1999 DODGERS MIDSEASON REPORT CARD: MONEY FOR NOTHING : IS DODGERS' SEASON WORTH SAVING?

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

There is no summit planned, no meetings of the Dodgers and Fox Group's brain trust to decide whether to dissolve the season or press onward.

None is needed. The answer will be available in a few weeks. At least, by the July 31 nonwaiver trading deadline.

If the Dodgers get back into the playoff race - or think they're back in the race - massive changes might not be made. If they falter, expect some deals as the Dodgers will try to bolster the farm system while unloading salaries.

``It could get to that point and . . . we're hopeful that's not something we have to consider,'' Dodgers general manager Kevin Malone said. ``I don't think you establish any deadline for yourself because things keep changing.

``We're looking at all our options and our first choice is we get on a roll and play winning baseball, and all the questions we have will be answered.''

Why wait for a few weeks to see what's going to happen? Let's take a shot at answering it now based on one of the worst first halves in Dodgers history.

Manager Davey Johnson's team doesn't pitch well or hit well, and it especially doesn't hit well in the clutch.

The Dodgers are on a four-game winning streak as they sit for three days, idle during the All-Star break, but they're eight games under .500 (37-49), in last place in the NL West and trailing first-place San Francisco by 10 games.

They have little maneuverability in the trade market, thanks to multiyear contracts at nearly every position, so a blockbuster deal to prop up the team is unlikely. Instead, any deal would be considered a retooling.

Nothing has gone right for the team so far, so why should it change when the personnel remains the same? There are 76 games left. There's enough time to turn the season around, or so the Dodgers say.

On the other hand, there's also plenty of time to drop further below .500 while earning the inglorious title of the worst team money can buy.

That distinction belonged to the New York Mets a few years ago. Baltimore took the title last year and will have to stave off the Dodgers for that honor this season.

No one could have guessed it would be this bad.

Before the season, the Dodgers spent more than $160 million on free agents and contract extensions. There was spring talk of the World Series based on the Dodgers' starting pitching and offense. The $105 million acquisition of Kevin Brown, complete with chartered flights for his family, was the capper, a near guarantee of baseball in October.

Instead, the first half brought 86 games of misery, frustration, an ill-conceived scissors kick and the embarrassment of last place.

Optimists could point to the current four-game winning streak as a sign the Dodgers have turned it around, but a second-half resurgence isn't likely.

If there were a switch to be flicked so the Dodgers would understand the importance of moving runners over with a ground ball, or not trying to hit every pitch out of the ballpark, it would have been found.

If said switch existed, Chan Ho Park and Carlos Perez wouldn't be on their way to the second- and third-worst ERAs in Los Angeles Dodgers' history. Perez (2-9, 6.95 ERA) has outdueled Park (5-7, 6.52) in the race to dubious distinction. For pitchers with at least 10 starts, only Danny McDevitt's 7.50 ERA in 1958 was higher than Park and Perez's current ERA.

That's not all.

The Dodgers don't hit with runners in scoring position (.242), and they rarely get runners on base. Among National League teams, they lead only San Diego in batting average at .263. They're 12th in runs scored (397), ninth in home runs (95) and 14th in on-base percentage (.336).

Their inability, or unwillingness, to sacrifice for the team is best exemplified in their 22 sacrifice flies, which ties for the third worst in the league.

And the Dodgers' inadequacies in manufacturing runs have forced Johnson to use the running game, even though they're not a speedy team. Dodgers basestealers have been thrown out 39 times, third most in the NL.

There is time. There are 76 games left. But that means little because three days of rest won't solve the problems.

All the tangible issues the Dodgers talked about during the first half exist today.

The Dodgers lack a left-handed power hitter, lack range on the right side of the infield, lack the ability to play fundamentally sound baseball.

The season began with questions about the bullpen and the catcher. Those have given way to fears about the starting pitching and offense.

The first half of the Dodgers' season was embarrassing.

The second half doesn't figure to improve.

MIDSEASON GRADE: D

There's a D in Dodgers for a reason. Last place and 10 games out, they don't play fundamentally sound baseball and fail to do the little things - hit cutoff men, hit behind the runner, take the extra base - that good teams do.

FIRST-HALF LOWLIGHTS

1. They open the season with a 5-1 homestand then don't go over .500 on another homestand until they sweep Seattle.

2. In a cost-cutting move, pitcher Dave Mlicki is traded to Detroit for three players no one in baseball, outside of the Dodgers, would ever call prospects. There's a big difference between $84 million and $80 million.

3. Fernando Tatis hits two grands slams off Chan Ho Park . . . in the same inning.

4. Eric Karros botches a rundown that costs the Dodgers a run in what was a one-run game. Afterward, he says it's no big deal because it's only May.

