First Blowers, Now Gagne : Dodgers: Free-agent shortstop signs one-year contract, will replace Offerman, strengthening left side of infield.

Jose Offerman’s controversial tenure as the Dodgers’ shortstop officially ended Thursday when they signed free agent Greg Gagne.

In the aftermath of Wednesday’s trade for third baseman Mike Blowers, the Dodgers finished rebuilding the left side of their infield when the highly respected Gagne, coming off a three-year, $10.7-million contract with the Kansas City Royals, rejected a two-year offer from the St. Louis Cardinals in favor of a one-year, $2.6-million deal with Los Angeles.

The Dodgers, awaiting the development of 21-year-old Wilton Guerrero, actually offered two years, but Gagne chose one, wanting to see how he adjusts to Los Angeles after 11 full seasons with the small-market Royals and Minnesota Twins.

“In fairness to myself, my family and the Dodgers, I want to see how it goes this year before making a decision about the future,” Gagne said from his home in Somerset, Mass. “I’m excited and happy to be coming to L.A. I’m hopeful we’ll like it there and the Dodgers will want to sign me for another year. Perhaps, I’ll play the rest of my career on one-year contracts.”

A consistently high finisher in voting by managers and coaches for the Gold Glove Award, Gagne, 34, is also a respectable hitter who batted .256 with six home runs and 49 runs batted in with the Royals in 1995.

He has averaged fewer than 16 errors for his 11 full seasons and made 40 in his three years with the Royals. Offerman, displaced as the starter by Chad Fonville in September, made 35 last year and 125 over the last four years. Gagne said he is aware of the controversy that surrounded Offerman and added:

“I know people are looking for me to step up and be the man defensively. I expect to be able to do that. I expect to provide some leadership, help the pitchers and be a stabilizing force in the field, maybe more than Jose was.”

Maybe? Vice President Fred Claire said he doesn’t think there are any maybes about it.

Offerman’s future with the club became clear with the change to Fonville during the National League West Division title race. Afterward, Claire said the club would open the 1996 season with a new shortstop.

He reiterated Thursday that it was simply time for a change and predicted he would be able to trade Offerman before the Dec. 20 deadline for tendering 1996 contracts. Since the end of the 1995 season, Claire has re-signed Ramon Martinez, Todd Worrell and Brett Butler, and acquired Blowers and Gagne without the loss of a compensatory draft choice or major prospect.

In addition, Martinez is the only Dodger signed beyond 1996, meaning Claire retains flexibility in an era when long-term contracts can tie up a roster.

“We’re fairly well set,” Claire said of his winter moves, adding that market conditions will weigh on the possible re-signing of pitchers Tom Candiotti and Kevin Tapani and that the re-signing of second baseman Delino DeShields is his next goal.

The Dodgers designated pitcher Omar Daal for assignment to make room for Gagne, whom Claire termed “an outstanding shortstop and leader.” He said Gagne’s decision to take one year over two “speaks volumes” about character.

He added, “I obviously feel we’re much stronger up the middle than we have been in some time.”

Going with less expensive youth, the Royals made no effort to retain Gagne and will play David Howard at shortstop.

“[Gagne] will make some plays Dodger fans haven’t seen for a while,” Kansas City Manager Bob Boone said. “He’ll be a real asset for them, and I’ll miss him, but we can’t play the big-money game with the Dodgers. We just have to build our own.”

Gagne said he was attracted to the Dodgers’ tradition and reputation and felt he was joining a club that has a chance to return to the playoffs.

“I was on two World Series winners in Minnesota,” he said. “Not many players get a chance to play for a Series winner in both leagues. I feel I’ll have that chance with the Dodgers.”

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Getting a Grip

A look at the fielding statistics of Dodger shortstops, past and present--Jose Offerman and Greg Gagne. Although Gagne has played seven more seasons than Offerman, he has made only 38 more errors:

JOSE OFFERMAN

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Year G PO A E DP AVG 1995 115 165 312 35 61 .932 Career (1990-94) 571 826 1520 139 297 .944

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GREG GAGNE

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Year G PO A E DP AVG 1995 118 174 389 18 88 .969 Career (1983-95) 1,495 2,201 4,167 177 826 .973

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

The New Left

A look at the batting statistics of newcomers Mike Blowers and Greg Gagne compared to Tim Wallach and Jose Offerman:

MIKE BLOWERS

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Year AB R H HR RBI AVG 1995 439 59 113 23 96 .257 Career 1378 179 355 54 229 .258

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TIM WALLACH

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Year AB R H HR RBI AVG 1995 327 24 87 9 38 .266 Career 7747 871 2003 248 1083 .259

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GREG GAGNE

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Year AB R H HR RBI AVG 1995 430 58 110 6 49 .256 Career 4731 615 1202 92 492 .254

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JOSE OFFERMAN

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Year AB R H HR RBI AVG 1995 429 69 123 4 33 .287 Career 1967 257 503 8 160 .256

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