No Big Deal for Dodgers

The Dodgers traded pitcher Luke Prokopec and pitching prospect Chad Ricketts to the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday for pitcher Paul Quantrill and minor league middle infielder Cesar Izturis, completing a deal on the final day of the baseball winter meetings but failing to accomplish their major objectives.

General Manager Dan Evans sent Prokopec, one of few Dodgers with high trade value, and Canadian minor leaguer Ricketts to Toronto in an effort to bolster the bullpen and improve the athleticism of the club.

However, the Dodgers still have a hole at closer while General Manager Billy Beane of the Oakland Athletics keeps Evans on hold.

Evans has offered outfielder Gary Sheffield to Oakland as the centerpiece of a trade that would send outfielder Jermaine Dye and closer Billy Koch to Los Angeles, baseball sources said, and the Dodgers are anxiously sitting by the phone.

“The trades that we have really moved forward on, and had significant conversations about, have not gone away,” Evans said. “We’re going to continue to explore options and a variety of different things. I’m encouraged that we’re going to have more conversations.”

Meanwhile, agent Scott Boras said he had spoken with every club at the meetings--except the Dodgers.

While stressing how hard he and his staff have been working, Evans reiterated that he is interested in re-signing free-agent pitcher Chan Ho Park. But Evans, who has come under fire for not returning phone calls from general managers and agents, apparently has been too preoccupied to contact Park’s agent.

“Based on Danny’s comments [before the meetings], I have to take his interest in Chan Ho as sincere,” said Boras, who recently waited weeks for Evans to return a message. “But I haven’t had a chance to talk to Danny. I don’t really know what the Dodgers’ plan is.”

Confusion about the Dodgers was a central theme of the meetings in which few marquee free agents signed.

The Dodgers were one of the most active clubs in scheduling sessions to discuss trade proposals, but the 30-plus member contingent--one of the largest ever--struggled to stir interest in most of their major and minor leaguers.

And Evans became a frequent topic of conversation after General Manager Jim Bowden of the Cincinnati Reds belittled him before members of his staff, refusing to begin a meeting until Tom Lasorda, Dodger senior vice president, was present in the Reds’ hotel suite.

But the Dodgers still managed to make a move before the meetings ended.

Quantrill, 33, has been a dependable and durable setup man in eight-plus seasons. The right-hander was 11-2 with a 3.04 earned-run average in 80 appearances for the Blue Jays in 2001 and made the all-star team.

The Blue Jays rewarded Quantrill for leading the majors in relief victories, giving him a three-year, $9.6-million contract extension in August. Quantrill, who received a $1-million signing bonus, will get $2.5 million next season. $3 million in 2003 and $3.1 million in 2004.

He has had at least 41 appearances the last three seasons and more than 76 three times in his career. Evans and Manager Jim Tracy envision Quantrill sharing setup duties with Matt Herges.

The Dodgers are excited about the smooth-fielding Izturis, who Evans said would compete with shortstop Alex Cora in spring training for the everyday job. Izturis, 21, was rated as one of the Blue Jays’ top prospects beginning the season.

In 87 games at triple-A Syracuse, the native of Venezuela batted .292 with two home runs, 35 runs batted in and 24 stolen bases. He hit .269 and had eight stolen bases in 46 games for Toronto.

Prokopec, 23, was 8-7 with a 4.88 ERA in his rookie season for the Dodgers. The Blue Jays expect the Australian to immediately compete for a rotation spot.

Ricketts, 26, was 1-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 48 games for triple-A Las Vegas. He was acquired in a 1999 trade with the Chicago Cubs.

The Dodgers were reluctant to trade Prokopec but eager to get a veteran setup man after the New York Mets signed free-agent David Weathers, whom Evans wanted, and Izturis could provide a long-term solution at shortstop.

But the Dodgers have more pressing concerns.

Sheffield remained on the Dodger roster at the conclusion of the meetings despite Evans’ ongoing efforts to trade him in a proposal that originally included Prokopec but has apparently been modified.

Evans maintains he is not trying to trade Sheffield, though many team executives acknowledge the Dodgers want the six-time all-star out of Chavez Ravine as soon as possible.

Although the Dodgers believe they have been close to finalizing the deal for at least a week, Beane is not operating on their schedule. The accomplished executive reinforced that he is in the driver’s seat, leaving the meetings and Evans in limbo.

Oakland is working on a trade with the New York Mets to acquire outfielder David Justice. Beane is also considering signing free-agent first baseman Tino Martinez to replace Jason Giambi, who Thursday signed a seven-year, $120-million contract with the New York Yankees.

Beane, who outmaneuvered Evans in acquiring Koch from Toronto, would prefer to retain Koch and trade Dye and prospects for Sheffield, two baseball executives said.

But that would not work for the Dodgers, who still have Koch at the top of their off-season wish list. As a backup plan, Evans has had talks with the Boston Red Sox about closer Ugueth Urbina.

While the Yankees introduced Giambi at a Yankee Stadium news conference, Beane discussed the Athletics’ situation in a Boston hotel lobby.

“Jason Giambi is obviously a very special player, and to replace a player like Jason with one move is impossible,” he said. “We have a lot of options. Nothing we discussed at the meetings is dead.

“At the same time, it’s unlikely that we’re in position to make more than one major move.”

Beane is expected to meet with Oakland’s owners before determining whether he wants to add Sheffield to the A’s frat-house clubhouse and help Evans.

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TO DODGERS

* Paul Quantrill, reliever: Right-hander was 11-2 with a 3.04 ERA in 80 appearances to earn his first trip to the All-Star game. He struck out 58 and walked only 12.

* Cesar Izturis, shortstop: Batted .269 in 46 games with Toronto last season. Speedy 21-year-old is expected to compete for a starting job with incumbent Alex Cora.

*

TO TORONTO

* Luke Prokopec, starter: Native of Australia went 8-7 with a 4.88 ERA in 29 games as a rookie last season. Blue Jays expect right-hander to be in starting rotation.

* Chad Ricketts, reliever: Right-hander was 1-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 48 relief appearances at triple-A Las Vegas but has shot to make Toronto’s starting rotation.