Dodgers Dropping Big Names: Mondesi for Larkin

The Dodgers’ Kevin Malone left the general managers’ meetings Thursday with unfinished business, trying to complete a proposed trade with the Cincinnati Reds involving Raul Mondesi, Barry Larkin and Reggie Sanders.

On the final day of the annual conference here, Malone and Cincinnati General Manager Jim Bowden were unable to complete a deal that would send outfielder Mondesi and infielder Mark Grudzielanek to Cincinnati for infielder Larkin--the Reds’ franchise player--and outfielder Sanders.

The Reds also want two other unidentified players from the Dodgers, one of the sticking points to completing the transaction. Malone, who traded infielder-outfielder Bobby Bonilla to the New York Mets for pitcher Mel Rojas on Wednesday, and Bowden plan to continue discussions in the weeks leading to the winter meetings in Nashville, Dec. 11-15.

Neither Malone nor Bowden would confirm the proposal, but both acknowledged they are working aggressively to bolster their teams.

“I’ve said many times that we [Malone and his management team] are willing to do anything that will help us improve, we are all about improving the Dodgers and we continued to do that here,” Malone said. “We surveyed many clubs to find out if we had the right matches to accomplish certain things, and we now have a good idea of how our players are viewed out there on the market.

“We laid the groundwork for possibly completing some deals later on. Now, we just have to wait and see what develops.”

Bowden was similarly noncommittal.

“We explored the market with everyone, but we would have to be overwhelmed to trade Barry Larkin,” Bowden said. “I’ve said all along that I want Barry Larkin to finish his career in Cincinnati.”

Malone and Bowden were among the most active general managers during the four-day gathering.

Mondesi, 27, was considered untouchable under the former management regime, but Malone is willing to trade any player except pitcher Chan Ho Park. Mondesi, at his off-season home in the Dominican Republic, was unavailable for comment Thursday.

His representative said Mondesi wants to remain with the Dodgers.

“Raul doesn’t want to play anywhere else,” agent Jeff Moorad said. “We would consider this a breach of faith if the Dodgers turned their back on Raul and sent him to any other team at this point.”

The right fielder, a two-time Gold Glove Award winner, batted .279 last season, matched his career high with 30 home runs and led the team with a personal-best 90 runs batted in. But he batted only .224 with runners in scoring position.

Mondesi last year signed a four-year, $36-million contract that could become a six-year, $60-million package because of club options.

Grudzielanek, 28, acquired from the Montreal Expos in July, is among the players Malone is trying hardest to move. The shortstop, who is eligible for salary arbitration, made $350,000 in 1998.

In other news, the Dodgers and infielder Juan Castro agreed on a two-year contract. Castro batted .195 in 89 games last season.