Dodgers Seek More Bang for Their Bucks

By Jason Reid

Sept. 29, 2003 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

SAN FRANCISCO —

Payroll and run production have been topics of concern at Chavez Ravine, and those issues again top the Dodgers’ agenda in what might be their final off-season under News Corp.

General Manager Dan Evans must improve an offense that scored fewer runs than the lowly Detroit Tigers, assuring the Dodgers of their seventh consecutive season without a playoff appearance.

Manager Jim Tracy and the major leagues’ top pitching staff could use the help, but how much can Evans accomplish with his hands at least partially tied?

News Corp. wouldn’t approve taking the payroll over the luxury-tax threshold with a playoff berth at stake, so will it do so this winter while still trying to unload the supposedly money-hemorrhaging franchise? Will a new owner?

The Dodgers’ most glaring deficiency was repeatedly exposed as they stumbled into the off-season with three losses in four games against San Francisco, beginning another early vacation Sunday after a 12-3 loss before a sellout crowd of 42,142 at Pacific Bell Park.

Wilson Alvarez (6-2) lasted only two innings in the worst start of his impressive comeback. The Dodgers (85-77) were outscored in the series, 28-12, ending the season 6-13 against the National League West champions.

They did escape without another record-setting moment from Barry Bonds.

The future Hall of Famer went two for three with a double and drove in a run -- but did not hit a home run.

Bonds finished the season with 45 homers and 658 in his career, leaving him two short of tying his godfather, Willie Mays, for third place on the all-time list.

The Giants (100-61) play host Tuesday to the Florida Marlins in the NL division series. The Dodgers finished 15 1/2 games behind their rivals, and acknowledge they’re still playing catch-up.

“Their team is clearly better than we are right now,” said Tracy, whose team finished second in the NL West despite losing nine of 14 to close the season.

“Sometimes it’s painful to say. I don’t shy away from that. ... In order for us to get to where we want to be, we know we have some work to do.”

Offense will be the focus.

The Dodgers scored two runs or fewer 61 times. They scored one run or were shut out in 40 games, 38 of them losses. They finished six games behind the Marlins in the NL wild-card race.

Tracy and the dominant pitching staff maneuvered without a safety net too often, leaving little room for error.

How good was the staff? Consider that the Tigers scored 17 more runs than the Dodgers ... and were 43-119.

“Obviously, it’s pretty clear we need to improve our offense,” said right fielder Shawn Green, who postponed having shoulder surgery in an effort to help the Dodgers reach the playoffs.

“That’s the area where we have the biggest need right now, but that doesn’t mean we have to make a lot of changes. We just have to make the right ones.”

The Dodgers are not expected to re-sign outfielder Brian Jordan (whose 2004 contract option can be bought out for $2.5 million), pitcher Andy Ashby, first baseman Fred McGriff and infielder-outfielder Daryle Ward. Those players made about $19 million combined this season.

The Dodgers, however, have almost $68 million committed in guaranteed contracts to nine players. And All-Star closer Eric Gagne -- expected to receive a huge raise after a 55-save season -- is among seven key players eligible for arbitration.

With the luxury-tax threshold increasing from $117 million to $120 million next season, will that be enough to repair a broken offense?

“Before I go spouting off about something that could come back to haunt me, or change real quickly, there’s something you have to remember: This club is for sale,” Tracy said. “There’s no getting around that. I’m not the one that allocates the money that lets you make the attempt to go get this guy or that guy.

“It’s wrong for me to sit here and say, ‘Well, we should have gotten this, or I wish we would have gotten that this year.’ It’s wrong because I don’t establish the budget and I don’t sign the checks. None of those things are in the framework of my job.”

Regardless of what ownership does with the budget, Evans expressed confidence he can get the job done.

“No off-season is like going shopping at Target,” he said. “But I’m not discouraged and I don’t feel hindered at this point.

“The creativity of our staff will get us through any hurdles or difficulties we have. I’m not worried.”

(Begin Text of Infobox)

Dodger Salaries

Guaranteed contracts for 2004

(average annual values):

Kevin Brown...$15 million

Shawn Green...$14 million

Darren Dreifort...$11 million

Kazuhisa Ishii...$2,775,000

Hideo Nomo...$7,083,333