5. Kevin Brown, who's already smashed a commode in spring training, takes his frustration out on a toilet stall after giving up six runs in Philadelphia.

6. Carlos Perez misses a start after suffering a mysterious knee injury in Montreal.

7. St. Louis' Shawon Dunston and the Dodgers' Jamie Arnold brawl after Dunston was hit with a pitch.

8. Pitching coach Charlie Hough is fired after the first game of a nine-game road trip. The Dodgers say it's because the starting pitchers haven't been properly prepared. Dodgers starters were 19-16 and fourth in the league with a 4.19 ERA. At the halfway point, they'll be 31-37 with a 4.95 ERA.

9. Park gets suspended for seven games after punching and kicking Angels pitcher Tim Belcher.

10. The Dodgers and Mariners have a 15-minute brawl in the last game before the All-Star break.

- Brian Dohn

DODGERS MIDSEASON REPORT CARD

FIRST BASE: C-

Karros is on pace for his usual season; 30 homers, 90 RBI. However, he's hitting .230 with runners in scoring position and average defense hurts the right side of the infield.

SECOND BASE: C-

After beginning the season on a stolen-base tear, Young fell into his old habit of hitting the ball in the air. That killed his on-base percentage, and nagging injuries have limited his base-stealing ability.

SHORTSTOP: D

Grudzielanek missed four weeks after punching a wall (at least he showed fire). Failure to hit with runners in scoring position - he's 10 for 62 (.161) - has plagued him the most. Defense has been solid if unspectacular.

THIRD BASE: B

Beltre has been the only pleasant surprise. He's made 16 errors, but his defense is among the best in the league. After hitting .215 last season, he's been near .300 this year and has shown power.

CATCHER: D-

Who to blame: GM Kevin Malone or manager Davey Johnson for not keeping Hundley in extended spring training? Hundley has worked hard and is throwing well now. Angel Pena and Paul LoDuca combined to hit .167 as backups.

LEFT FIELD: B+

Remember the negative hubbub surrounding Sheffield moving from right to left? It never materialized. He has been solid and is the team's lone all-star.

CENTER FIELD: C-

Three years, $9 million was a lot to give a 36-year-old White, who's missed 12 games with injuries and left a few other early. Still, the Dodgers wanted 120 games from him and he's on pace for that. Plus, he glides in the outfield.

RIGHT FIELD: C-

How to judge? Mondesi hit 18 homers through May but has only one and 10 RBI since. He's made four errors but usually from trying to do too much. No one plays harder.

STARTING PITCHING: D-

The strength of the team coming out of spring training has been terrible. The starters have a combined 4.95 ERA. Chan Ho Park's ERA is 6.52 since being suspended in early June. Brown's 9-6 mark is offset by Park and Carlos Perez going 7-16.

RELIEF PITCHING: B-

It's been spotty, but Borbon might be the real all-star. After not pitching in the big leagues for two years, his ERA is 1.64. Jeff Shaw is 19 of 20 in save chances.

BENCH: D

It's one of Johnson's pets and it's had injuries (Todd Hollandsworth and Jose Vizcaino). The lack of depth shows in that unknowns Brent Cookson and Chance Sanford played in the majors this season. Hansen and Trenidad Hubbard have been solid.

MANAGER: D

Johnson hasn't been able to use his bullpen and bench because of injuries and ineffectiveness. Lack of a lefty power hitter has been the sorest spot. Even though it's been a horrible first half, he's kept the clubhouse relatively complaint-free.

FRONT OFFICE: C-

The decision to bring Hundley west to begin the season was wrong and firing pitching coach Charlie Hough hasn't turned around the pitching staff. GM Malone's maneuverability is nearly nil because of the long-term contracts he inherited.

CAPTION(S):

14 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color) The Dodgers signed Kevin Brown, pictured, to a $105 million contract and chartered flights for his family but are in last in the West.

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

(2--Color) Kevin Malone

(3) Eric Karros

AVG .294, 17 HR, 49 RBI

(4) Eric Young

AVG .268, SB 33, 43 Runs

(5) Mark Grudzielanek

AVG .300, 3 HR, 19 RBI

(6) Adrian Beltre

AVG .294, 83 hits, 41 runs

(7) Todd Hundley

AVG .229, 12 HR, RBI 30

(8) Gary Sheffield

AVG .296, 16 HR, 47 RBI

(9) Devon White

AVG .267, 7 HR, 36 RBI

(10) Raul Mondesi

AVG .253, 19 HR, 54 RBI

(11) Kevin Brown

Record: 9-6, ERA .353

(12) Pedro Borbon

ERA 1.64, IP 33.0

(13) Dave Hansen

AVG .306, OBA .457

(14) Davey Johnson