DODGERS NOTEBOOK: NO OFFSEASON WHEN IT COMES TO PITCHING.

Byline: Tony Jackson  Staff Writer

Even as the Dodgers trudged through the playoffs with a gerryrigged pitching staff, a plan was already in place to make sure they begin 2005 with a more stable and reliable starting rotation.

The job of upgrading it will fall to general manager Paul DePodesta this winter. The job of improving what already is in place will fall to pitching coach Jim Colborn, and the task doesn't begin when the club reports to spring training in February.

The task begins now.

``With each guy, I give them a general plan (for the offseason),'' Colborn said. ``The guys that play winter ball, they generally want my input on what their roles should be. If there's a pitch or an element to their delivery that needs (attention), I usually try to emphasize that. All of them should go out of here with an idea of what my opinion is. Then, during the winter, I keep tabs on them in different ways.''

The Dodgers should be able to count on a healthy Brad Penny when camp opens. He'll be joined in the rotation by Jeff Weaver.

Kazuhisa Ishii, despite his season-long inconsistency, is a good bet to be there, too. He's signed for next year at $3.2 million, which is too much to begin the season as a long reliever.

Odalis Perez and Jose Lima are free agents. Lima probably will be re- signed, but Perez will be considerably more expensive. Meanwhile, DePodesta will pursue at least one established starter - and possibly two or three -through trades or free agency, meaning there might not be a spot left for right-hander Edwin Jackson.

--No recruiting: Arizona left fielder Luis Gonzalez, a member of the ESPN Radio crew for the National League Division Series, said he has spoken with Dodgers center fielder Steve Finley, his teammate in both Houston and Arizona, during the series.

But Gonzalez denies having raised the issue of Finley, a free agent after the season, possibly returning to the Diamondbacks.

``I'm trying to stay away from it for now,'' Gonzalez said. ``I'm sure that after everything is over, I will try to persuade him to come back to Arizona.''

Finley has gone to great lengths to insist he is open to re-signing with the Dodgers, but it isn't clear whether they can afford him, especially if they come to terms with free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre.

Finley will turn 40 during spring training, so club management might be reluctant to give him more than a one-year deal, even though he hit 13 homers and drove in 46 runs in just 224 at-bats after the Dodgers acquired him from the Diamondbacks on July 31, and his grand slam clinched the NL West title.

For his part, Gonzalez believes the old man still has some good years ahead of him.

``I would love to have him back in Arizona,'' Gonzalez said. ``(But) I'm so happy for him. He has come to L.A. and made an immediate impact. He's having fun. This is what you play for.''

--No promises: The fate of longtime Dodgers radio broadcasters Ross Porter and Rick Monday, whose contracts are up, remains undecided. Dodgers marketing chief Lon Rosen said Saturday that no decision will be made until after the season, but that even then, club officials will be in no hurry.

``I know it's a difficult situation,'' Rosen said. ``We talked to both broadcasters up front, and they have been great about it. It takes some time to make that decision.''

Rosen did say the Dodgers will add an analyst to the radio booth, and that person will be chosen from a group of six - Ron Cey, Eric Davis, Tommy Davis, Al Downing, Steve Garvey and Eric Karros - who were brought in as guest analysts late in the season.

``We might even use two guys (alternately),'' Rosen said.