Wacky Day on Stadium Way

Fox Group officials served notice they would be a force in baseball May 15 when they engineered the Mike Piazza trade.

And following his new superiors’ lead, Fred Claire, Dodger executive vice president, is trying to acquire Seattle Mariner all-star pitcher Randy Johnson in what would be the second blockbuster deal in two weeks for the formerly cautious organization.

Claire and Mariner General Manager Woody Woodward were expected to continue discussions Thursday night about the terms of the trade, which would send the Cy Young Award-winning left-hander, who attended USC, to Los Angeles for a starting pitcher and one of the Dodgers’ top prospects.

Seattle is actively trying to trade Johnson because of payroll concerns. The 34-year-old pitcher, who has experienced back problems, is making $6 million this season in the final year of his contract. He reportedly is seeking a three-year extension worth $10 million annually, terms the Mariners refused to meet in the off-season.

The Mariners believed a deal was close to being completed Wednesday night, but talks stalled because, sources said, Claire refused to part with fifth starter Darren Dreifort, 25, who is considered among the most promising young pitchers in the National League.

Pitchers Ismael Valdes, whom the Dodgers refused to trade to the Mariners in the off-season for Johnson, and Hideo Nomo also have been mentioned in discussions, as well as outfielder Todd Hollandsworth.

Claire declined to confirm the names of the players involved in a possible deal Thursday afternoon while speaking with reporters before the Dodgers’ 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium. However, he said talks have been ongoing and acknowledged that a deal could be consummated as early as this morning.

“I spoke to Woody [Thursday], and he gave me a proposal of what he was looking for,” Claire said. “I told him that was something that we would not be interested in as far as player talent.

“I told him that was far too high, and he said he was going to call other clubs. I told him, ‘You have to do what you have to do, but what you have proposed to me is not something that I’m interested in.’ I’m not saying that as a negotiating position, I’m just trying to be straightforward.”

As of Thursday afternoon, Claire was unwilling to include top prospects Adrian Beltre, Paul Konerko and Wilton Guerrero in the deal. Guerrero may be involved in other pending deals with the Boston Red Sox or Montreal Expos, sources said.

Woodward, whose team is in Florida to play the Devil Rays, said: “I don’t anticipate any type of deal while the ballclub is here in Tampa. There’s not a timetable. Would I like to get something done? Certainly. If we take one player, it’s not going to be a big salary player. It’s not that type of deal.”

In the frantic hours before Thursday’s game, Claire was busy calming nervous players. He spoke with Nomo and Hollandsworth in a closed-door meeting, assuring each he did not offer them to the Mariners.

“The principals are not Todd Hollandsworth and Hideo Nomo,” Claire said. “This is done without our club ever mentioning their names in any trade discussions, now or previously. I have never mentioned their names, [and conducting the meeting] was the only responsible thing to do.”

Claire wants to acquire Johnson for many reasons.

Sources within the organization said Claire has been eager to reestablish himself in the wake of his virtually nonexistent role in the recent trade with the Florida Marlins.

That deal--in which the Dodgers acquired Gary Sheffield, Bobby Bonilla, Charles Johnson, Jim Eisenreich and Manuel Barrios for Piazza and Todd Zeile--was brokered at the highest levels of the Fox Group, without input from the Dodgers’ longtime chief deal-maker.

It grew out of a smaller trade Claire was working on with the Marlins, and Fox Group officials interceded when they became frustrated by the pace of negotiations. Completing this transaction would firmly place Claire’s stamp on the organization again, as well as please his bosses.

Although Claire is the point man this time, he still required approval from Bob Graziano, team president. And Graziano couldn’t OK something as big as acquiring one of the game’s dominant pitchers without approval from his superiors.

Moreover, Claire is also concerned about the Dodgers’ starting pitching. The group that is typically among the game’s best has struggled to this point with a 4.49 earned-run average.

Johnson had been considered the game’s most dominant left-hander in the five years before this season. He won the 1995 American League Cy Young Award, going 18-2 with a 2.48 ERA and 294 strikeouts in 214 1/3 innings.

But he has struggled this season, going 4-3 with a 6.02 ERA. In six of his 11 starts, he has failed to pitch more than six innings.

Johnson allayed fears about his back by striking out 15 in a seven-hit, complete-game victory in his most recent start, Sunday against the Devil Rays. Assuming Johnson’s back holds up, his addition to the Dodger rotation likely would make it one of the game’s best.

In addition to wanting to retain Valdes, Claire previously was reluctant to pursue Johnson because of fiscal restraint. But that was before Rupert Murdoch’s lieutenants added $83.6 million in salaries in the trade with the Marlins.

If Claire closes this deal, the Dodgers will have a record payroll of about $60 million--and a team that many would expect to represent the National League in the World Series.

“I can’t speak for Seattle, but the point of view from our club is we’d rather do it sooner than later because Randy Johnson is a free agent at the end of the season,” Claire said. “From that equation, do you make the trade in May or August? I’d rather make it in May.”

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RANDY JOHNSON AT A GLANCE

Age: 34

1998 record: 4-3, 6.02 ERA

Career record: 128-71, 3.47 ERA

Career strikeouts: 2,090 (10.46 per 9 IP)

Contract status: Signed through this season.

1998 salary: $6 million.

Miscellany: Leads all pitchers in the 1990s in winning percentage and strikeouts.