres, a source said, balked at the inclusion of a second player. The offer is still on the table.

They also offered Marshall to the Chicago Cubs for shortstop Shawon Dunston, but the Cubs reportedly seem uninterested in trading Dunston unless a front line pitcher is involved.

It is also believed they would trade Marshall for Oakland shortstop Alfredo Griffin if assured that Griffin’s thumb, hit by a pitch in September, is 100% and if, of course, the A’s agree to it.

--Claire will meet with the New York Mets again today to discuss the Mets’ offer of Rafael Santana, Jesse Orosco and Mookie Wilson for Bob Welch.

--Claire has also met with the Angels, who were interested in probing Dodger interest in shortstop Gus Polidor in return for a starting pitcher. Claire was asked about the Angels and said he would have no problem dealing with them despite the infrequency with which the two teams have dealt in the past.

Claire also said:

--He would not trade either of two highly regarded prospects, pitcher Ramon Martinez and shortstop Juan Bell.

--He has been contacted by Bucky Woy, the agent for Bob Horner, who spent last season hitting home runs in Japan. “Horner isn’t someone we’ve been giving a lot of attention to,” Claire said. In other words, thanks, but no thanks.

When in Texas: Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda wore gray boots with his gray slacks Monday. Each boot had the Dodger logo halfway up.