Agent Says Gibson Plays Left Field or He Leaves Dodgers

Kirk Gibson will file for free agency at the earliest possible date and will not return to the Dodgers unless there are “personnel moves” on the club, his agent, Doug Baldwin, said Tuesday.

Apparently, Gibson wants Kal Daniels either traded or moved to a different position so Gibson can return to left field.

“I don’t think it is all over between Kirk and the Dodgers, but personnel moves have to be made before he returns,” Baldwin said, refusing to elaborate.

The free-agent filing period begins 24 hours after the final game of the World Series.

Fred Claire, Dodger vice president, has not spoken to Baldwin. But Claire said Tuesday he does not plan to trade Daniels, who hit .296 with a team-leading 27 home runs. He finished second on the club with 94 runs batted in.

“I’m not interested in trading a player who has produced all he has produced for this club,” Claire said. “Kal is a key part of our club. He’s one of the premier hitters in the game.

“Is he one of the top defensive players in the game? No, but he is certainly one of the top offensive players.”

Gibson’s departure has been a foregone conclusion since his midseason trade request and shouting match with Claire, and he appears headed to his former team, the Detroit Tigers.

“Right now, Kirk just wants to take a breather from all this,” Baldwin said. “There was a time when something could have been worked out easier with the Dodgers, but that time has passed. The message we got was, they really weren’t interested.”

Gibson ended the season with nine hits in his final 60 at-bats. He did not hit a home run after Aug. 11 and had seven RBIs during that time. Overall, he hit .260 with eight homers and 38 RBIs in 315 at-bats.

“With all that was happening off the field, I think Kirk’s head got all screwed around,” Baldwin said. “Mentally, he was wiped out.”

Gibson is one of three Dodgers eligible for free agency. Juan Samuel and pitcher Fernando Valenzuela are the others.

Pitcher Jim Gott and catcher Rick Dempsey also can become free agents if, within five days of the end of the World Series, they are not offered arbitration.

Gott apparently will receive that offer, but it appears Dempsey will not. Claire signed backup catcher Barry Lyons in September and said he will be closely watching the progress of prospect Carlos Hernandez, who will be playing for Dodger scout Phil Regan this winter in Venezuela.

“We think Carlos has a good opportunity to be with our club next year,” Claire said.

Based upon discussions at last week’s organizational meetings in Mesa, Ariz., Claire said he hopes to fill other Dodger needs from within the organization.

He cited Dave Hansen as a possible replacement at third base, Lenny Harris and Mike Sharperson as possible second basemen if Samuel leaves and Stan Javier as a possible center fielder.

“We are going to improve in 1991 but not sacrifice the rest of the ‘90s to do it,” said Claire, referring to the draft choices required to sign other free agents. “This does not mean we will shy away from free agency. We will just evaluate it carefully.”

One need that the Dodgers will probably fill from the outside is a left-handed relief pitcher, with the St. Louis Cardinals’ Ken Dayley the probable answer.