GM Search Called Off for Season

The Dodgers hired longtime baseball executive Dan Evans on Thursday to assist interim General Manager Dave Wallace, and acknowledged Wallace will remain in his position until the season ends.

Evans, who spent 19 years with the Chicago White Sox, has a strong background in transaction rules.

He will serve as a senior advisor to Wallace, assisting in many front-office duties on the major league level.

“I was very, very adamant about getting a quality guy such as Dan in here to add to the team that we have,” Wallace said. “The better the pool of people around you, the better job you’re going to do as an organization. That’s what we all strive for.”

Wallace had been expected to resume his duties overseeing the farm system once Chairman Bob Daly hired a permanent replacement after the season, but the Dodgers officially announced their plan in an attempt to end speculation.

“We really want to keep the focus on the team,” Daly said. “We think everything is going really good with [Manager] Jim [Tracy] and his staff, and Dave has been terrific so far, so this was the best of all worlds.

“Dave is someone we feel very comfortable with who, with some help, is willing to continue to do it for the balance of the season. Now, Dave doesn’t have to go on every single road trip, and he can watch over the farm system.”

Evans resigned from the White Sox in October when Ken Williams, vice president of player development, was elevated to general manager.

Although Evans is only under contract for the rest of the season, Wallace hinted that the club’s newest official might be retained longer.

Whether Evans is a viable candidate to succeed Wallace remains to be seen. Many baseball sources believe John Hart, general manager of the Cleveland Indians, will land at Chavez Ravine.

“Who wouldn’t be interested in being the general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers?” said Evans, who resides in Chicago with his wife and two children but plans to frequently travel to Los Angeles.

“As far as I’m concerned, my role during this season is to do everything I can to make a contribution to this club. Anything that takes place after the season is something I really can’t control.

“I’m going to do everything I can to help this franchise and make a positive contribution. I’ll worry about the other stuff when it comes up.”

Jason Reid

If Marquis Grissom weren’t producing for the Dodgers, it would be easy to dismiss his role of tutoring the club’s younger players as some sort of last-ditch effort to keep a job. Or to prep him for a future in coaching.

But in his last 14 games, Grissom is batting .425 with four home runs and 13 runs batted in and Tuesday night he took his first walk of the season, even if it came in his 125th plate appearance.

Grissom, who joined the Dodgers in a spring training trade with the Milwaukee Brewers for disgruntled Devon White, has taken rookie utility player Hiram Bocachica under his wing.

“I see a young man right here with all the skills in the world and talent and I just feel like when I was in that same situation, I was fortunate to have some great people around me that looked out for me, that really cared about how I played, cared about my career and helped me get this far,” Grissom said. “So I just feel like if somebody helped me, I have to pass it along and help somebody else.”

ON DECK

Opponent--Houston Astros, three games.

Site--Enron Field.

Today--5 p.m. PDT.

TV--Fox Sports Net 2 tonight, Channel 11 Saturday, Channel 5 Sunday.

Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

Records--Dodgers 30-23, Astros 26-25.

Record vs. Astros--3-0.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

LUKE PROKOPEC

(6-1, 3.33 ERA)

vs.

ASTROS’

SCOTT ELARTON

(4-4, 5.91 ERA)

Update--In his last start Saturday, Prokopec came within a strike of throwing his first complete game against the Astros at Dodger Stadium but gave up two ninth-inning runs. Elarton did not receive a decision after giving up two runs in seven innings Sunday in the Dodgers’ 5-4, 12-inning win.

Saturday, 1 p.m.--Darren Dreifort (3-3, 4.29 ERA) vs. Roy Oswalt (2-1, 1.93 ERA).

Sunday, 11:30 a.m.--Eric Gagne (1-3, 5.14 ERA) vs. Kent Bottenfield (2-4, 5.16 ERA).