Karros’ Future Is Hazy

Dodger first baseman Eric Karros underwent arthroscopic surgery to clean out scar tissue in his left (nonthrowing) shoulder Friday, addressing a year-old injury that did not appear to be as serious as feared.

There was some concern Karros may have suffered damage to a ligament or to the labrum, but Dr. Lewis Yocum, the Angel team physician who performed the surgery, found no extensive structural problems.

Karros, who hit .271 with a career-low 13 home runs and 73 runs batted in this season, will begin rehabilitation in another week or so and is expected to make a full recovery, but his future in Los Angeles is hazy.

The Dodgers would love to trade Karros and perhaps make a run at San Francisco slugger Jeff Kent or Cleveland slugger Jim Thome, who will be a free agents this winter, but with a guaranteed contract for $8 million next season and a $9-million option for 2004 that would vest with 500 plate appearances in 2003, there is virtually no market for Karros.

“We’re contemplating things to get better, and one thing we need is more power at first base,” General Manager Dan Evans said. “Thirteen homers is not enough. We need to find more run production at that position. If that means we have to find someone to share time with [Karros], we have to do that.”

Evans wouldn’t come out and say it, but he made it clear the Dodgers have no intention of letting Karros reach the 500 plate appearances next season, a threshold that would guarantee the option year of his contract. If the contract doesn’t vest, the Dodgers can buy out the option for $1 million.

Karros believes his shoulder injury, which he suffered in 2001, has hindered his ability to hit for power, but the Dodgers don’t seem convinced that, even if Karros returns at full strength next spring, he’ll be able to provide the 30-homer, 100-RBI seasons he delivered regularly until 2000.

“It’s very clear that for us to win next year, we can’t get 14 homers and 73 RBIs from the first-base position,” Evans said. “Some teams can get away with that when they have run-producers at shortstop, second base and center field.”