Dodgers Discuss Trade of Guerrero for Tudor

The Dodgers are negotiating a trade that would send slugger Pedro Guerrero to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for veteran left-handed pitcher John Tudor, Guerrero and his agent confirmed Monday night.

“We’re in the process of talking about this right now,” attorney Tony Attanasio said. “I’m waiting for a phone call about it. It’ll be going on for the next couple of days before it’s finished.”

After Monday night’s 1-0 win over the San Francisco Giants in which Guerrero pulled himself from the lineup, he said that Attanasio and Cardinal officials are working on a contract extension and that he feels a decision will be made soon.

The National League office has given the Dodgers and Cardinals 48 hours to complete the trade, Attanasio said.

“It all depends,” Guerrero said. “Right now, my agent is talking to them. Yes, (a contract extension) is what we’re talking about. I kind of feel bad about it. The years I played here, for a while, I thought I would end my career here. But everybody knows this is a business. They think that by getting a left-handed pitcher and by getting rid of me it will help them win.

“I talked to Mr. Fred Claire (Dodgers’ executive vice-president) and discussed things about the trade. I realize I’m probably going to have to go somewhere, either now or after the season.”

Surrounded by a crowd of reporters, Guerrero talked about his time with the Dodgers.

“Before the season started, I said I wanted to win this year because it probably will be my last here,” he said. “I know the team has played better when I wasn’t there, but I know I played hard. Good thing we--or maybe I should say they--are still in first place.”

Guerrero, 32, will be a free-agent at the end of the season, so the Cardinals probably want to negotiate the guarantee of a contract extension before a trade is consummated.

Guerrero, hitting .298 with 5 home runs and 35 runs-batted in, earns $1.72 million, third on the Dodger roster behind Fernando Valenzuela and Kirk Gibson. He has been on the disabled list for 52 days this season with a pinched nerve in his neck.

A source in St. Louis said that the Cardinals have been interested in Guerrero, an acquisition that would solve their need of a power hitter to replace Jack Clark, who went to the New York Yankees via free agency after last season.

The Dodgers have expressed a desire to acquire a left-handed starter because of the uncertain status of Valenzuela. They have scouted Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Mike Flanagan and apparently showed an interest in Philadelphia’s Don Carman and Chicago’s Rick Sutcliffe, a right-hander.

Tudor, 34, is a veteran of eight seasons who helped pitch the Cardinals into the World Series in 1985 and 1987. Tudor, represented by agent Steve Fryer, is signed through the 1989 season. He earns $1.05-million this season and will make $1.1-million in 1989. Tudor has said that he will retire after 1989.

Tudor has a 6-5 record this season with a 2.29 earned-run average in 145 innings.

Fred Claire, the Dodgers’ executive vice president, would not comment about any specific trade negotiations. Claire, however, did say that he is actively looking for pitching help. Claire said that, were he to make a trade, he would like to complete it before Sept. 1, the roster deadline for playoff and World Series eligibility.

“I would say we’ve had serious discussions,” Claire said. “We’ve had discussions with a lot of ball clubs. Nothing has changed from the last few days. I’ve had discussions for awhile, and any time I talk to a team I consider it serious.

“If we can improve our club--and our pitching staff--we won’t hesitate to do it. Obviously, we aren’t going to make a trade that would hurt our ball club. But I’m not going to talk about any player currently on a club. That includes Tudor, or Flanagan or Sutcliffe. I won’t comment until I feel it is appropriate.”

Claire said he talked with Guerrero before Monday night’s game but did not reveal the subject matter.

“What I had to say to Pete is meant to be private and it will remain private,” Claire said. “I can’t say how Pete feels about any thing like that. Pete’s feelings are his feelings.”