LASORDA LOOKS LIKE THE REAL DEAL; MOVES STRENGTHENED DODGERS.

Byline: MATT McHALE Baseball

The long day was nearly over and Tom Lasorda was heading to Little Italy when the car phone rang one last time.

It was the New York Yankees, who for some reason were thinking about Antonio Osuna at 11:30 at night. They were offering infielder Homer Bush, but Lasorda wasn't interested. He already had done what he set out to do upon taking over for Fred Claire as Dodgers general manager almost six weeks ago.

By acquiring left-hander Carlos Perez and infielder Mark Grudzielanek on Friday night, Lasorda also proved what many critics thought he could never do. That he was the right man to be GM.

He has been unconventional. From the behind-the-scenes posturing with Fox to the firing of some longtime and loyal coaches, Lasorda did the one thing his predecessor Fred Claire could not: breathe life into a team that just couldn't seem to get out of bed.

No one worked harder than Claire, but he never created a team you wanted to root for. Last winter his hands were tied on many decisions by Peter O'Malley, who was selling the team to Fox. But Claire could only bring the team so far.

The Dodgers needed something new. Gulp. They needed their old manager back.

Most of the Dodgers players aren't exactly sure what manager Glenn Hoffman is doing here. They figure Lasorda does everything from filling out the lineup card to making pitching changes in the eighth inning.

But they don't care. There still are no true leaders on this team, so they are happy to let Lasorda do that, too.

During his final years as manager, Lasorda appeared tired and his players did not respond. But the bulldog he displayed for most of those 20 years has returned as general manager.

For a guy who didn't have a telephone answering machine in his home until last year, he looked pretty natural handling a cell phone.

The Perez-Grudzielanek deal appeared dead at 2 p.m. Friday, but Lasorda stayed on it, shuffling prospects, insisting that Wilton Guerrero be part of the deal.

``We called them or they called us maybe 25 times (Friday),'' he said. ``We needed this deal for now and for the future.''

It is uncertain whether Lasorda will be the GM beyond this year. Much depends on the showing the Dodgers make in the next two months. Baltimore's Pat Gillick probably will be available. He's an L.A. guy with two World Series titles in Toronto.

But for this summer, Lasorda did the job.

NO DEAL FOR IRABU

One of the most intriguing sights Friday night was the Yankees' Hideki Irabu pitching in Seattle against the Mariners.

Irabu was part of the Yankees package in return for Randy Johnson, except for one small point. When the Yankees acquired the rights to Irabu last season from San Diego, he came with a no-trade clause.

That was forgotten until early Friday. No one in the Yankees organization wanted to tamper with their record season except owner George Steinbrenner. He actually didn't want Johnson as much as he wanted Johnson not to go to the Cleveland Indians.

But the Yankees people convinced Steinbrenner to keep the team intact, and when the Mariners proposed promising right-hander Ramiro Mendoza, it was easier to say no.

Irabu pitched seven innings Friday, allowing five hits and three runs to raise his record to 10-4. After leading the American League in ERA much of the first half, he is up to a still-impressive 3.23, but many in the organization think he will never be the dominant pitcher they thought they got from the Padres.

``I saw my name mentioned a lot,'' Irabu said after Friday's victory gave the Yankees a 76-27 record. ``I know it was a complex situation, but in any situation I try to do my best. This is a strong team and I wanted to be part of this team.''

The Yankees were pleased Johnson was traded to Houston and out of the American League. They offered the Mariners prospects Ricky Ledee and Mike Lowell. Cleveland was offering outfielder Brian Giles, right-hander Dave Burba, infielder Enrique Wilson and a minor-leaguer.

Seattle wanted Mendoza and was willing to throw in reliever Mike Timlin. When the deal fell through, Yankees GM Brian Cashman got on the car phone with Lasorda to try and get Osuna.

Houston gave up infielder Carlos Guillen and pitching prospect Freddy Garcia.

``If we have to face Randy now, it will be in the World Series,'' Yankees manager Joe Torre said. ``That's a good sign for me. I'll take my chances.''

LIGHTENBERG TO CLOSE

With Mark Wohlers unable to throw strikes, the Atlanta Braves appeared certain to pick up some relief help at the deadline. Instead, they will go with Kerry Lightenberg, who has 14 saves, as their closer.

It was a difficult week for Lightenberg, who kept hearing on the clubhouse television that the Braves won't get to the World Series with him in that role.

``I'm not necessarily irritated, but I don't want to hear ESPN cutting me down,'' he said. ``I feel I've been doing a good enough job. The biggest thing is the inexperience. Everybody feels the Braves need to get a proven closer or a proven lefty for playoff time. Hopefully, I can prove everybody wrong if I'm given the chance.

``But I don't think it matters what happens between now and the end of the season. If I don't blow a save between now and October, I don't think it will matter.''

Lightenberg has built a solid case to remain the closer. He's blown two saves in 16 opportunities, has a 3.26 ERA and has limited opposing hitters to a .206 batting average. If it weren't for his relative lack of experience, there wouldn't be any question who will be the October closer.

The second-year reliever started to answer the experience question in two scoreless appearances against the Marlins in the National League Championship Series last October and says he enjoys pressure situations.

