DODGERS NOTEBOOK: TRACY, DOWN LAST TWO.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

The Dodgers as of Monday have trimmed their managerial search to a pair of candidates - bench coach Jim Tracy and hitting coach Rick Down. When that process is concluded, another will begin as the minor-league department continued its restructuring with the resignation of assistant general manager Bill Geivett.

After going through the first round of interviews to find Davey Johnson's replacement, the Dodgers find themselves with a pair of in-house candidates, sources said. It's exactly what many people thought when Johnson was fired Oct. 6.

Down and Tracy were members of Johnson's staff both years he was in Los Angeles. Several key players told Dodgers management they would like Down to be the manager, but those players also stated they would also welcome Tracy.

Neither Tracy nor Down has managing experience at the major-league level; both were managers in the minors.

Down, 49, went 371-273 in six years as a minor-league manager. He won three straight division titles for the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate in Columbus, Ohio.

Tracy, 44, was 501-486 in seven years and was named the Eastern League manager of the year after leading Double-A Harrisburg, Pa., to 94-44 mark. He managed the Harrisburg Senators, an affiliate of the Montreal Expos, when Dodgers general manager Kevin Malone held the same position in Montreal.

The Dodgers are not commenting on the search process.

Once that spot is filled, likely by the end of the week, the organization will turn its attention to replacing Geivett. He left to pursue other options.

``I'd like to get more in a situation where I'm out in the field and able to do things - watching games and be involved with players a little more,'' Geivett said. ``I'd like to spend less time in the office and more time out watching games.''

Geivett, who spent two years with the Dodgers, oversaw their minor-league system in 1999. He worked in scouting, development and was involved in player-personnel decisions at the major-league level during the 2000 season.

There were some officials within the organization who privately voiced their displeasure with Geivett, who reportedly had a poor relationship with Ed Creech, an assistant to the general manager who oversees amateur scouting. Though no one said Geivett was forced out, sources said he saw the writing on the wall that his time with the Dodgers was limited.

``The relationship between he and I is still very amicable, still very strong,'' Malone said.

Minor-league pitching coordinator Jim Benedict was fired earlier this month. The Dodgers are expected to seek permission from the Mets to speak with pitching coach Dave Wallace about replacing Benedict.