BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Claire: Direction Is There If You Look

Fred Claire, Dodger executive vice president, took exception to a story in The Times that indicated that there was a general non-direction of the Dodger organization.

“There is a direction and it doesn’t mean it needs to be (playing) eight players of our farm system,” Claire said before the Colorado Rockies beat the Dodgers, 4-1, to sweep a four-game series.

“Where we are trying to be is to improve our club and bring in as many young people as we can, but you need a balance. Some of the veteran players that we have we look to to provide the leadership that is needed, and we have some very good people in those roles. . . .

“The direction (for our club) is to try to use players from our system to play here for all of the fundamental reasons that are critical to this organization. And again, those reasons are that (the minor league system) is the only thing that gives you any sense of continuity in today’s environment of baseball. You can’t fill all of your needs through free agency and you can’t fill all your needs through trades. But again if you look at this year’s ball club it’s not just words, it’s players who are there.”

Claire pointed to Mike Piazza, Pedro Martinez, Eric Karros, Jose Offerman, Omar Daal and Henry Rodriguez. “Are those players young, from our farm system and with hope that we can be a competitive and winning ballclub in the future?” Claire said.

“I recognize that we are 19 games behind but that doesn’t mean we dump the young players. I realize some people may want to get there like the switch of a light switch and that is not possible. It’s not going to be able to happen that quickly. And even with that being said that’s not to say that it can’t happen. We have talent.”

Claire pointed to triple-A players Raul Mondesi, Billy Ashley and Mike Busch, who will play winter ball. He said he is pleased with what he sees in double-A San Antonio. “I think the flow of talent is there and that is the direction this club is going and I don’t know why anybody describes it as non-direction,” Claire said. “Is there something that I am explaining that you are missing?

“The goal is both (to win and build) and it can be done doing both. Have we achieved that this year? The answer to that is no, because we are not where we want to be in the standings. If we were in first place with young players we would have established our objective, but that doesn’t mean that the plan isn’t in place and we are not making steps. If you are only going to judge it by what happens in a given year then I accept that.”

Claire said that at some point this season he will bring up a few more young players, but that doesn’t mean it is a sign that the club is giving up on the season. “I don’t expect to see and I had better not see any letdown by anybody because this organization isn’t letting down,” he said. “Anybody who wants to give up on this season, all they have to do is come up and see me and I will give them permission to give up on the season and will even give them a ticket to give up on the season.

“We are giving this ballclub every chance to finish in the best position possible. I still hope its first place and will continue to think that until and if we are mathematically eliminated.”