DODGERS SEASON REVIEW: FULL OFFSEASON PLATE FOR DODGERS NEW GM EVANS GETS FIRST TEST IN DEALING WITH ROSTER DEFICIENCIES, PAYROLL.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

SAN FRANCISCO - Dan Evans has less than one week of experience as a general manager, yet the Dodgers' mess he must sort out would be a gargantuan undertaking for the most seasoned baseball executives.

The Dodgers finished 86-76, the same mark as last season, six games back and in third place in the National League West, but, oh, is that deceiving. The Dodgers' strong starting pitching masked a bundle of deficiencies that need to be addressed.

The Dodgers' offseason begins today, and before the start of the 2002 year Evans must:

--Decide whether to keep Gary Sheffield, one of baseball's top run producers, who reached 100 RBI Sunday, his third straight year of reaching that milestone.

--Sign at least two starting pitchers from the pool of Chan Ho Park, Terry Adams and James Baldwin.

--Add a leadoff hitter, who should also be a center fielder.

--Fill out the front-office and scouting positions.

--Decide who will close games, and remake an awful bullpen.

--Upgrade the shortstop position.

--Provide manager Jim Tracy with a usable bench.

Immovable contracts and an immature minor-league system add to the Dodgers' woes.

Evans has about $30 million with which to work. The Dodgers have $81.8 million committed to 13 players next season, and chairman Bob Daly doesn't want the payroll to exceed $115 million, which the Dodgers spent this season.

Already, Tracy and senior vice president/baseball operations Dave Wallace, who spent four months as the interim general manager, said it's implausible to make all the necessary changes in one offseason.

``This is the time of year to brainstorm and you get the easel out and try to figure out what you'd like to do and what you can do in the offseason,'' Evans said. ``Clearly, if you have a list of things to do with a list of options, you start to see what you believe you can do and what you probably can't do right now. People that go in with one thought in mind, or two thoughts in mind, usually have problems late in the offseason. I like be real proactive once we decide what we want to do.''

So the question becomes, what to do with Sheffield, who wants to remain in Los Angeles.

Do the Dodgers trade the six-time All-Star, who is the centerpiece of the lineup and a big reason Shawn Green (49 homers, 125 RBI) had a huge season, to dump other contracts and create a modicum of flexibility? And if Evans and Daly take that route, how do you convince Kevin Brown, or the fans, you are trying to win in 2002?

``He's got quite a bit of work ahead,'' Dodgers second baseman Mark Grudzielanek said. ``I'd be really surprised if we don't try to go after it and win. That's what I'm over here for and I'm sure a lot of the players would be upset and then we'll have problems. But we have to wait and see.''

Among the Dodgers with perceived immovable contracts unless the organization absorbs a considerable sum:

--Eric Karros, coming off his worst season as a major-leaguer with two years, $14.5 million remaining and a no-trade clause through 2002.

--Center fielder Tom Goodwin, a leadoff hitter with a .286 on-base percentage, owed $3.25 million in 2002.

--Outfielder Marquis Grissom, batting .190 since June 1, is owed $6 million between deferred money and his 2002 salary.

--Right-handers Darren Dreifort and Andy Ashby. Dreifort is owed $48 million over the next four years, has a no-trade clause and might miss 2002 because of the second ``Tommy John'' surgery of his career. Ashby is owed $15.5 million the next two years and has a limited no-trade clause.

``Obviously, the offseason is going to be an interesting offseason for this organization in light of the fact that we have some pitchers that are going to be able to test the free-agent market,'' Karros said. ``We've got people coming off injuries, so it's something no matter who the general manager was going to be they were going to have a lot of things to address.''

Indeed, there are problems, problems and more problems for the inexperienced Evans. He'll put together a staff of advisers with a plethora of experience, but he needs to make quick, concise and correct decisions.

It begins with pitching and Park, whose bitter last two months with the club make it appear more likely it will be his last two months as a Dodger.

The Dodgers questioned Park's toughness, and though he led the staff in wins (15), losses (11), innings pitched (234), strikeouts (218) and games started (35), he went 4-2 with a 5.15 ERA in his last 10 outings.

With a free-agent market thin in starting pitching, the Dodgers instead are looking to re-sign Baldwin and Adams but won't rule out Park. Baldwin could get done in a matter of weeks, but Adams is likely to take advantage of newfound value after moving from middle reliever to reliable starter. After going 12-8 with a 4.33 ERA, Adams will get a huge contract. He is 37-43 with a 4.04 ERA and has pitched 581 innings. By comparison, Darren Dreifort received $55 million when he entered the free-agent market 39-45 with a 4.28 ERA in 667 career innings.

But with starting pitching comes questions. Right-handers Ashby and Brown are coming off surgery to their pitching elbows. Both are expected to be ready for the season, but the Dodgers acknowledge they must have contingency plans in the event one or both experience setbacks.

