Strong Play, Salaries Make Trades Unlikely

Dodger officials are reluctant to make major trades because the team has been playing well recently.

It would also be difficult for General Manager Kevin Malone to complete a blockbuster deal, many industry sources said, before the July 31, non-waiver deadline because the Dodgers have many high-priced players. Finding teams willing to assume multiyear contracts is not easy.

Moreover, team President Bob Graziano is reluctant to create more turnover on the roster after last season’s dizzying events.

“The only time you make major changes is if you believe that you will significantly strengthen the team,” Graziano said. “My hope is that the players we have will continue to come together as a team and continue to play like they have [recently], which would minimize the need to make changes.

“Nobody [team management] is looking at this and wanting to make changes. We went into the season with a group of players we felt confident in, and [recently] they’ve been playing like we thought they would all along.”

Graziano, however, won’t handcuff his general manager.

“While we’re not looking to make changes, you have to be realistic,” he said. “If an opportunity comes along that Kevin feels will strengthen the team, then we would have to seriously look at that opportunity.”

The Dodgers made many major trades in 1998, beginning with the stunning seven-player deal that sent franchise player Mike Piazza to the Florida Marlins. The ballclub never recovered from that moment, and there also were other eye-opening transactions.

Graziano wants to avoid such a circus atmosphere.

“The one thing we have to be careful of is that we don’t try something for a few weeks and then change it, try something for a few weeks and then change it,” Graziano said. “One of my concerns is that you have to give a team a chance to come together. I think we saw this a little bit last year. There were so many changes on the roster that we really never had the stability on the roster to allow the team to gel.”

*

Craig Counsell was in the starting lineup again Tuesday at second base and atop the batting order because Eric Young has a sore right hamstring.

Counsell, emerging as a valuable reserve, opened the game with a double and played well defensively in the 8-4 victory over the Pirates. The Dodgers are 5-1 when Counsell starts and have won the last eight games in which the left-handed batter has played.

“He’s a foxhole guy,” Manager Davey Johnson said of Counsell. “He’s one of these little guys who will battle guys and get his uniform dirty. You always know what type of effort you’re going to get from them.”

ON DECK

* Opponent--Colorado Rockies, three games.

* Site--Dodger Stadium.

* Tonight--7:30

* TV--Fox Sports West 2 every game.

* Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

* Records--Dodgers 43-49, Rockies 41-51.

* Record vs. Rockies--3-4.

* Tickets--(323) 224-1HIT.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ ISMAEL VALDES (8-7, 3.29 ERA)

vs.

ROCKIES’ PEDRO ASTACIO (9-8, 5.40 ERA)

* Update--The Dodgers and Rockies play a day-night doubleheader Thursday because of a rainout April 11 during their previous series at Dodger Stadium. Valdes has victories in his last three starts after losing a career-high five straight during June. In his career, Valdes is 27-13 with a 2.92 earned-run average after the All-Star break. He was 5-2 with a 3.54 ERA during that span last season. Dodger Manager Davey Johnson has not announced the starter for the second game of the doubleheader, but rookie right-hander Jamie Arnold is expected to start. The other candidate is rookie left-hander Onan Masaoka.

* Thursday, 1 p.m.--Chan Ho Park (6-7, 6.29) vs. Brian Bohanon (9-7, 6.36).

* Thursday, 7 p.m.--Jamie Arnold--tentative (2-2, 4.12) vs. Bobby Jones (4-8, 5.81).