Dodgers Now Trying to Play ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ for Piazza : Baseball: Sources say Malone has made two overtures to Mets, who have shown no interest in giving up all-star.

Moving to reacquire their former franchise player, the Dodgers twice this season initiated trade discussions with the New York Mets regarding all-star catcher Mike Piazza, The Times has learned.

Two baseball sources confirmed Friday that Dodger General Manager Kevin Malone proposed potential deals to Met General Manager Steve Phillips in hopes of bringing Piazza back to Los Angeles. The Dodgers first tried to complete another blockbuster trade involving Piazza, traded last May 15, shortly after the season began and then again recently.

After hitting a two-run home run in the Mets’ 3-1 victory over the Dodgers on Thursday, Piazza went hitless in four at-bats Friday night during the Dodgers’ 3-1 victory at Dodger Stadium.

Met officials are opposed to trading Piazza. He is having another typically strong season while leading the team to one of the best records in the major leagues and a probable playoff berth. Piazza, who began the season with a .333 career batting average, is batting .313 with 34 homers and 108 runs batted in.

The significance of the revelation is that Malone is trying to correct what many Dodger fans consider the worst mistake in franchise history.

A deal is not imminent at this point, but Malone wants to make it happen.

Although sources declined to reveal whom Malone offered in exchange for Piazza, the players are described as high-profile members of the 25-man roster. Phillips was not receptive to the Dodgers’ offers, and Malone has shelved the issue for now, according to sources. Piazza has a no-trade clause; he can only be traded to four teams of his choice.

However, Malone knows that many Dodger fans still disapprove of the seven-player trade, which occurred before he became the player-personnel boss, that sent Piazza and Todd Zeile to the Florida Marlins last season. Malone apparently plans to continue pursuing a deal for Piazza, who signed a seven-year, $91-million contract with the Mets in the off-season.

Malone and President Bob Graziano declined comment. Piazza’s agent, Dan Lozano, would not address the trade talks, and he spoke cautiously when asked about the possibility of Piazza returning to the Dodgers.

“Mike is extremely happy in New York,” Lozano said. “Everyone in the Met organization has treated Mike great, they couldn’t have treated him any better, and Mike is focused on leading the Mets to the playoffs.

“That’s the only thing we’re dealing with right now. If it ever comes to a situation where the Mets are considering trading Mike, then we’ll deal with that at that point.”

Phillips also was not eager to discuss the situation.

“I wouldn’t comment on that,” Phillips said when asked about the Dodgers’ inquiries. “I think people realize that Mike is a Met for life, or at least the next seven years.”

Piazza was traded because he criticized the organization publicly during his contentious contract negotiations, and declined the Dodgers’ final six-year, $79-million extension offer.

Fox, the new owner, wanted to make an example of Piazza, so executive Chase Carey brokered the deal with the Marlins in which the Dodgers received five players. Left fielder Gary Sheffield is the only player remaining on the Dodgers’ roster from the trade.

Phillips said Piazza has been everything the Mets hoped he would be when they briefly made him the game’s highest-paid player.

“Without a doubt, he has been our leader on and off the field,” Phillips said. “He has accepted his responsibility as far as being a member of the community, and he has been great in the clubhouse. I don’t know what happened here [when Piazza was a Dodger] or what the perception was, but Mike has done everything he can to help this team. He has called meetings and spoken up in our meetings.

“He has taken an active role in the community as far as with our charitable organizations. And Mike takes the pressure off of everyone else because he’s the guy the reporters and cameramen go to after the games. He’s the spokesman of our team in a lot of ways, and Mike has accepted that. He’s accepted that leadership position, and we couldn’t be happier with everything he’s done.”