Are Eric Gagne and Luke Prokopec, who combined for 46 starts and went 14-14 with a 4.82 ERA this season, ready to make that kind of contribution if needed?

``I've got to believe (the injuries) had a negative impact on the team,'' Brown said. ``It's hard to believe you could lose that much of your starting rotation without having some type of negative impact. Trying to quantify that, does it mean one game or 20 games? That's kind of hard to do, but I feel pretty sure it had some kind of negative impact.

``But from that standpoint, the positive outlook is they should all be back healthy next year. Dreifort should be ready at some point late next year. (Gagne and Prokopec) had more experience this year. All those things should add up to be positives.''

Eight months ago, Grissom and Goodwin were going to be the center-field platoon that batted leadoff. Then they combined to hit .226 with a .280 on-base percentage. Both are under contract for 2002 and neither is attractive to other teams. Grissom is owed $4 million next season (another $1 million is deferred) and Goodwin makes $3.25 million.

The bullpen's ERA was 4.70, ahead of only Coors Field prisoner Colorado. Closer Jeff Shaw has a $7.05 million option and the Dodgers are leaning toward letting him go. But no in-house candidates appear ready to fill the role, though internally the Dodgers tossed around ideas of using Matt Herges and Giovanni Carrara to close by committee. Of course, those two closing for a $115 million team brings up other issues.

And what about Alex Cora at shortstop? Can a team win with its shortstop batting .217 and not driving in a run since Aug. 28.

This is what awaits Evans. Big decisions about big contracts in the second-biggest market in baseball.

The Dodgers remained in the playoff race until the last 10 days of the season, but that was also a product of a division in which no one could make the serious run and create distance.

In 2000, the Dodgers went 86-76, finished six games out of first place and faced terrible shortages on the field because of an overburdened payroll. In 2001, they went 86-76, finished 11 games back and faced shortages on the field because of an overburdened payroll.

An inexperienced general manager has the charge of sorting out this mess. His four months in which to do it begins now.

DODGERS' FUTURE

Here's a look at the contract status of each Dodger and the organization's likely moves regarding free agents and club options.

Player Pos. Status for '02 Comment

Terry Adams RH free agent Dodgers will try hard to

re-sign him

Andy Ashby RH $7.5 million Should be ready coming off

elbow surgery

Bruce Aven OF arb. eligible Will return as reserve outfielder

James Baldwin RH free agent Dodgers have already made

contact regarding contract

Adrian Beltre 3B $2.3 million Could go to arbitration if he

elects to

Hiram Bocachica INF  signed Little used in rookie year but

could make more impact in '02

Kevin Brown RH $15 million Expects to be ready after

Sept. elbow surgery

Giovanni Carrara RH signed Versatile bullpen man could be

used in trades

McKay Christensen CF signed Could challenge Aven for fifth

outfielder spot

Alex Cora SS signed Must improve offensively and remain steady on defense

Chris Donnels INF arb. eligible Disappointing season could

lead to release

Darren Dreifort RH $9 million Could miss season after

``Tommy John'' surgery

Eric Gagne RH signed Made 24 starts and should be

in '02 rotation

Tom Goodwin CF $3.25 million Dodgers will try to trade him

for anything

Shawn Green RF$12.75 million Well worth big contract after

career season

Marquis Grissom OF $5 million Should be fourth outfielder if all goes right

Mark Grudzielanek 2B $5 million Could be packaged in trade

Dave Hansen INF club option Subpar season but one of best

in a pinch

Matt Herges RH signed Valuable reliever, but is he

ready to close?

Eric Karros 1B $6.5 million Was it his back or is he in

decline?

Chad Kreuter C $1 million If Chan Ho Park is gone, might

not have a role

Paul Lo Duca  C signed Best bargain in baseball at

$230,000

Terry Mulholland LH $3 million Versatile swingman who could

be asset in bullpen or rotation

Jesse Orosco LH free agent Likely will have to look

elsewhere to extend career

Chan Ho Park RH free agent What's the price? Doesn't

matter cuz Dodgers likely won't shop hard

Luke Prokopec RH signed Tough and gritty but might bebetter suited for bullpen

Jeff Reboulet INF free agent Type of ballplayer club would

miss

Jeff Shaw RH option Both sides must agree to pick

up $7.05 million option, but

Shaw might retire

Gary Sheffield LF $9.5 million To trade him or not to trade

him? That is the question

Mike Trombley RH $2 million Lots of dough for a guy with

6.56 ERA

Jeff Williams LH signed Can Aussie be effective lefty throwing down under?

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Chan Ho Park, who will be a sought-after free agent, is the likely linchpin of the Dodgers' moves in the offseason.

Roy Dabner/Associated Press

Box: DODGER'S FUTURE (see text)