Teams Enter Major League Meetings With Lists of Needs : Dodgers: Claire hopes to fill holes in bullpen, starting rotation and infield. Finding a left-hander is top priority.

Many are of the opinion that the Dodgers bought the National League pennant with $20.25 million last month, but not the Dodgers.

As they prepare for next week’s annual major league winter meetings in Chicago, they have accepted what they consider a truth as plain as the zeros in Darryl Strawberry’s future paychecks: If more changes are not made before opening day, their most important acquisition may become a most wasted acquisition.

Or, in the words of one major league scout, “They spent $20 million and didn’t fill one hole.”

Forget, for a moment, that with Strawberry joining Kal Daniels and Hubie Brooks in the outfield, the Dodgers have a trio that last season combined for 84 homers and 293 runs batted in.

Forget that they have a first baseman, Eddie Murray, who finished fifth in the league’s most-valuable-player voting.

Forget they have an ace starting pitcher who finished second in the Cy Young voting and his name isn’t Orel Hershiser, but Ramon Martinez.

Look closer, as the Dodgers have done, and the view changes. There are holes in the bullpen, starting rotation and infield.

Fred Claire, the Dodger vice president whose trades have raised eyebrows in previous Decembers, will meet with general managers and agents next week to try to fill these holes.

“I don’t think anyone around here believed Darryl was the answer to all of our problems,” Claire said. “Since signing Darryl, we have not gone on vacation.”

Dodger problem areas and possible solutions:

--A bullpen in which five left-handed relievers combined for one save in 74 appearances last year.

Is it any wonder the front office was privately despondent when free-agent left-hander Ken Dayley turned down Claire’s three-year offer to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays Monday?

“Finding a left-hander is a top priority with us, and it will continue to be a top priority,” Claire said.

Claire will meet with agents Bill Goodstein and Barry Meister in Chicago. Goodstein represents free agent Dave Righetti, Meister represents free agent Juan Agosto.

Either pitcher could fill Dodger needs. Righetti is a headline closer. Agosto, with a league-leading 228 games in the last three seasons with Houston, could add dependability. Agosto is also tough on left-handers, who hit .220 against him last year. He allowed them only seven extra-base hits in the last two seasons.

Righetti is the Dodgers’ top choice, and they are one of his top two choices. But he already has received several four-year offers, and the Dodgers are still unwilling to discuss a contract of longer than three years.

--A starting rotation with only two sound veterans, Martinez and Mike Morgan.

Tim Belcher should be recovered from arthroscopic shoulder surgery, but it is no certainty. And many think Orel Hershiser probably won’t be at full strength until midseason.

Other candidates such as Jim Neidlinger, Dennis Cook and Mike Hartley are unproven over a full season. And free agent Fernando Valenzuela, after slumping in September, probably won’t be re-signed.

“Would we like to add another starting pitcher? Yes,” Claire said.

The San Francisco Giants have beaten them to Bud Black, and Cincinnati’s Tom Browning decided to stay with the Reds, so that leaves left-hander Zane Smith as a top candidate. But others are pursuing Smith.

This is one area in which Claire could make a big trade involving Daniels, although the Dodgers have become intrigued with keeping their powerful new outfield together, at least until they can see how Strawberry handles an unfamiliar center field.

“Right now, we’ll only trade Kal if somebody comes up and blows us away with an offer,” a club official said.

The possibility of trading Daniels is keeping the Dodgers from closing the door on negotiations with Kirk Gibson. Claire and Gibson’s agent, Doug Baldwin, spoke this week, although the Dodgers have made no offer and Gibson is still likely to accept one of his several offers to play elsewhere.

--A questionable infield.

If the season started today, the Dodgers would man second base with last year’s third baseman, the platoon of Lenny Harris and Mike Sharperson. Although both have played second base, the Dodgers would like a more veteran influence at that position.

The reason? Their starting shortstop will be Jose Offerman, 22, who batted .155 last season and committed four errors in 29 games.

“If we are going to play the kid on one side, we need a veteran who can cover for him on the other side,” a club official said.

The Dodgers are so concerned about getting Offerman ready, they are sending coach Bill Russell to the Dominican Republic next week to work with him. They don’t want to have to worry as much about a second baseman, which they may still do if they re-sign inconsistent Juan Samuel.

Enter Bill Doran. The Cincinnati free agent has been admired by the Dodgers since he worked so hard to beat them when he was with the Houston Astros. He missed the Reds’ postseason party because of a staph infection in his back, which is not to be confused with a chronic back problem.

“I’m no doctor, but we have statements from several leading doctors that he will be fine and ready to go by next spring,” said Jim Turner, Doran’s agent. Claire and Turner spoke last week, and should meet again in Chicago.

If Doran is signed, that could allow the Dodgers to put either Harris or Sharperson on the trading block, finally giving them an expendable commodity other than Daniels.