Colletti is happy to be asked

NASHVILLE -- The Dodgers didn’t get Miguel Cabrera and they don’t expect to land Johan Santana.

But General Manager Ned Colletti said that his inability to trade for a middle-of-the-lineup bat or a top-of-the-rotation arm over the first two days of the winter meetings has given him a greater appreciation for his team’s young talent.

Colletti says he believes that top prospect Clayton Kershaw and 23-year-old right-hander Chad Billingsley will develop into the kind of pitchers that he is chasing today.

The Dodgers are being asked for multiple young players on their major league roster for top-of-the-line pitching, and Colletti said, “That could be us in two or three years, not that we would be in the same mode to deal. But that shows you the value of it. And if we believe in our scouts and our player-development people and you listen to how they talk about Clayton Kershaw, two years down the road, he might be the same guy.”

Kershaw is routinely asked for in trade talks, as is reliever Jonathan Broxton, of whom Colletti said, “I don’t have any interest in trading Broxton.”

Colletti said the Marlins wanted a four-player package for Cabrera that included James Loney, Matt Kemp and Kershaw, which made him “reexamine” Loney and Kemp and led him to asking himself why they couldn’t fill that role.

“How do you know that can’t happen?” Colletti said.

With Cabrera traded to the Tigers, the Dodgers are exploring other ways to upgrade at third base. The Dodgers have expressed an interest in free agent Tadahito Iguchi, according to Iguchi’s agent, Rocky Hall. Another option could be to trade for Troy Glaus of Toronto.

A more remote possibility would be a deal for the Cardinals’ Scott Rolen, but Colletti said the Dodgers aren’t close to a deal with St. Louis.

Talks with free-agent center fielders Andruw Jones and Aaron Rowand remained stalled, Colletti said, adding annual salary and that length of a potential contract remain points of contention with both players.

“Everything’s in the same boat, the same position,” Colletti said. “Only thing that changed is the day on the calendar.”

The Dodgers have asked the Milwaukee Brewers about outfielder Bill Hall, according to a major league source.

The Dodgers met with the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night, but Colletti said they weren’t any closer to making a deal with them. The Dodgers have talked to the Orioles about left-hander Erik Bedard.

The Dodgers postponed a Tuesday night meeting with the Oakland Athletics. The Dodgers were expected to inquire about pitchers Joe Blanton and Dan Haren.

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com