They Need Bat Man, Get Robin

The Dodgers finished second in a two-team race Thursday as the New York Yankees outbid them for All-Star third baseman Aaron Boone, and then the Dodgers acquired infielder Robin Ventura from the Yankees.

General Manager Dan Evans was thwarted in his attempt to fill the team’s need for a productive right-handed batter, watching the Yankees get Boone from the payroll-slashing Cincinnati Reds for minor league left-handers Brandon Claussen, Charlie Manning and $1 million.

Seattle pulled out of the bidding late Wednesday night for Boone, whose brother, Bret, is a Mariner All-Star second baseman.

With the Dodgers reeling and the clock ticking toward Thursday’s 1 p.m. PDT non-waiver deadline, Evans again returned to the familiar, dealing for Ventura, who spent 10 years with the Chicago White Sox while Evans worked in their front office.

Ventura, 36, was headed to the Yankee bench with the arrival of Boone, enabling the Dodgers to get the two-time All-Star and six-time Gold Glove award winner for outfielder Bubba Crosby and triple-A right-hander Scott Proctor.

The Dodgers will pay the remaining $1.54 million of Ventura’s one-year, $5-million contract, leaving them about $1 million under the $117-million luxury tax threshold.

Crosby, 27, was the club’s top draft pick in 1998, but he and Proctor, 26, weren’t part of Evans’ long-term plan. It is doubtful Ventura, who becomes the team’s everyday first baseman, will be either.

Although Evans added another left-handed batter to the team’s left-handed heavy lineup, he’s confident Ventura is a good fit on the field and in the clubhouse. And the Dodgers need as much help as possible now.

“Ideally, I wish we were swinging the bats better, but obviously we’re not,” said Evans, who has had mixed results in acquiring former White Sox players.

“Anyone who can come and help your club offensively, whether he’s right-handed or left-handed, is going to benefit your ballclub. I’ve known this guy for 13 or 14 years, I know the tremendous character he has, the leadership that he has.

“He’s a winner.... His presence alone in our clubhouse will give us a better chance of overcoming some of the offensive adversity we’ve been experiencing.”

Ventura struggled in the high-powered Yankee lineup this season, batting .251 with nine home runs and 42 runs batted in. After hitting .202 with one homer and 13 RBIs in June, the Santa Maria native hit .231 without a homer and six RBIs in July.

Overall against left-handers, Ventura is batting .194 with two homers and four RBIs.

“I feel good at the plate now,” said Ventura, who was with the Yankees in Anaheim and plans to meet the Dodgers today in Atlanta. “It’s probably the best I’ve felt at the plate all year. That’s at least good news.”

Manager Jim Tracy acknowledged that the Dodgers needed a right-handed batter, “but the opportunity to go out there and actually get [one] was a lot easier said than done. I don’t think you have to be that smart to recognize that fact.”

The Dodgers also pursued first baseman Richie Sexson of the Milwaukee Brewers, two baseball executives familiar with the trade talks said. However, Evans was unwilling to move the club’s top pitching prospects.

Evans hopes his second acquisition of a left-hander batter this month, following the July 14 deal that brought outfielder Jeromy Burnitz from the New York Mets, finally provides a spark for the somnolent Dodger batting order ... and an annual second-half wake-up call for third baseman Adrian Beltre.

With Fred McGriff possibly sidelined for the remainder of the season because of knee and groin injuries, Tracy plans to use Ventura primarily at first base. However, the Dodgers hope the presence of Ventura pushes Beltre to produce and retain his everyday job for the remainder of what might be his final season in Los Angeles.

“I don’t know what to expect, I don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Beltre, batting .224 with nine homers and 41 RBIs. “No one said anything to me. I just have to do my job and wait to hear something. Regardless of what’s going to happen, I can’t do anything about it.

“I know I’m part of the reason [the team has struggled]. I’m not doing my job the way I know I can, I’m not hitting, so they can say anything they want. But it’s about the team, it’s not about one person. I’m going to just wait and see.”

Although some in the clubhouse expressed admiration for Ventura, others declined comment on Evans’ latest move.