``It's easy for me to say now that October won't be any different, but every game matters in the postseason,'' he said. ``I don't get rattled. I think I'll be more focused at playoff time. I'm just kind of proving my case that I can get the job done. But if they think they have to go out to get more experience, that's fine.''

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Friday also was the one-year anniversary of the big trade between the Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants. The White Sox were ripped for giving up front-line pitchers Wilson Alvarez and Roberto Hernandez for six minor-leaguers when they were still very much in the AL Central race.

Well, history has been kind to Chicago. Alvarez and Hernandez became free agents and moved on. And the kids the White Sox got in return have made a difference.

Three of those six (Mike Caruso, Keith Foulke and Bob Howry) are on the Sox team now. Another, right-hander Lorenzo Barcelo, is on the 40-man roster, and left-hander Ken Vining is likely to be added to the roster next winter.

Barcelo and Caruso were considered the big pickups.

``I thought I'd never trade Barcelo or Caruso,'' said Giants GM Brian Sabean, who won the West. ``They were on the untouchable list. But given our situation and what our team needed, we had to bite the bullet. That's the thrill of it: We addressed what we needed to do, and they addressed what they needed to do.''

While Caruso has been hitting over .300 as the White Sox shortstop, Barcelo has pitched very little this year. He reached Double-A at age 19 last year but had arthroscopic surgery on his elbow in spring training and only recently began to pitch in the Arizona League.

But the future is bright. ``His stuff is filthy, hard, nasty,'' said Oakland catcher A.J. Hinch, who has faced him in the minors. ``It's like he places the ball in the strike zone; you could almost shake hands with him.''

Caruso jumped to the big leagues from Single A last year. He has had the low points that mark most rookie seasons, committing 23 errors and drawing only five walks thus far.

``By the time he's 24, I think we'll forget about his rookie season,'' said White Sox scouting director Duane Shaffer. ``He'll learn the hitters and he'll know when to throw the ball hard and when to finesse it. When Robin (Ventura) started, he kicked a lot of balls.'' Ventura committed 25 errors as a rookie.

Hernandez went on to sign with expansion Tampa Bay, a curious move since he didn't expect to get many save opportunities this year. Instead, Hernandez has been the one struggling, blowing his seventh save chance last week.

The Devil Rays went on to win, but Hernandez's mechanics are very flawed right now, leaning too far forward on the rubber in his throwing motion. It also happened earlier this season.

``I think it's similar to what he was doing before,'' manager Larry Rothschild said. ``But from time to time, closers are going to go through it. You just don't want to see it three or four times in a season,'' Rothschild said.

STILL DEALING

Controversial closer Jose Mesa threw a scoreless inning the day he joined the Giants last week from Cleveland. Mesa then struck out the side in the 10th inning the next day, getting a win on Jeff Kent's leadoff homer in the bottom half.

Strangely, he was the closer after Robb Nen pitched the previous two innings. ``I was surprised,'' Mesa said. ``Nen is the man here. But he (Baker) needed Nen to pitch two innings, and it worked out pretty good.''

Mesa, who struggled last year in Cleveland after facing a charge of sexual assault, was happy to hear cheers instead of the customary jeers he encountered at Jacobs Field. ``It was good, but the fans didn't bother me in Cleveland - the way I was pitching bothered me,'' he said.

Orel Hershiser, a former Cleveland teammate who gave Mesa a strong recommendation, added: ``Robb is the man in San Francisco, and Jose knows it. But it's outstanding to have a man of that quality backing up a man of that quality.''

EXTRA INNINGS By Matt McHale

TOP OF THE ORDER

Houston is leading the NL Central, but got Randy Johnson because it has a chance to go deep in the playoffs. It also has a problem with left-hander Mike Hampton. Seven weeks ago he was 7-2 with a 2.45 earned run average. He has won only one of his last five decisions. Since the All-Star break, he's posted a 7.13 ERA. He's given up seven homers in his last 24 innings after giving up only five in his first 107-1/3 innings.

ROTO WATCH

Toronto was the big dealer on Friday, sending right-hander Juan Guzman to the San Francisco Giants, third baseman Ed Sprague to the Oakland A's and Tony Phillips to the New York Mets. Before getting Randy Johnson, the Astros were talking to the Blue Jays about native son Roger Clemens, but Toronto said no.

STAT WATCH

First baseman Eric Karros pointed out before Saturday's game that Houston's acquisition of Johnson could help the Dodgers as much as the Astros. The Astros do not play the Dodgers anymore this season, but they still have three series remaining with the wild-card leading Chicago Cubs, including the season-ending series at Houston. They also play the Mets one more time.

THE BUZZ

Cal Ripken finally consented to take a day off this week, but he didn't break the streak by sitting out Monday's Hall of Fame Game vs. Toronto. The rare intraleague in-season exhibition game didn't count in the standings, so Ripken stood outside signing autographs while his teammates warmed up. The only everyday players to stay in the game for more than an inning were Mike Bordick, Jeff Reboulet and Chris Hoiles. The Orioles won 7-1.

QUOTABLE 

``It's hard for me to sit on the bench and watch the games. I get so bored. I'm not really a baseball fan. I like to play the games.''

Arizona first baseman Travis Lee, who went on the DL this week

- Matt McHale

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, Box

PHOTO (1) Randy Johnson

(2) Cal Ripken

BOX: EXTRA INNINGS By Matt McHale (see text)