DODGERS UPDATE: NG FOCUSING ON MEETINGS.

Byline: Tony Jackson  Staff Writer

As she waited to learn whether she will become the first female general manager in major-league history - a wait that now looks like it will drag into next week - Dodgers assistant GM Kim Ng focused on business during the third day of the annual GMs meetings in Indian Wells on Wednesday.

That meant holding preliminary discussions with other clubs on possible trades that baseball's tampering rules prohibited her from discussing publicly and speaking with the agents for a handful of free-agent players she declined to identify publicly.

``Right now, we're looking for a run-producing bat,'' Ng said.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, owner Frank McCourt continued to look for a GM. And there are indications he might continue to look well into next week, all of which leads to the burning question of just how long the Dodgers can go without one. Former Cleveland and Texas GM John Hart still hasn't been brought in for a formal interview and still hasn't even promised McCourt he is willing to come for one.

Hart didn't return a message left on his cell phone by the Daily News. But he did tell the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram on Wednesday that he has had two telephone conversations with McCourt, that he hasn't committed to a face-to-face interview and that after 14 consecutive seasons as a major-league GM he might be ready to simply immerse himself in the less-pressure-packed consultant's role he stepped into with the Rangers when he resigned as the club's GM on Oct. 4.

The GMs meetings end Friday, the flurry of offseason player movements will begin any second now, and the winter meetings are less than four weeks away. And yet, the Dodgers don't appear close to naming a GM, and that doesn't even begin to address the managerial situation. It has been 5 1/2 weeks since Jim Tracy was effectively shown the door - and 4 1/2 weeks since Tracy was named manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates - and the Dodgers are nowhere near finding his replacement, a process that presumably won't resume until a GM is hired.

While ownership appears to be as wayward and dysfunctional as ever, what is left of the baseball operations staff did manage this week to sign three minor-league free agents - all of whom were in the organization in 2005. Outfielders Tydus Meadows and Jon Weber, both of whom spent the season at Double-A Jacksonville, re-signed and were invited to big-league spring training. Catcher Edwin Bellorin, who spent the season at Single-A Vero Beach after playing the previous year at Jacksonville, signed but was not invited to big- league camp.

Tony Jackson,[phone]

tony.jackson(at)dailynews.com