Marshall, Pena Go to Mets for Samuel : Baseball: The Dodgers end their search for a center fielder with the acquisition.

The New York Mets traded unhappy center fielder Juan Samuel to the Dodgers today for outfielder Mike Marshall and pitcher Alejandro Pena, the Associated Press learned.

The trade was to be announced simultaneously in New York and Los Angeles at a news conference this afternoon.

Samuel, 29, was traded to New York from Philadelphia in mid-season, but by the end of the year he asked to be traded. He batted .235 with 11 homers and 48 RBIs and 42 stolen bases in 532 at-bats.

Samuels had some problems in center field, a position he started playing in 1988 after five seasons as a second baseman with the Phillies.

Marshall, who will be 30 next season, batted .260 in 1989 with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs in 377 at-bats. He has been bothered throughout his career by a bad back. In 1988, he played in 144 games and batted .277 with 20 homers and 82 runs batted in. He hit .293 in 1985 with career highs in homers (28) and RBIs (95).

Pena, 30, was 4-3 in 1989 with a 2.13 earned-run average with five saves in 53 appearances. The right-hander is 38-38 lifetime with 32 saves.

Marshall will make $1 million in 1990 in the second season of a three-year, $3.5-million deal. Pena will make $875,000 in the final year of a two-year, $2.15-million contract, but the Mets inherit an option for 1991 at $1 million.