Daly, Boras to Work on Beltre Deal

Dodger Chairman Bob Daly and agent Scott Boras are scheduled to travel Monday to Dodgertown in an attempt to reach agreement on a multiyear contract to settle the Adrian Beltre matter.

Daly and Boras are expected to begin negotiating a deal for Beltre after arriving at the spring-training complex. If they agree to a two- or three-year contract, the Major League Players’ Assn. is expected to withdraw its grievance filed on behalf of the young third baseman.

With the assistance of the Players’ Assn., Boras is attempting to have Beltre declared a free agent because the Dodgers violated major league baseball rules by signing him before his 16th birthday. Commissioner Bud Selig punished the Dodgers in December, putting restrictions on their operations in the Dominican Republic, but did not grant Beltre free agency.

Daly and Boras are eager to resolve the situation this week, but neither has set a deadline. Boras is expected to leave Dodgertown at the end of the week and the Dodgers begin Grapefruit League play Friday against the visiting Houston Astros.

Boras declined to provide specifics of his upcoming trip to Dodgertown, saying only he would be out of town this week. He acknowledged that he expected to speak with Daly in the next few days.

“Really, we’re still at a preliminary stage,” Boras said. “The Dodgers continue to indicate they are interested in getting something done, but we haven’t started to have those types of discussions.”

Daly said he doesn’t feel pressure to complete “the wrong deal.”

“We’d like to make a deal, and hopefully we can get something worked out,” Daly said. “But I’ve said this before, I’m not going to make a foolish deal just to make this cloud go away.

“It is a cloud, and I’d like to make it go away, but not by doing something stupid. I think people [baseball officials] would be upset if I did something irrational, but I’m not going to do that. Anyone who knows me knows I’m not that type of negotiator.”

At issue is how much the Dodgers are willing to pay to make this go away.

Most scouts believe Beltre, 20, possesses the tools to become a franchise player. However, he only has 1 1/2 seasons of major league service.

What transpires in the next few days could have a major effect on the Dodgers’ short- and long-term future.

If the Dodgers force Beltre into arbitration, they might irreparably damage their relationship with him.

Seattle Mariner shortstop Alex Rodriguez, whom Boras also represents, will become a free agent at season’s end and is expected to keep a close eye on the situation.

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Right-hander Mike Judd and left-hander Jeff Williams are scheduled to pitch in an intrasquad game Monday, and against the Astros on Friday at Holman Stadium.