Daal Wants Out; Roberts Will Start in Center

Omar Daal wanted to make himself perfectly clear. The Dodger left-hander did not merely ask for a trade before throwing six shutout innings in a 7-1 exhibition victory over the New York Mets on Tuesday night.

“I demanded a trade,” Daal said.

Daal, guaranteed $5 million this season, has no contractual right to demand a trade, but after being informed Tuesday afternoon he would open the season in the bullpen and not the rotation, he told Manager Jim Tracy he wanted out.

“It would be best for me and best for the team to go somewhere else and be a starter,” Daal, 30, said. “I won’t be happy in the bullpen .... I’m upset about this. I’m mad.”

Daal’s request puts the Dodgers in a precarious position. They lost some of their rotation depth when they moved Eric Gagne to the bullpen and need Daal as insurance should Kevin Brown or Andy Ashby suffer a setback in their return from elbow surgery or another starter gets hurt.

But they don’t want Daal to be a distraction, and they don’t want him to be so consumed by his frustration that it affects his performance.

“We really like Omar Daal, and before the year is over he’s going to pitch some important innings for us,” General Manager Dan Evans said. “No team goes through an entire season with no changes in their five-man rotation. We need starting pitching depth, and while Omar isn’t in the opening-day rotation, he will be a contributor.”

Daal, acquired in a winter trade from Philadelphia, was the opening-day starter for the Phillies last season and went 13-7 with a 4.46 earned-run average. He welcomed the trade to Los Angeles because he thought he was a lock to make the rotation, but after dealing for Daal, the Dodgers acquired pitchers Hideo Nomo, Odalis Perez and Kazuhisa Ishii, who will join Brown and Ashby in the opening-day rotation.

“I won 13 games last year,” said Daal, a soft-throwing breaking-ball specialist. “Nobody in this [Dodger] rotation won that many games.... [Tracy] said they’re not sure about the two starters coming back from surgery, but I think I can still be a starter with those guys here. I’ll do my best, but I would rather be traded.”

The Dodgers, who have no attractive starting pitching options at triple A, are not expected to honor Daal’s request unless they receive an outstanding offer. There was little trade interest in Daal this spring, but that could change after Tuesday night. Daal was masterful against a lineup of Met regulars, giving up one hit, striking out six and walking one.

“He walked out there tonight and showed what kind of professional he is,” Tracy said. “ ... He’s not completely sold on going to the bullpen, but if he has to do it, he’ll do the best he can.”

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Tracy had numerous closed-door meetings Tuesday, delivering good news to Dave Roberts, who was named the starting center fielder and leadoff batter, and Perez, the 23-year-old left-hander who will be in the rotation.

Roberts, 29, considered a longshot entering camp, will make his first big league opening-day start after toiling for eight years in the Detroit and Cleveland organizations.

“I might relish it on the plane ride [back to Southern California], but right now I’ve got to prepare for the season,” said Roberts, who had two hits, two runs batted in and scored a run Tuesday night. “I’m thrilled, believe me, but I don’t want to dwell on it.”

The news was not good for McKay Christensen and Tom Goodwin, runners-up in the center-field derby, and it was mixed for Marquis Grissom, who was told he would be a reserve, not sharing center field in a full-time platoon with Roberts but seeing plenty of action against left-handed pitchers.

“I’m not going to say I’m happy or I’m not happy,” Grissom said. “I didn’t come here expecting anything. But I do have total confidence in my abilities and it will speak when I get on the field. You can’t talk with your mouth. You have to talk with your bat.”

The Dodgers may have no choice but to release Goodwin and eat his $3.75-million contract because he has drawn virtually no trade interest. Christensen is out of minor league options and needs to clear waivers before being sent to the minor leagues.

Tracy and Goodwin were told they’re still being considered for the final bench spot, but it’s doubtful either will open the season with the Dodgers because Tracy prefers another right-handed bat on the bench.

“Would I rather play every day somewhere else? Absolutely,” Christensen said. “I love California, but I have to go someplace where I can play every day.”

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Second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, concerned about newspaper accounts portraying him as being upset about the possibility of being dropped from the second spot in the lineup, spoke to Tracy and addressed the team about his comments before Tuesday’s game.

“No question, I will hit wherever Tracy wants me to hit,” Grudzielanek said. “I will do anything I can to help the team. I’ll sit on the bench, if that means us winning the World Series. Jim Tracy is calling the shots.”

The seventh and eighth hitters in the Dodger lineup combined to hit .230 with 25 home runs and 109 RBIs last season. With the speedy Roberts and Cesar Izturis in the top two spots, Tracy believes Grudzielanek, who hit .271 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs last season, could add pop to the bottom of the order and balance to the lineup.