Baseball May Have Painted Itself Into a Hot Corner

While wondering if Scott Boras will be invited back to Kevin Malone’s private box at Dodger Stadium next season, I was thinking:

Boras, Adrian Beltre’s agent, could be correct when he claims the Dodgers were so eager to sign his client that they didn’t perform due diligence in determining his age. Other teams, however, are reportedly willing to testify they were similarly duped when scouting Beltre in his native Dominican Republic. . . .

As one cynical baseball executive suggested, that could be because they want the Beltre issue resolved quickly. The deeper major league baseball delves into it, he said, the more likely it is that Commissioner Bud Selig will order a full-scale investigation into the practices of all teams in regard to underage foreign players. . . .

“This could open a Pandora’s box,” he said, adding that Tom Lasorda wasn’t exaggerating when speculating Tuesday in New York that at least 50 current players were signed illegally. . . .

One such player, according to two sources, is St. Louis shortstop Edgar Renteria. One reason the Florida Marlins traded the 1997 World Series star, they said, is because of concern that his signing out of Colombia in 1992, when he claimed to be 16, might be investigated. . . .

The Dodgers also need a fast resolution to the Beltre situation. If they’re going to lose him, it would be in their best interests for it to happen before the available third basemen, such as Todd Zeile, sign elsewhere. . . .

Who’s on first? That’s the only question the Dodgers can answer about their infield for next season. Besides Beltre at third, they would prefer to see Mark Grudzielanek at second and Alex Cora at shortstop. But Grudzielanek has worked hard to prove himself as a major league shortstop and isn’t eager to move.

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Give Bill Stoneman, the new Angel general manager, high marks so far. His hiring of Mike Scioscia as manager is, in retrospect, something the Dodgers probably should have done when they fired Bill Russell. . . .

Whether it’s true or not, the perception among baseball executives is that Disney hired Stoneman because he’s a cost-cutter who will make the team more attractive to potential buyers. . . .

One clue could come in Stoneman’s negotiations with free-agent pitcher Chuck Finley. . . .

Team President Tony Tavares is correct when he says Finley’s asking price is high, but it’s a seller’s market when it comes to pitchers. Most are overpaid. . . .

If the Angels don’t sign Finley, they’d better have a plan to replace him. He might not be a true No. 1 pitcher anymore, but he’s still their No. 1. . . .

I assume Scioscia will tell them the same thing.

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If Al Davis brings the Raiders back to Los Angeles, he might agree to phase out his role as managing general partner within three years. That would allow for local ownership. . . .

Would that involve Ed Roski at the Coliseum? . . .

We’ll have to wait for an answer because Roski is on his annual monthlong nature trek, this time to Myanmar in Southeast Asia. . . .

Tim Brown told Jim Rome on Fox’s “The Last Word” that ongoing speculation about the Raider move to Los Angeles makes it impossible for the team to build on its Oakland fan base. . . .

“This up-in-the-air stuff is killing us,” Brown said. . . .

Phil Anschutz has a first-place hockey team in the Kings. He has a palatial new arena in downtown Los Angeles. But what really turns him on? His Galaxy is playing for the MLS championship Sunday in Foxboro, Mass. . . .

Anschutz, however, wasn’t pleased that the Galaxy had to play its decisive playoff game against Dallas on a Thursday night because the Rose Bowl was committed to other events last weekend, including a Sunday swap meet. That has reinvigorated his drive to find a location for a soccer-only stadium. . . .

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that when Rob Blake is healthy and playing well, the Kings play well. . . .

Although the Clippers are willing to move their Feb. 26 game to another date so that Oscar De La Hoya can fight either Ahmed Kotiev or Derrell Coley at Staples Center, the NBA won’t approve. . . .

As a result, Staples officials were trying to persuade an NHL team scheduled to play the Kings in March to move the game to Jan. 1 so the later date can be freed for De La Hoya. . . .

Then promoter Bob Arum called to suggest a May or June date at Staples for De La Hoya vs. “Sugar” Shane Mosley, which would be a much more attractive fight. . . .

Negotiations are continuing, but it seems virtually certain De La Hoya will fight at Staples within the next seven months. Reviews about the new arena have been mixed, but he must like it. He bought a luxury box. . . .

Jay Leno’s suggestion for the Karl Malone NRA endorsement: “Guns don’t kill people. Shaq’s free throws kill people.”

Randy Harvey can be reached at his e-mail address: randy.harvey@latimes.com.