Murray Is Expected to Join Mets : Baseball: Dodgers might pursue Joyner and are interested in trading for Reds’ Davis.

First baseman Eddie Murray, the Dodgers’ most consistent power hitter over the last three seasons, is expected to sign a two-year contract with the New York Mets, possibly today.

“We have been meeting with the Mets on a consistent basis . . . and everything points toward a resolution in the near future,” Ron Shapiro, Murray’s agent, said Tuesday.

Murray, who became a free agent when the Dodgers declined to offer him more than a one-year deal, has averaged 22 home runs and 93 runs batted in during his three seasons with the Dodgers.

The departure of Murray, who will be 36 next season, would be another step in the dismantling of the team that faded in the second half of the season and finished a game behind the eventual National League champion Atlanta Braves.

Alfredo Griffin has been replaced at shortstop by Jose Offerman, and second baseman Juan Samuel is being allowed to seek employment elsewhere.

Unless the Dodgers sign another veteran first baseman--they might pursue the Angels’ Wally Joyner--the most likely replacement for Murray would be rookie Eric Karros, who had one hit in 14 at-bats in September.

Karros, who batted .316 for triple-A Albuquerque, was recently sent home from a brief winter baseball stint with Caracas in the Venezuelan League. He was batting .113.

“I’m sure people are down on me for what happened down there, but I’ll be ready for spring training,” said Karros, who played for UCLA. “That’s when it counts.”

Fred Claire, Dodger vice president, said his unwillingness to extend Murray’s contract offer was based on the Dodgers’ belief that players such as Karros and Henry Rodriguez, another minor leaguer, will soon need chances to play.

“I clearly understand the risk. . . . We do want to keep Eddie with the club, but the length of contract is an important issue,” Claire said. “We are basing our judgment upon our young players who are coming up.

“I can’t say what our club will look like next year, but right now, (Karros and Rodriguez) would be competing for the first base job next spring.”

The Dodgers turned down Murray’s request for a contract extension last winter. By the middle of last season, during which he batted .261, hit 19 home runs, had 96 RBIs and made the All-Star team for the eighth time in his career, he seemed resigned to playing elsewhere.

“You can sense certain things . . . and I would be surprised if I came back,” Murray said at the time. “I would want to come back, but I don’t think that’s what the Dodgers want.”

The Dodgers had hoped to have a chance at signing either free agent Glenn Davis or trading for the Montreal Expos’ Andres Galarraga to replace Murray, but Davis re-signed with Baltimore and Galarraga was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.

The Dodgers concern over the loss of Murray is just one of the reasons that trade talks involving outfielder Eric Davis of the Cincinnati Reds have apparently heated up.

Sources say the Reds have slowed trade discussions with the San Diego Padres in order to spend more time talking to the Dodgers about acquiring pitchers Tim Belcher or Bob Ojeda for Davis. Although some members of the Dodger organization are worried about trading a pitcher before Orel Hershiser and Mike Morgan are re-signed, Claire did not discount the possibility.

“This is a business of risk,” Claire said. “We are looking at different options. We have to.”

Darryl Strawberry, one of Davis’ closest friends, is pushing for the team to acquire the right-handed-hitting slugger, who was slowed last season because of a kidney injury.

“He would be just what we need,” Strawberry said. “I can’t tell you how great that would be to have him in our batting order.”