Don’t write Kemp’s name in ink in lineup

The kid gloves are off.

After watching their youth movement crash and burn against a wall of reality last week, the Dodgers are quietly mulling a slight change of direction.

The kids are no longer untouchable.

At least one of those kids could be the centerpiece in a winter trade that could bring the team a badly needed veteran star.

That kid could be Matt Kemp.

Insiders say that although management was furious with Jeff Kent for publicly ripping the team’s young players last week, it agrees with some of the things he said.

There is concern over some of the rookies’ attitudes and aptitudes.

There are home runs, but there are baserunning gaffes. There are dramatic catches, but there are forgotten sunglasses that lead to drops. There are some leadership moves, but also some lazy ones.

The Dodgers wouldn’t offer specifics, but insiders say they have reached the conclusion that they can be contenders quicker and longer if one or two of these kids are traded for more developed players who could help them avoid a repeat of this September’s meltdown.

The kid who would draw the biggest price is, ironically, the kid who was apparently one of Kent’s biggest targets.

Matt Kemp’s breathtaking ability makes him attractive. But his constant struggles to embrace the little things that turn talent into championships make him expendable.

Russell Martin, James Loney, Chad Billingsley and Jonathan Broxton are probably staying.

But insiders say Kemp could be going.

Colletti wouldn’t comment on this information, but his public stance on trading the kids has indeed softened.

“We’ve still got a positive view of the kids,” Colletti said Tuesday. “But I’m open to doing whatever we have to do for the right deal.”

Colletti spoke quietly, echoing the somber feeling that descended upon Chavez Ravine upon the team’s return from a trip that ended their postseason hopes and began a nightmare.

One minute, they were a charming mix of youngster and ancients fighting for a playoff spot.

The next minute, they were engulfed in a bigger generational feud that ended their season.

“I feel for the fans, I understand it, I get it,” Colletti said. “I can sense their frustration, and mine is right there with them.”

Down on the field, Grady Little looked worn, acknowledging that he could have done a better job spanning the generational gap. “I have to take responsibility for not managing it better,” he said.

In the clubhouse, Russell Martin slowly shook his head, the team’s future leader noting the frustration in having a voice that he can’t yet use.

“There are times I felt like I wanted to say something, but it’s just not my time,” he said. “I’m not going to be one of those young guys who talks a lot. I need to have the team’s respect before I do that. And I still have to earn that respect.”

On this most important of days, about the only guy around the ballpark who was not publicly accountable was the owner.

I had requested an interview with Frank McCourt, who has made a commitment to transparency and whom I summon only when absolutely necessary.

‘He’s not doing any interviews until the season is over,” said Camille Johnston, senior VP of communication.

She said this without hesitation, without pause, without even asking him.

I was hoping she could have at least, you know, asked him.

“He’s not doing any interview until the season is over,” she repeated.

That would be next week, when the Angels own the front page and the Dodgers’ screams are squashed to a whisper and, sure, it’s easy to be accountable then.

This is clearly an organization in transition, from last year’s veterans to this year’s kids to next year’s mix.

Make no mistake, the Dodgers love most of their younger players. But now that they’ve seen them for several months, they are more aware of their warts, and more understanding of their future.

“The kids aren’t perfect, they’re not complete yet,” Colletti said. “I will not trade them for a chance to win for one year. But for a chance to win for many years? I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

Colletti intimated he would use these trades, first, to find a legitimate star. The Dodgers need a legitimate star, in the prime of his career, who can lead on and off the field.

Jeff Kent is a future Hall of Famer, but to the kids he is just another a grumpy dinosaur. Even though he is guaranteed $9 million next season, Kent will be welcomed back with open arms only if he agrees to accept less playing time and keep clubhouse problems private.

The Dodgers also need to fashion a clubhouse that includes more 27- to 31-year-old position players, the sort who could help the kids learn without the petty jealousies and personal agendas that sometimes affect older players.

Because the farm system was so empty in the late 1990s, the Dodgers haven’t grown those types of players themselves. They signed two of those types of players, Rafael Furcal and Juan Pierre, but neither has a voice that can carry the entire clubhouse.

Those veterans might have helped police a clubhouse that eventually overran Little with their demands.

“Grady has been in a tight spot all year,” said Colletti, reaffirming his support for Little to return next season.

Those veterans also might have helped groom a guy like Kemp, whose power and speed have been negated by silly at-bats and baserunning mistakes.

The Dodgers don’t feel that giving up on Kemp means giving up on the youngsters. They could still have an opening day lineup that includes, Martin, Loney, Tony Abreu and Andre Ethier, with Billingsley in the rotation and Broxton in the bullpen.

They feel that, with the right surrounding cast, these kids have a chance to win next season.

And if it means trading the flashiest one to make that happen, they’ll do it.

Bill Plaschke can be reached at bill.plaschke@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Plaschke, go to latimes.com/plaschke.