Dodgers : Trevino Heads List of Five Fringe Players Who Are Asking to Be Traded

Trade requests have become about as plentiful as strewn sweat socks in the Dodger clubhouse, with less than a week remaining before the club returns to Los Angeles.

No fewer than five of the Dodgers’ fringe players said Friday that they would like a change of place if they are not in the club’s plans this season.

Friday’s lineup of frustrated players included:

--Alex Trevino, the club’s backup catcher the last two seasons, who is being pressed for a job by non-roster invitee Rick Dempsey. Trevino has been rumored to be on the trading block, and he finally made his desires known.

“I want out of here, period,” said Trevino, the most vehement of the five Dodgers. “I better get traded. I don’t even want to think about going back to L.A. When that truck comes to pick up our gear on Sunday, I’m not going to put my stuff on it.

“The last two years, I’ve hardly played at all because (Mike) Scioscia’s in there all the time. I got lucky the last two years when Scioscia got hurt. Because I got to play. Can you imagine if Scioscia didn’t get hurt? I’d get 50 at-bats.”

Trevino, who has a $300,000 guaranteed contract from the Dodgers and $250,000 coming from the Atlanta Braves, is batting .045 and had four throwing errors in 10 spring games. Dempsey is batting .136 with no errors in 14 games.

--Jeff Hamilton, who has no chance of winning the third base job after Pedro Guerrero’s move there from first, met with Fred Claire, Dodger executive vice president, Friday to make his request.

Still the Dodgers’ most highly touted prospect, the 24-year-old Hamilton’s chances of being a major league starter were put on hold again this spring.

“What I basically said was, if they don’t think I can play here and be a starter, I’d like to go somewhere else where my talents would be appreciated,” Hamilton said. “I could have gone in and absolutely demanded a trade. But I didn’t want to burn any bridges with them. Besides, I would have gotten the same answer from them. I think they’d hesitate before trading me.”

At the start of spring training, before Guerrero was convinced to play third, Hamilton was in competition with Steve Sax for the starting third base job. Lasorda had said Hamilton would win the spot if he proved he could hit major league pitching. Last season, Hamilton hit .360 in triple-A ball at Albuquerque, N.M., but only .217 in 35 games with the Dodgers.

This spring, however, Hamilton has hit .379 with 2 RBIs in only 29 at-bats.

As it stands, Hamilton will either return to Albuquerque or remain with the major league club as a utility infielder. Hamilton was used as a late-inning defensive replacement for Guerrero Friday in the Dodgers’ 4-0 win over the Braves.

--Outfielder Chris Gwynn, ticketed for Albuquerque, said he wants out and that he has heard his name mentioned in rumored trade talks with the Cleveland Indians and the San Diego Padres. “It’s obvious they don’t need me, and I want to play in the big leagues now. That’s my goal.”

--Pitcher Brian Holton, battling for the 10th spot on the pitching staff, said his preference is to play for the Dodgers. But Holton said that if he is sent to the minor leagues, he, too, wants a trade. His name already has come up in trade rumors.

Holton, who made 53 appearances for the Dodgers last season, has a 6.00 earned-run average this spring. He is competing against Tim Crews, William Brennan and Shawn Hillegas for the middle relief role.

--Craig Shipley, who has outplayed Mariano Duncan and Mike Sharperson this spring for a utility infield spot, said he wants to be traded if not included on the opening-day roster.

“We can only keep 24 players,” Claire said. “It’s impossible to expect everyone to be happy. Furthermore, every player in camp is under contract. We have the right to expect of them . . . what is best for the club.

“We are dedicated to fielding the best 24 players, not to make everyone happy. If some players get offended by competition, that’s their problem.”

Asked if the Dodgers are considering trades to alleviate the numbers problem and perhaps fill some holes, Claire said: “The 24 players will be drawn from this clubhouse. I think we already have the talent to win. We’ve already been through the trading season. That’s basically over.”

Dodger Notes

Pitcher Orel Hershiser, who said he felt a twinge of pain in his right elbow in his last start, pitched five innings in Friday’s win and said he felt fine. Hershiser is scheduled to pitch again Wednesday. It will be his last start before the season. . . . Shawn Hillegas, a deposed starting candidate, pitched three hitless innings of relief. . . . Injury report: Mike Davis (sprained left ankle) said he should be able to return to the lineup Sunday. Pitcher Alejandro Pena (strained groin) is expected to throw on the sideline today. Pitcher Brad Havens (muscle spasm in his upper back) took treatments Friday and is expected back over the weekend. Len Matuszek returned from Los Angeles, where he underwent a CAT scan to diagnose the injury to his left foot. The test confirmed that Matuszek has an inflammation of tissues on the bottom of the foot.