Green-Piazza Deal Discussed

Dodger General Manager Paul DePodesta spent most of the first day of the general manager meetings Tuesday hiring an executive with whom he has had a long-standing relationship, but it was a meeting he had with the New York Mets that could net a name familiar to Dodger fans.

DePodesta and Met General Manager Omar Minaya discussed a trade that would result in catcher Mike Piazza returning to Chavez Ravine in exchange for outfielder Shawn Green.

The talks are in the preliminary stages and could include other players, but the swap makes more financial sense for the Dodgers than another potential deal involving Green, a trade that would bring outfielder Sammy Sosa to the Dodgers.

However, Sosa is guaranteed $35 million over the next two seasons and would get a $4-million buyout in 2007, making any deal for him prohibitive. Dodger interest in Sosa is lukewarm at best and even his agent concedes a deal is unlikely.

“The stars and the moon would have to align for Sammy Sosa to be traded,” said Adam Katz, Sosa’s agent. “I expect him to be a Cub.”

The contracts -- and statistics -- of Green and Piazza are nearly identical: Both players are owed about $16 million next year in the last year of long-term deals and both players batted .266 last season with diminished power numbers.

DePodesta cautioned that no deal is imminent and that he is talking to many teams.

“In our discussion with the Mets, we threw out a handful of things and brainstormed about how we can help each other out,” he said.

“No definite proposal was made. We agreed to continue to keep an open mind.”

DePodesta also emphasized that the Dodgers are not intent on trading Green, a popular player whose production has dropped the last two seasons.

“We are not interested in moving Shawn unless a compelling offer is made to us,” he said.

The Dodgers moved faster off the field, hiring Roy Smith as vice president of scouting and player development and promoting Terry Collins to director of player development. Also, Dan Feinstein, video coordinator for the Oakland Athletics the last seven years, will join the Dodgers as in a statistical research capacity.

Smith, a former major league pitcher, will have an office at Dodger Stadium and report to DePodesta, who is beginning his second year as general manager. Collins will report to Smith, as will amateur scouting director Logan White and international scouting director Rene Francisco.

“Roy will facilitate the entire baseball operations process, from scouting to player development,” DePodesta said.

The shuffling comes less than two weeks after several player development advisors to previous general manager Dan Evans were shown the door. John Boles and Jeff Schugel departed, the contract of Don Welke was not renewed and Matt Slater was removed as director of professional scouting. Slater has been offered a position as a scout.

Several employees in lower-level positions have been let go since Frank McCourt purchased the team in January, but Slater is the only senior-level employee to lose a job.

Most Dodger front office positions are now filled, although DePodesta said he plans to make one more hire in baseball operations.

In terms of on-field needs, the Dodgers have a void at catcher. Piazza, 36, has battled injuries the last two seasons and there are questions about his ability to catch every day. The Mets tried him at first base last season but he struggled, making eight errors in 68 games. He caught only 50 games.

Green, who turns 32 today, would be considered a good fit with the Mets, who are shopping for a first baseman and a right fielder.

Piazza was immensely popular with Dodger fans during his five-plus seasons as the team’s regular catcher. He was rookie of the year in 1993 and during his first five full seasons averaged 33 home runs and 105 runs batted in.

He was traded to the Florida Marlins in May of 1998 by the new Fox ownership and shipped to the Mets days later. Piazza put together five strong seasons in New York before his production tapered off in 2003.

Generating excitement by bringing back a beloved player is not a sound reason to make a trade in DePodesta’s view, however.

“The best deals put a winning team on the field,” DePodesta said.

“That’s the No. 1 goal. If there is some consideration above and beyond, that’s a nice tiebreaker, but it isn’t the foundation for a deal.”

Piazza and Green can veto a trade. Green has already said that he prefers to remain with the Dodgers but would consider waiving his no-trade clause.

Neither player should start packing, however. Even if negotiations result in a trade, it wouldn’t happen quickly.

“We are not in a rush to do anything,” DePodesta said. “It will be interesting to see how the free-agent market plays out in the next month or two. We don’t want to be foolishly aggressive in the trade market.”