PRESENCE NO LONGER PRESENT DODGERS DUMP MARTINEZ; GAGNE TO BE FIFTH STARTER.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

VERO BEACH, Fla. - Ramon Martinez, hailed by the Dodgers as a tremendous clubhouse presence and needed veteran, was released Wednesday as the club broke spring training.

Martinez, who had returned to the team after two seasons with Boston, appeared to have been the leading candidate to become the team's fifth starting pitcher. Instead, that job will go to right-hander Eric Gagne, the team announced.

Also, if that wasn't dramatic enough, ailing right-hander Kevin Brown, hampered by a strained right Achilles tendon, is probably headed for the 15-day disabled list and won't pitch opening day.

Chan Ho Park will start in Brown's place, his first opening-day start. Gagne will start Tuesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks (and Randy Johnson) followed by Darren Dreifort and Andy Ashby.

``I said (Tuesday) the spring has been eventful for me as a first-year manager and this morning was probably the toughest thing I've ever had to do in letting Ramon Martinez go,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. ``I hope that I have a long career as a manager and I don't know if another situation will come up that's as tough as the one this morning. Eric Gagne has pitched his way onto this club.''

Said Dodgers general manager Kevin Malone: ``We brought Ramon in for insurance in case something happened or Eric or (Luke) Prokopec weren't ready. We thing Eric is ready, and Luke's awfully close.''

A decision on Brown's status probably won't come until Sunday morning, Malone said. However, he definitely won't be ready to pitch Monday against the Milwaukee Brewers. If team doctors decide he can pitch later in the week, he'll do so Friday.

If Brown is placed on the DL, he'd be eligible to pitch April 8. Prokopec would be recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas to join the rotation in Brown's absence, Malone said.

``They have the best interest of the team that they have to look out for, and I think they want to make sure they don't take any risks of me getting injured and prolonging this problem,'' said Brown, who's started the last two opening days for the Dodgers. ``I'd like to be out there, but you can't argue with their logic.

``I'm OK to throw. I could be out there for opening day. I'd have to monitor myself as far as my activities for baserunning and going after bunts, stuff like that. That, I think, is what scares them, that during the heat of competition, you'd do something beyond what you can handle.''

Brown, who was bothered by a sore Achilles all spring, reaggravated the injury last Friday against the Mets while backing up a base. He threw off the mound Wednesday but had difficulty fielding his position and running. He will have an MRI Friday in Los Angeles, which should determine the extent of the injury.

The likelihood that Brown will be placed on the DL is the latest example of what has become a spring of Dodgers double-talk.

Consider:

--The team said for a month that Adrian Beltre would be ready for opening day, but he'll miss at least a month of the season after abdominal surgery.

--Shawn Green was listed as day to day with a sprained thumb but missed nearly three weeks.

--The organization said lefty Carlos Perez accepted his rehab assignment the day before the pitcher lambasted the organization.

--And Malone said a few days ago he expected Brown to make the opening-day start.

Of course, Gagne has no complaints at the moment. Last season, the 25- year-old lost out on the fifth spot after an atrocious spring. This spring, Malone said he earned the job by his performance. Martinez was 0-3 with a 5.82 ERA while Gagne was 1-2 with a 3.38 ERA.

The Dodgers need a fifth starter eight times in the first two months, which weighed heavily in the decision. Malone said there were questions as to whether Martinez could pitch in relief when skipped in the rotation. He said Gagne wouldn't have any problems with that.

``I'm happy, but Ramon's the greatest guy,'' said Gagne, who's 5-7 with a 4.45 ERA in 25 career major-league games. ``He talked to me all spring and he was great. He talked to me all the time and he encouraged me. I (feel bad), especially for the fans. He's the greatest guy. He's a class act. Every time I was pitching, he came up and talked to me. He helped me with my curve ball.''

The decision to go with Gagne also has financial ramifications. Martinez signed a one-year free-agent contract in the offseason that guaranteed him $400,000. If he was on the roster as of 2 p.m. Wednesday, the Dodgers would have had to pay a $1.1 million bonus. Gagne's salary is $230,000 this season.

Malone said the Dodgers tried to work a trade for Martinez, but any signed free agent must approve a trade before June 15. Malone added Martinez was unwilling to do that.

``This is hard because we love Ramon,'' Malone said. ``He's a hard worker. He's part of the Dodger history here, but we felt Eric had won it. Eric has proven that it is now his time.... A lot of people felt Ramon was more of a gamble than Eric.''

It's also the second ugly split between the Dodgers and Martinez.

From the moment Martinez signed Jan. 18, members of the organization recognized his impact on younger players in the clubhouse and how important it was to return to Dodgers history. Martinez, a 20-game winner for the Dodgers in 1990, was 123-77 with a 3.45 ERA in his Dodgers career.

Martinez had shoulder surgery in 1998, then left the organization the following spring because the Dodgers didn't want to guarantee him a large contract. He pitched for Boston in 1999 and 2000 but decided to return mostly because of his fondness for Dave Wallace, the Dodgers' assistant to the general manager, and physical therapist Pat Screnar.

Martinez left Dodgertown without speaking to reporters. But even after allowing six runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings Tuesday, Martinez said he thought he earned the fifth spot.

``I never wanted him to (go back to the Dodgers),'' said Ramon's brother, Pedro, the ace of Boston's staff. ``If he followed my advice, he wouldn't have had to go through this. But it was his choice. I make my decisions and he makes his. Ramon has been in baseball longer than me.

``I'll tell you, he can play on my team any day. He's my brother, yes, but if I had a team, he'd be my starting pitcher, regardless of how bad he does.''

MARTINEZ vs. GAGNE

The Dodgers released Ramon Martinez, 33, and named Eric Gagne, 25, their fifth starter Wednesday. Their won-loss records and ERAs this spring, last year (Martinez played for Boston) and career:

Martinez

W-L ERA

Spring 0-3 5.82

2000 10-8 6.13

Career 135-85 3.62

Gagne

W-LERA

Spring 1-2 3.38

2000 4-6 5.15

Career 5-7 4.45

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo: (color) The Dodgers praised Ramon Martinez to the skies but felt the less-expensive Eric Gagne had earned the job as fifth starter. Martinez was released Wednesday.

Ron Frehm/Associated Press

Box: MARTINEZ vs. GAGNE (see text)