DODGERS UPDATE: DODGERS ADD ACTA TO MANAGERIAL SEARCH LIST.

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Staff Writer

The Dodgers' list of candidates for their vacant managerial job continues to grow.

On the day they interviewed Tampa Bay bench coach John McLaren, they also requested and got permission to interview former Boston manager Grady Little and New York Mets third-base coach Manny Acta.

Little and Acta are expected to interview with Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti some time this week.

Colletti and a contingent of high-ranking Dodgers officials met with McLaren on Monday. McLaren termed the interview informative and productive and returned to Arizona hopeful that he'll be the Dodgers' next manager.

``I came away really impressed with (Colletti). He was real easy to talk to, very honest and straightforward, and I feel like we'd be on the same page as far as the direction of the organization,'' McLaren said.

Prior to the interview, McLaren consulted with a number of friends in baseball about the Dodgers' situation, and came away impressed not just with the big-league club, but also their minor-league system.

Nothing from the interview Monday changed that feeling.

``Not only do I think they've got some nice pieces at the big-league level, when you start looking at their farm system, they're 10-deep at a lot of spots, and there aren't many organizations that can say that,'' McLaren said. ``Whoever gets the job will have a lot to work with at all levels. It's an exciting opportunity.''

In addition to interviewing McLaren, Colletti has also interviewed Atlanta special assistant Jim Fregosi, who has managed four teams over a 14-year managing career.

Little guided the Red Sox to the seventh game of the 2003 ALCS, where they fell to the Yankees.

Acta, who spent last season under Willie Randolph as the Mets' third-base coach, was selected two weeks ago to manage the Dominican Republic's team for next year's inaugural World Baseball Classic. Prior to joining the Mets, Acta spent three seasons as Montreal's third-base and infield coach and served as a Spanish-English translator for the Montreal front office, coaching staff, Expos' players and members of the media.

In 2003, he managed the Licey Tigres to the regular-season championship in the Dominican Winter League.

In addition to conducting his managerial search, Colletti is also pursing potential trades and free-agent signings. He's been in contact with the agent of free-agent outfielder Brian Giles, who was with the Padres last season, and has talked with Tampa Bay about outfielder Joey Gathright, one of the fastest players in the major leagues.

Vincent Bonsignore, [phone]

vincent.bonsignore(at)dailynews.com