Signing Dreifort Is No. 1 Concern

By JASON REID

Dec. 8, 2000 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

DALLAS —

Cautious because previous spending sprees resulted in more criticism than success, the Dodgers probably do not have Alex Rodriguez on their shopping list as baseball’s winter meetings begin here today.

The top task on Chairman Bob Daly’s agenda this weekend remains signing pitcher Darren Dreifort.

Daly also is considering acquiring a veteran catcher--sources said he has spoken to agent Scott Boras about former Dodger Charles Johnson--and a left-handed reliever.

The Dodgers’ concentration on pitching and the interest in Johnson are indicators that Rodriguez--seeking at least $20 million a season--probably won’t be working at Chavez Ravine.

Daly, remaining in Los Angeles, wants to bolster the roster while toeing the industry financial line, and the all-star shortstop apparently doesn’t fit the club’s budget.

Still, the Dodgers will be busy.

“We’re going to be fiscally responsible because we have to be,” said General Manager Kevin Malone, leading the Dodger contingent in Dallas.

“It’s important for everyone in the industry to be responsible, but we also want to be the best we can be because we owe that to our fans.

“We’re committed to putting a winning team on the field and doing it cost-efficiently. We’re just trying to get the best team for the dollar, and sometimes you have to be patient when you’re trying to do that. We accomplished a big part of our plan adding [pitcher] Andy Ashby and we’re still working. Our focus is on improving.”

Ashby, projected as the No. 4 starter, signed with the Dodgers on Wednesday.

Rodriguez might be able to help, but sources said Daly has not focused on him in conversations about Boras’ other clients. He also represents Dreifort and Johnson.

“I understand that there’s a lot of interest from baseball fans nationwide and internationally because this is a very special player, but the Dodgers are focusing on pitching,” Malone said. “Even during the season, we said our focus was going to be pitching.

“Mr. Daly was quoted as saying that and that’s what our focus is right now. We have not said anything about Alex Rodriguez. We’re talking about pitching and nothing has changed.”

Could things change soon?

“We’re spending our time and efforts on the area I’ve been talking about,” Malone said. “That’s what we’re doing.”

Dreifort is part of their strategy.

Daly and Boras have been negotiating a five-year, $55-million deal since early October, hoping to reach an agreement before the meetings end Monday.

The Dodgers and Boras declined comment, but sources said that Daly is determined to retain the 28-year-old right-hander.

The Colorado Rockies and Texas Rangers are among several teams pursuing Dreifort. Daly has not moved quickly, but the Dodgers are quietly confident.

“The market is not in any way surprising,” Boras said. “The demand is there for pitchers. Several of the recent signings certainly reflect that demand.

“We’ve seen that young power pitchers are usually rewarded on a greater scale than older pitchers who don’t throw as hard. That’s what we’re seeing again.”

Once Dreifort’s deal is done, Daly will focus on other areas.

Catchers Chad Kreuter and Paul LoDuca are expected to share the position next season, but that will change if Daly and Boras reach an agreement on Johnson, who played for the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox in 2000.

The Dodgers traded the four-time Gold Glove Award winner in a three-team deal in 1998 to acquire free-agent Todd Hundley, expected to sign elsewhere this weekend. The Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers and San Francisco Giants are interested in Hundley, who was not offered arbitration by the Dodgers.

Dreifort, Chan Ho Park and Kevin Brown have praised Johnson’s receiving skills, and the right-handed batter has improved offensively since leaving the Dodgers.

Johnson batted .304 with 31 home runs and 91 RBIs last season, becoming only the ninth catcher in baseball history to bat at least .300 with 30 homers and 90 RBIs in a season.

It might take an average of $10 million a season to sign Johnson, who made $4.6 million last season. Sources said the Dodgers will also consider less expensive options, such as Sandy Alomar.

Alomar, who made $2.7 million last season, is one of the American League’s top catchers but has been slowed by injuries in 10-plus seasons with the Cleveland Indians.

“We think that the combination of [Kreuter and LoDuca], and possibly adding someone else to the mix, will provide us with enough offense from that position in comparison to what we got from Hundley,” Malone said. “But again, the priority is pitching. This ballpark is all about pitching--and that’s what we’re stressing.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

2001 Dodger Salaries

Players under contract to this point. Does not include arbitration-eligible players:

* Kevin Brown $15 million

* Shawn Green $11.5 million

* Gary Sheffield $9.5 million

* Carlos Perez $7.5 million

* Eric Karros $7 million

* Jeff Shaw $6.05 million

* Devon White $5.9 million

* Mark Grudzielanek $4 million

* Tom Goodwin $3.25 million