LOSING DODGER BLUES

Mike Piazza is working hard in spring training, preparing for another season in the spotlight.

The player considered the greatest Dodger since Sandy Koufax is already the center of attention, repeatedly signing autographs and answering fans’ questions. Piazza knows the routine because little has changed during his six-plus seasons in the major leagues.

That is, until recently.

Piazza no longer wears Dodger blue, having been traded twice last season during the most tumultuous time in his career. The all-star catcher landed in New York in his second stop and stayed, signing a seven-year, $91-million contract with the Mets in October that briefly made him the game’s highest-paid player.

He has shut the door on his past with the Dodgers and embraced the Big Apple.

“Everything that went down last year was the most bizarre year I’ve ever had,” Piazza said. “After everything I had accomplished with the Dodgers, I never envisioned that could happen.

“But sometimes you have to go through some hard times to get a better understanding of things. They say that adversity makes you stronger, and that whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. After everything that happened, I definitely understand that, and I feel I wound up where I should be.”

Piazza’s days with the Dodgers ended badly--culminating with a trade May 15 that sent him and third baseman Todd Zeile to the Florida Marlins for Gary Sheffield, Bobby Bonilla, Charles Johnson, Jim Eisenreich and Manuel Barrios. Piazza was then traded to the Mets on May 22.

While serving as interim general manager last season, Tom Lasorda tried to reacquire Piazza before the July 31 trading deadline. But the deal collapsed because, in part, the sides still couldn’t agree on terms for a multiyear extension.

The Dodger trade was spurred by several incidents, including the contentious contract negotiations between Piazza’s agent, Dan Lozano, and team counsel Sam Fernandez, the sale of the ballclub to the Fox Group and the organization’s unwillingness to offer Piazza more than a six-year, $79-million deal, or a limited no-trade clause.

But the contract given to outfielder Raul Mondesi in January 1998 was the biggest factor in the destruction of Piazza’s relationship with the Dodgers, industry sources said.

Mondesi received a four-year, $36-million deal that could become a six-year, $60-million package if the Dodgers exercise contract options. The multiyear deal was the largest in franchise history until pitcher Kevin Brown signed for seven years at $105 million in December.

The Dodgers rewarded Mondesi after he completed his fourth full season. Piazza filed for arbitration and had to fight for a two-year, $15-million contract after his fourth season.

Piazza had carried the offense and been the Dodgers’ top player since his rookie season. He felt slighted and from that point, everything went downhill.

In early April, Piazza instructed Lozano to break off negotiations with the Dodgers, setting the dizzying events in motion. Piazza said he has no regrets about holding firm.

“The toughest thing for me, and the most frustrating thing, is that they [the Dodgers] were playing off the black-and-white issue of the money, and I was looking at the fact that things like this are not always black-and-white issues,” said Piazza, who in 1993 became the second of the Dodgers’ five consecutive National League rookies of the year.

“I’m not going to lie to anybody and say the money is not important, because it’s always about the money to a degree. But there has got to be so much more involved in it when you’re talking about your career and your life. There were other things that were important to me.”

Piazza is arguably the greatest offensive player ever at his position, and he was unquestionably the Dodgers’ franchise player. But Piazza believes many within the organization did not want him to succeed because of his ties to Lasorda, a longtime family friend.

Some team executives in the ousted regime tried to release the 62nd-round draft pick while he was in the minor leagues, which Piazza never forgot.

“Because of all the political stuff I had to deal with when I was trying to get to the big leagues, I knew that there were people there who had a lot of animosity toward me,” Piazza said. “I knew that there was nothing I did, but I knew there was jealousy for whatever reason.”

Piazza was surprised by comments attributed to several of his former Dodger teammates after the blockbuster trade. Many said they were better off without Piazza.

“I just thought it was funny that there was so much negative sentiment coming out, so many people trying to discredit me and take shots at me,” said Piazza, twice the runner-up for NL most valuable player during his Dodger career. “That’s when you really find out who your friends are, and you really find out a lot about your character.

“In a weird way, it’s sort of a sign of respect when people attack you like that. Any sort of jealousy or animosity is what you get for being successful. If you’re a middle-of-the-line guy, nobody cares about you. But you’re always going to draw fire when you’re out there on the point. That’s all there is to it.”

Piazza has learned about being under fire while playing in New York. He struggled with the Mets in July and was booed vociferously at Shea Stadium.

But he won supporters with a strong finish, helping the Mets remain in the NL wild-card race until the final weekend. Piazza batted .347 with eight home runs and 30 runs batted in during 30 games in August, and .378 with six homers and 22 RBIs in 23 games in September.

In 109 games with New York, Piazza batted .348 with 23 homers, 33 doubles and 76 RBIs. His numbers for the season were .328, 38 doubles, 32 homers and 111 RBIs.

Sheffield is the only player on the Dodger roster remaining from the Piazza deal. The Dodgers have spent freely in an attempt to overcome a farm system in disrepair, and many expect them to win the NL West title.

The Mets’ checkbook was also put to use in the off-season, upgrading the team around its new star. Piazza plans to sell his Manhattan Beach home, getting in a New York state of mind.

“There were a lot of things that hurt me about that whole situation, but I’ve found that the best thing to do is just turn the page,” Piazza said. “The best thing to do is learn from it, close the door and move on. It’s almost like a distant memory to me now.”