Dodgers Could Face Tough Loss

In preparation for next Tuesday’s expansion draft, the Angels and Dodgers must file their 15-player protected lists this morning.

No problem for the Angels, according to sources. The 15 choices were close to automatic.

The Arizona Diamondbacks or Tampa Bay Devil Rays seem likely to hit the Angels for an unprotected middle relief pitcher, such as Shigetoshi Hasegawa or Pep Harris, in the first round of the draft.

It’s a much tougher problem for the Dodgers, given salary considerations, the depth of their pitching and overall quality of the players they might lose.

“Every club has a tendency to overrate their talent,” Executive Vice President Fred Claire said. “I try not to do that, but there’s no way we can get to 15 without being at risk.”

Claire, in fact, said it’s the most difficult task he has faced, far tougher than preparing for the 1992 expansion draft, when the Dodgers lost Eric Young and Roberto Mejia to the Colorado Rockies.

“There’s no winning formula,” he said. “There’s no way we can avoid the loss of an important player.”

The existing clubs must sign a confidentiality agreement that carries a $250,000 fine if their list becomes public. Sources said Claire was leaning toward the following 15:

Pitchers--Ismael Valdes, Chan Ho Park, Hideo Nomo, Ramon Martinez, Dennis Reyes, Darren Dreifort, Antonio Osuna and Scott Radinsky.

Catcher--Mike Piazza.

Infielders--Eric Karros, Todd Zeile, Paul Konerko and Eric Young.

Outfielders--Raul Mondesi and Todd Hollandsworth.

If Claire stays with that group--and there could be one surprising change--he would leave Karim Garcia, Wilton Guerrero, Roger Cedeno, Adam Riggs, Darren Hall and an emerging pitching prospect, Mike Judd, among the players eligible to be taken by the Devil Rays and Diamondbacks in the first round.

But in order to get Judd or another position player on the list, according to sources, Claire has been weighing the possibility of leaving Martinez unprotected, gambling in a pitching-thin market that neither expansion club would select him because of his $5-million salary and late-season shoulder injury.

There has also been speculation that the Dodgers might expose Karros, risking the chance he wouldn’t be taken because of the three years and $15 million remaining on his contract and believing Konerko is ready to step in if Karros were selected.

However, sources said they expected both Karros and Zeile to be on the list, citing their productivity and the club’s reluctance to risk the loss of either player without getting something in return.

Another conundrum has been center field.

If Cedeno is exposed and drafted in the first round, it could leave the Dodgers without a true center fielder, but the feeling among Claire advisors is that Hollandsworth is likely to rebound from his disappointing season.

In the meantime, the Dodgers are pursuing Brady Anderson, the Baltimore Orioles’ free-agent center fielder, and are believed hopeful of re-signing free agent Otis Nixon as security.

The anticipated Angels list:

* Pitchers: Chuck Finley, Jason Dickson, Allen Watson, Troy Percival, Mike Holtz, Mike James and Jarrod Washburn.

* Catcher: Todd Greene.

* Infielders: Darin Erstad, Gary DiSarcina and Dave Hollins.

* Outfielders: Tim Salmon, Garret Anderson, Jim Edmonds and Norm Hutchins.