O’Malley Keeps Lasorda, Claire : Dodgers: They’ll be back despite 99 losses and organization’s first last-place finish since 1905.

Tom Lasorda and Fred Claire will be back to run the Dodgers next season after the organization’s first last-place finish since 1905.

President Peter O’Malley ended months of speculation about the long-time manager and Claire, the executive vice president, when he made the announcement Wednesday.

“I have reviewed the past year with Tommy and Fred, and together we’re concentrating our efforts on the 1993 season,” O’Malley said in a statement. “We recognize and accept the challenge before us, and enthusiastically approach the new season.

“We will continue to emphasize our young players and their development and we’re committed to re-establishing the Dodgers’ winning tradition.”

The Dodgers finished last in the NL West this season--nine games behind the fifth-place San Francisco Giants--with a 63-99 record, the worst in the majors.

The last-place finish in Lasorda’s 16th season as the Dodgers manager was only the second in franchise history. The first came when the team played in Brooklyn.

Reports said Lasorda might be involved with the Giants’ franchise if it moved from San Francisco to St. Petersburg, Fla., because Vince Piazza, a good friend, will be a part of the group involved in running the team if it moves.

No decision has been made on the sale of the Giants.

O’Malley had meetings with Lasorda and Claire on Tuesday and Wednesday, and his statement was issued following Wednesday’s meeting.

“I’m the manager of the Dodgers,” Lasorda said. “I’ve got a contract for 1993. Nobody has ever made me any kind of offer. So what’s the big deal? Nobody said I wasn’t the manager, right?

“How could I think I’m not coming back? I’ve got a contract, and nobody’s ever made me an offer.”

Lasorda, 65, said the meetings were similar to sessions held after every season.

“We’re discussing the 1993 season and what we have to do in order to be competitive and to get back in the right direction again,” he said. “We just reviewed all the players. Peter wanted to know all about the players and everything, my reports on them and Fred’s feelings on them.

“We do this every year. We go in and review the team and we talk about the following year. That’s what we’ve done.”

Lasorda acknowledged that the just-completed season was difficult for him.

“It was a tough year, it was a disappointing year, it was a frustrating year,” he said. “We were not in last place because of a lack of effort. If we were getting beat, 9-2, 11-3, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Hank Aaron couldn’t make much of a difference.”

Lasorda has been with the Dodger organization for 43 years while Claire has been with the organization for 25 and has been executive vice president in charge of player personnel since April 1987.