“It’s pretty obvious that we really need help right now,” catcher Paul Lo Duca said, “and hopefully Robin can help us.”

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Robin Ventura File

The Dodgers acquired third baseman Robin Ventura from the New York Yankees for outfielder Bubba Crosby and pitcher Scott Proctor. A look at Ventura’s career highlights and statistics:

* Age: 36. * Birthplace: Santa Maria.

* High School: Righetti. * College: Oklahoma State

* Height: 6-1. * Weight: 198.

* Bats: Left. Throws: Right.

* College Highlights: Set a Division I record with a 58-game hitting streak in 1987 as a sophomore at Oklahoma State. A member of the 1988 U.S. Olympic baseball team.

* Major League Highlights: Won six Gold Gloves as a third baseman (1991-93, 1996, 1998-99). Selected to two All-Star games (1992, 2002). Had his best season in 1999 when he finished sixth in the NL MVP voting. His 16 grand slams are the most of any active player and tie him with Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Dave Kingman for sixth all-time.

* Noteworthy: The Dodgers plan to use Ventura at first base, a position at which he has started in 23 of his 1,928 major league games.

Career Statistics

*--* YEAR TEAM AB R H HR RBI AVG 1989 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 45 5 8 0 7 178 1990 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 493 48 123 5 54 249 1991 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 606 92 172 23 100 284 1992 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 592 85 167 16 93 282 1993 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 554 85 145 22 94 262 1994 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 401 57 113 18 78 282 1995 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 492 79 145 26 93 295 1996 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 586 96 168 34 105 287 1997 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 183 27 48 6 23 262 1998 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 590 84 155 21 91 263 1999 NEW YORK METS 588 88 177 32 120 301 2000 NEW YORK METS 469 61 109 24 84 232 2001 NEW YORK METS 456 70 108 21 61 237 2002 NEW YORK YANKEES 465 68 115 27 93 247 2003 NEW YORK YANKEES 283 31 71 9 42 251 Totals 6,803 976 1,824 284 1,141 268 DIVISION SERIES YEAR OPPONENT AB R H HR RBI AVG 1999 ARIZONA 14 1 3 0 1 214 2000 SAN FRANCISCO 14 1 2 1 2 143 2002 ANGELS 14 1 4 0 4 286 Totals 42 3 9 1 7 214 LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES YEAR OPPONENT AB R H HR RBI AVG 1993 TORONTO 20 2 4 1 5 200 1999 ATLANTA 25 2 3 0 1 120 2000 ST. LOUIS 14 4 3 0 5 214 Totals 59 8 10 1 11 169 WORLD SERIES YEAR OPPONENT AB R H HR RBI AVG 2000 NEW YORK YANKEES 20 1 3 1 1 150

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-- Times Wire Services

*--* Downward Trend Ventura’s projected numbers this season are down significantly from his career averages AB R H 2B HR RBI BB SO AVG SLG% Career averages 466 68 125 23 20 79 71 80 268 446 2003 projected 428 47 107 20 14 64 61 94 251 392

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Note: Ventura is batting .213 and slugging .287 since June 1. He also has been prone to second-half slides the last few seasons. A year ago he batted .226 in August and .209 in September.

Houston Mitchell

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Wheeling and Dealing

Trades made Thursday before the deadline for deals without waivers:

* The Dodgers acquired third baseman Robin Ventura from the New York Yankees for outfielder Bubba Crosby and right-hander Scott Proctor.

* In separate trades, the New York Yankees acquired third baseman Aaron Boone and left-hander Gabe White from Cincinnati for left-hander Brandon Claussen, left-hander Charlie Manning, a player to be named and cash.

* San Francisco acquired right-hander Sidney Ponson from Baltimore for right-hander Kurt Ainsworth, left-hander Damian Moss and left-hander Ryan Hannaman.

* Boston acquired right-handers Jeff Suppan, Brandon Lyon and Anastacio Martinez from Pittsburgh for second baseman Freddy Sanchez and left-hander Mike Gonzalez.

* Kansas City acquired right-hander Al Levine from Tampa Bay for cash.