No Safety in Foxhole

Davey Johnson saw the storm coming.

The embattled manager figured General Manager Kevin Malone would blame him if the Dodgers flopped again, making Johnson the next fall guy under Fox.

Thus, Johnson wasn’t surprised to learn that Malone has been courting baseball analyst Kevin Kennedy for a job Johnson still occupies because that’s how Malone has operated during their brief and disastrous partnership.

“I’m not going to get into this stuff again,” Johnson said before Tuesday’s 1-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.

“I’ve got [10] more games left and that’s all I’m . . . I just don’t want to go there again because we’ve all been down this road before. We know what this is all about. You know what I mean?”

The Dodgers do.

Malone has undermined Johnson throughout their tenure at Chavez Ravine, sources said, stirring frustration in the executive offices and creating clubhouse concern and confusion as to how a manager and general manager could be at such polar extremes.

Dodger decision-makers have tried unsuccessfully to diffuse Malone’s hostility toward Johnson, who is expected to be fired for his and the club’s performance, with Malone having sowed the seeds behind the scenes.

In the process, Malone actually seemed to make Johnson a sympathetic figure among players--no small feat--this season because of his criticism, angering many who wonder if the Malone household is devoid of a mirror.

Now, with the contacting of Kennedy, this latest move to vanquish Johnson in the Fox version of “Survivor” has raised further concerns in the organization about Malone’s judgment.

The general manager’s apparent eagerness to hasten Johnson’s departure has put the Dodgers under a microscope again, which might prompt Chairman Bob Daly to consider booting both off the island.

“Is this troubling to us?” said Derrick Hall, senior vice president. “The season has been troubling, and any allegations would just create additional concerns.”

Malone accomplished that with his overtures to Kennedy about the Dodger manager position against the edict of Daly and President Bob Graziano.

It appeared that Malone, who is said to regularly criticize Johnson during games, had persuaded Daly that the Dodgers would be the New York Yankees with anyone else in the manager’s chair, and he has frequently put the onus on Johnson by saying he gave the manager all the players he wanted during the off-season.

Even those who believe the Dodgers would benefit from a change in direction believe the manager has been treated unfairly.

Johnson has confided in friends that he doesn’t understand Malone’s feelings toward him, sources said. Johnson thought he and Malone worked well together while they were with the Baltimore Orioles, and Johnson has defended Malone’s questionable trades and contract signings.

Daly and Graziano had hoped to quell rumors of Johnson’s now seemingly imminent ouster, but Malone put it in the spotlight again by his contact with Kennedy.

“No determination has been made on anyone’s status,” Hall said. “A full-scale evaluation will occur at the conclusion of the regular season.”

However, Malone’s determination seems to have been made already, although Malone insists he and Kennedy only talk about the weather.

“Kevin has told all of us [Dodger officials] that he did not discuss the manager position with Kevin Kennedy,” said Hall, speaking on behalf of Daly and Graziano. “He said they were merely talking as friends.”

Malone has acknowledged that he consults many members of the media, suggesting sarcastically that he’s also considering ESPN’s Peter Gammons for a baseball-operations job.

Some see that as part of the problem, implying that Malone talks to too many people about club issues.

It is uncertain whether this latest development has jeopardized the likelihood that Daly was going to bring Malone back for the third of the four years on his contract. But sources indicate the general manager will receive more intense scrutiny now when those post-season evaluations begin--merely another storm in a season of storms.

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Dodgers 1, Arizona 0

Tom Goodwin singled, stole second and scored on Mark Grudzielanek’s single to account for the only run. D4

Kansas City 5, Angels 1

Royal right-hander Blake Stein limited the Angels to one run and three hits in eight innings. D3

Atlanta 12, New York 4

Javy Lopez tripled, singled and drove in three runs as the Braves continued their domination over the Mets. D4