Coaches Are on the List

General Manager Paul DePodesta said Monday he expected clubs to soon seek permission to interview bench coach Jim Riggleman and third base coach Glenn Hoffman for managerial positions.

“I wouldn’t be surprised at all if we get calls on a handful of our guys,” said DePodesta, who traveled with the team to St. Louis for Game 1 of the National League division series today at Busch Stadium.

“I believe pretty strongly in not getting in the way of someone that has an opportunity for a promotion elsewhere if that’s what they want to pursue. Ideally it would work in the context of what we’re trying to accomplish here.

“For the guys that I think would get interviewed, I think they all have a singular focus right now on what we’re trying to accomplish. I trust that they would be able to balance it if need be.”

Riggleman was a finalist two years ago for the Seattle Mariner job that went to Bob Melvin, who was fired Monday by Mariner General Manager Bill Bavasi, formerly the Dodger farm director. Hoffman has been on many teams’ lists of potential managerial candidates since he served as the Dodger interim manager in 1998.

“I want to manage again,” said Riggleman, who guided the Chicago Cubs to a 90-73 record and the NL wild-card berth in 1998. “I know and respect Bill Bavasi, and I know he’s going to have a lot of good candidates to talk about. It would be very flattering if I get consideration again.”

Said Hoffman: “We all have a lot to do here right now. That’s all we’re going to think about.”

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Manager Jim Tracy often considered pinch-hitting early in games for light-hitting catchers Brent Mayne and David Ross.

Because of the importance of seizing scoring opportunities in the postseason, Tracy said he would strongly consider carrying three catchers on the roster for the division series, adding Tom Wilson. That would enable Tracy to hit for the starter if a scoring opportunity arose at any point and still have two available catchers.

“Not having that option could possibly limit us in a given pinch-hit scenario at a point and time in the game where I would maybe want to explore it,” Tracy said. “It would be somewhat of a surprise if we don’t have three active catchers.”

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DePodesta and Tracy’s representative have postponed contract negotiations until after the playoffs.

“We just thought that would be in everyone’s best interests with what we’re trying to accomplish,” DePodesta said.

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Tracy said Jose Lima might be available for an inning today out of the bullpen. Lima is scheduled to start Saturday in Game 3 at Dodger Stadium.