ANALYSIS: DODGERS' OFFSEASON SILENCE IS PUZZLING EVANS CALM AS BIG NAMES PASS HIM BY.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

So far this offseason, Dodgers general manager Dan Evans has been the proverbial beauty pageant runner-up. Evans has targeted big-name players in an attempt to boost the Dodgers' moribund offense, only to narrowly miss out.

Arizona pulled in Richie Sexson, the Chicago Cubs grabbed Derrek Lee, Montreal got Nick Johnson and the New York Mets imported Kazuo Matsui. Even the neighboring Angels, bolstered by an excited new owner, surprisingly ballooned their payroll for Bartolo Colon and Kelvim Escobar.

How about up the freeway? In the month since the unofficial offseason moving-and-shaking period commenced with the general managers' meetings, the Dodgers have re-signed reliever Tom Martin and backup infielder Robin Ventura, not exactly fire-up-the-fans-type stuff.

But it's only mid-December, which leaves Evans plenty of time to make an impact move. What happens this week in New Orleans at baseball's winter meetings, which begin Friday, could go a long way in determining Evans' success. The Dodgers' obvious holes are at first base and left field, but Evans has said he won't limit his options only to those positions. The Dodgers also need an offensive upgrade at one of the middle-infield spots, and shortstop Cesar Izturis' ability to play second base will increase Evans' options.

Everyone in baseball knows the Dodgers need a first baseman and a left fielder, but they wouldn't pass up a sensible trade that would allow them to put Nomar Garciaparra in the middle of their lineup.

``Sensible'' is the operative word, however, in many of the Dodgers' potential moves. Evans takes great pride in the way he has helped rebuild the farm system and even though almost every team that calls Evans inquires about pitchers Edwin Jackson and Greg Miller, they are close to untouchable.

Evans wouldn't go for a quick fix in July, and won't now. He probably could have had Sexson, but the Milwaukee Brewers wanted top outfield prospect Franklin Gutierrez included in the package. Evans wouldn't budge, and Sexson went to the Diamondbacks instead.

The same problem could befall Evans in a possible quest for Garciaparra.

Still, Evans will be a very interested observer in the showdown between the Boston Red Sox and the Texas Rangers. The two teams are expected to make a decision by the end of the winter meetings as to what will happen with high-priced shortstop Alex Rodriguez.

Boston wants Rodriguez, for the right price, and if they land him, they almost certainly will trade Garciaparra, who would strongly prefer to play close to his hometown of Whittier.

That would leave the Dodgers and Angels as obvious suitors. The Dodgers have their ever-present trade bait in pitcher Odalis Perez, and with the right package might even substitute Kevin Brown. But in an odd twist, the Dodgers' pitching depth might now be surpassed by that of the Angels. The Angels can now offer Jarrod Washburn, who, like Perez, is a relatively young left-hander who has shown flashes of brilliance. But Washburn, unlike Perez, has helped lead a team to the World Series.

But Garciaparra wouldn't answer all of Evans' problems. Though the pitching staff is set, especially if the Dodgers can re-sign 2003 surprise Wilson Alvarez to a short-term contract, two major holes remain.

The pool of first-base candidates was shallow to begin with, and with Johnson, Lee and Sexson having already found new homes, the three most attractive choices are off the board. Unless Evans is able to make a blockbuster move, he likely will have to choose from a list topped by Rafael Palmeiro and Randall Simon.

But a trade for Simon would be complicated by the Cubs' probable desire to include shortstop Alex Gonzalez, and the Angels are also interested in Palmeiro. That could lead the Dodgers to Scott Spiezio, whom the Angels let walk this offseason and whom the New York Yankees are eyeing Spiezio as a backup to Jason Giambi.

Got all that?

A Perez-to-Chicago deal for White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko - remember him? - is at the ready, but considered a backup plan at best. An even longer shot would be moving right fielder Shawn Green to first base.

Then there's the outfield situation. Vladimir Guerrero's representatives are scheduled to meet with management of the Baltimore Orioles - so far the only team with the combination of interest and money to get Guerrero's attention.

Unless the Dodgers move Brown, create significant payroll space and make a surprise push, the only way Guerrero will come to Dodger Stadium is for an interleague series.

The Dodgers have tried to put together a package for St. Louis' Jim Edmonds, but he will make $9 million next season and has three years remaining on a massive contract.

An intriguing move the Dodgers have discussed would send Paul Lo Duca, an All-Star and popular team icon, to Oakland for A's outfielder Jermaine Dye. But that would leave Todd Hundley and untested David Ross at catcher, unless the Dodgers made a move for Ivan Rodriguez.

Phew!

It'll be easier to find a corner outfielder than a first baseman, at least this winter. A number of established hitters are still available on the free-agent market, including Jose Guillen, Reggie Sanders and Rondell White.

But after watching the world pass him by the past month, Evans might not want to wait long.

Rich Hammond, [phone]

rich.hammond(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, 3 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) 5 DOWN - NOMAR

AP

(2 -- color) 12 ACROSS - EVANS

(3 -- color) 24 ACROSS - LODUCA

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) no caption (Dodgers' puzzle)

(2) ACROSS

(3) DOWN