Patient Evans on Hot Seat

As a Boston native and lifelong fan of the Red Sox, Frank McCourt acknowledges he “has some issues” with New York Yankee owner George Steinbrenner, but the new Dodger owner sounded downright Steinbrenner-esque when asked whether there would be any on-the-field changes before the start of spring training in three weeks.

“We need some players, we’re going to get them and we’re going to be decisive about it,” McCourt said. “I want to win this year. I want to win next year. I want to win the year after. That’s my approach.”

Off to the side of McCourt’s news conference stood Dodger General Manager Dan Evans, and you could almost see the team’s top prospects slipping through his mental grasp. There goes pitcher Edwin Jackson or Greg Miller in a trade for an impact hitter the Dodgers so desperately need. There goes outfielder Franklin Gutierrez in a deal for a proven, big-name player.

Evans has clung to his top minor leaguers since the trading deadline last July, refusing to forfeit the Dodgers’ future for a quick fix. He turned down a deal that would have netted former Pittsburgh Pirate slugger Brian Giles last summer and another that would have gotten Chicago White Sox slugger Magglio Ordonez this winter because he deemed the price in prospects too high.

“We’re going to adhere to our philosophy here,” Evans said earlier this month. “We have some youngsters who are on the verge of becoming successful big league players, and we’re not going to deviate [from our commitment to the farm system]. Once you do, you don’t have a philosophy any more. I know some people are getting anxious, but it’s my job to be patient.”

Patience, however, does not appear to be a McCourt virtue, and the new owner’s desire to acquire an impact hitter and to win right away could contradict Evans’ recent build-from-within approach. And if McCourt and Evans don’t see eye to eye on the issue, it could cost Evans his job.

In fact, industry sources said that the Dodgers are planning to make contact with former Seattle Mariner general manager Pat Gillick about the job. Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland Athletics, also has been mentioned prominently as a possible replacement for Evans. However, A’s owner Steve Schott told the San Francisco Chronicle on Thursday that he would not grant the Dodgers permission to talk to Beane.

“I’m going to have a conversation with Frank in the next few days regarding philosophy and where we are as an organization, but to comment about where we’re headed now is not appropriate,” Evans said. “What I do know is that Frank has a sincere passion for the game. That was evident in my first conversation with him and in every conversation since. It’s very evident he has a desire to win.”

McCourt made it clear it would not take long to determine the fate of Evans and other front-office employees, as well as Manager Jim Tracy.

“While today is not the day to discuss changes specifically ... I intend to act quickly and decisively in making changes necessary to get to our goal as fast as we can,” McCourt said. “ ... I’m going to take a look at everybody. There’s some fine people working for this organization, but it’s been 15 years since we won a playoff game. I’m going to talk to people, let them make their case, let them tell me what their goals and objectives are and see how that matches up with our goals and objectives.”

Having watched the Dodgers from afar last season, McCourt has a pretty good idea what the team needs.

“I think the team lacks excitement,” McCourt said. “We need to create more offense, but there’s still some great players on this team. The pitching is good; we’re sound defensively. I’m not a baseball genius; I’m a fan and can see the needs of this team, and we need some offense. But I also want to look into the dugout and see some intensity, people engaged, people fighting over every pitch.”