DePodesta Sees the Bright Side

By Steve Henson

May 24, 2005 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

Nothing with the Dodgers calms quite like a conversation with Paul DePodesta.

The second-year general manager doesn’t schmooze with the media during batting practice or pop into the press box before games.

But catch him in his office and he’ll readily produce a rosy rendering of the team’s past, present and future.

Seemingly forgotten are warning signs such as the Dodgers’ falling into third place in the National League West and losing 18 of their last 29 games.

The revolving door at third base, serious questions about the starting rotation and the inability to throw out base stealers are portrayed as inconveniences.

With DePodesta filling out the team’s first-quarter report card, most students get a gold sticker and a free meal at a neighborhood chain restaurant. Manager Jim Tracy’s job is safe, the coaches are doing a great job and the players just need to keep on keeping on.

“Our guys have played very hard,” he said. “Our offense continues to create opportunities on a daily basis. Our starting pitchers consistently give us five strong innings or more. Very few times has our bullpen given up a lead.

“We’ve done a very good job of surviving a lot of adversity with injuries, better than any other comparable team. I think there are certainly good things to come. There are an awful lot of positives.”

The Dodgers quelled worries over DePodesta’s rash of off-season moves by starting 12-2. But a slide has followed, two steps back for every step forward.

The skid included dropping series to St. Louis, Atlanta and Florida, teams expected to make the playoffs.

Are the Dodgers built to compete against San Diego, Arizona and San Francisco in the relatively weak NL West but to go no further?

“Not at all,” DePodesta said. “We have to beat the teams outside our division in October, not necessarily every time we play them in May.

“We get another crack at each of those teams in the regular season. I think we are going to live up to it.”

By that time, the Dodger roster could be different. DePodesta is prepared to make trades to improve the team, although he is in no hurry.

“I don’t think we can ignore any area of the club and say we are good enough, whether it’s the rotation, bullpen or everyday position players,” he said.

“We certainly wouldn’t be afraid to make a trade.”

Just don’t expect a deal of the magnitude of the one last July that sent popular catcher Paul Lo Duca, reliever Guillermo Mota and outfielder Juan Encarnacion to the Florida Marlins.

“That’s highly doubtful,” DePodesta said. “I wouldn’t expect that amount of movement. I am focused on adding to the team. That said, often other teams are going to try to get major league players in return, so I can’t guarantee we won’t trade somebody on the club.”

High-salaried players on losing teams usually become available as the July 31 trading deadline nears. DePodesta has enough money in his budget to acquire either one overpaid veteran or two moderately priced players. He also can dangle attractive prospects from the talent-rich Dodger farm system.

“Ideally we could address more than one area, and that would be my preference,” he said. “But maybe we will get to a position where we can say we only need to add this one piece.”

More than one-quarter of the season is in the books. Areas that might need bolstering are becoming clear. So are strengths.

The platoon of Hee-Seop Choi and Olmedo Saenz has exceeded expectations at first base, combining for nine home runs, 36 runs batted in and a .318 batting average. Jeff Kent has been as advertised offensively and significantly better defensively at second. Shortstop and leadoff batter Cesar Izturis leads the league with 64 hits.

Antonio Perez is the latest Band-Aid solution at third, and perhaps the Dodgers are being lulled into complacency by his six-for-13 start. Mike Edwards is a utility player, and Jose Valentin won’t return until August.

Although several Dodger minor league infielders show promise, they are not ready to take over at third this season. DePodesta said he has not given up on slick-fielding Norihiro Nakamura, who is trying to iron out the considerable wrinkles in his swing at triple-A.

A trade would be the best solution. Philadelphia’s Placido Polanco is solid but unspectacular. Mike Lowell of the Marlins is pricey. Other possibilities might come into focus as the trading deadline approaches.

Milton Bradley and Ricky Ledee have exceeded expectations in the outfield. Bradley is making a strong case for an All-Star berth, batting .323 and leading the team with 10 home runs. Ledee, signed to be the primary left-handed pinch-hitter, has delivered 13 extra-base hits and a .298 average while playing left field mostly against right-handed pitchers. He’s also a stabilizing force in the clubhouse, low-key and positive.

Rookie Jason Repko, who platoons with Ledee, is above average defensively, runs the bases well and has shown power. He will be sent to triple-A when Jayson Werth is activated so he doesn’t stagnate on the bench.

J.D. Drew has been a mild disappointment with the bat, but he is a marked improvement defensively in right field. He reaches base even when the hits aren’t falling and runs the bases well.

Acquiring Jason Phillips for pitcher Kazuhisa Ishii late in spring training accomplished what the trade intended. He is batting .429 with runners in scoring position and .294 overall.

The return of Eric Gagne from the disabled list makes the bullpen whole. Yhency Brazoban, who had 11 saves in Gagne’s absence, will pitch the eighth inning.

Derek Lowe is developing into the stopper in a rotation that is strong as long as everyone is healthy. Brad Penny’s comeback from his arm injury is encouraging, and Jeff Weaver and Odalis Perez contribute more good starts than bad.

A fifth starter is needed, and DePodesta is zeroing in on acquiring one through trade. What he’s willing to part with and how much money owner Frank McCourt is willing to spend will go a long way toward determining whether DePodesta’s sunny outlook is warranted.

“All of us want the final prize,” he said. “You constantly have to balance between the short term and long term. Ideally you do things that help in both time frames. We want to win in 2006 and 2007 and 2008, but 2005 is right in front of us.

“There are only so many opportunities to win now, and I take those very seriously.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Ups and downs

How the Dodgers have fared this season against teams with sub-.500 records and against teams with records of .500 or better:

BELOW .500

* Won-lost...12-4

* Runs scored per game...6.25

* Runs given up per game...4.69

.500 AND OVER

* Won-lost...11-16

* Runs scored per game...4.22

* Runs given up per game...5.04