BASEBALL NOTEBOOK: FIRST PHASE OF TALKS COMPLETE.

Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services

The Dodgers concluded the first round of interviews for their vacant managerial spot as they met with Yankees coaches Chris Chambliss and Willie Randolph in New York before Game 5 of the World Series.

From the candidate pool, 10 of whom are known, Dodgers general manager Kevin Malone, president and COO Bob Graziano and managing partner, CEO and chairman Bob Daly will pare the list and begin a second round of interviews shortly. The club could possibly name a manager within a week.

As has been the case since the beginning of the process, the Dodgers continue to lean toward an in-house candidate. And from the first round of interviews, bench coach Jim Tracy and hitting coach Rick Down remain the favorites, sources said.

The same sources also said Down is Malone's choice. However, Daly will make the final decision and sources indicated the Dodgers aren't convinced in Down's ability to handle crisis situations, which have become regular occurrences at Chavez Ravine over the past three years.

The Dodgers have requested each of the candidates interviewed speak as little as possible about the situation, and Down has obliged.

Down had previously been the general manager's choice, yet he didn't get the job. Anaheim general manager Bill Bavasi wanted Down a few years ago, but higher-ups opted for Terry Collins.

When the Dodgers had their last managerial search, Malone wanted Kevin Kennedy but was overruled in favor of Davey Johnson.

Tracy, as well as Down, is expected to be brought back for a second interview. The Dodgers may bring back one or two other candidates. Tracy impressed Dodgers officials with his handling of the team during a four-game stretch in July when Johnson was hospitalized.

The Dodgers entered the interview process intrigued by Randolph, who said his two-hour meeting with the Dodgers was encouraging. It was his third interview in three days. The Yankees' third base coach also met with Cincinnati and Philadelphia.

``I always feel it goes well,'' Randolph said. ``I always feel like I am in my element, talking to people about baseball. I'm being patient. My focus has always been (with the Yankees) anyway.''

Chambliss' previous interviews were categorized as blase and robotic, but he said he was ``relaxed'' in his meeting with Daly, Malone and Graziano.

``I've wanted to manage for a long time,'' said Chambliss, the Yankees hitting instructor. ``But I'm happy with what I'm doing now, too.''

Also interviewed by the Dodgers were the club's third base coach Glenn Hoffman, bullpen coach Rick Dempsey and coach Manny Mota, Texas coach Bucky Dent, Baltimore coach Eddie Murray and Arizona coach Carlos Tosca.

- Brian Dohn

--Forced in, out: Ken Caminiti, the former NL MVP who left the Houston Astros to enter a substance-abuse clinic, accused the team of trying to force him to make a comeback while he was injured.

Caminiti said he met with general manager Gerry Hunsicker and Astros officials the before he left the team Sept. 6.

``They questioned my integrity,'' Caminiti said. ``They questioned if I was trying to really make a comeback.''

The Astros declined to exercise the option on Caminiti's contract for next season that would have paid him $5.5 million. Hunsicker denied any move to force Caminiti, sidelined since June 16 following surgery to his right wrist, back into the lineup. But he never made it back and confessed Wednesday night that he'd had a relapse with alcohol abuse.