SHEFFIELD MIGHT BE ON HIS WAY TO OAKLAND? DODGERS NEAR DEAL TO ACQUIRE DYE, KOCH.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

In a potential franchise-rocking move, the Dodgers are near a deal to send six-time All-Star Gary Sheffield and pitcher Luke Prokopec to the Oakland Athletics for outfielder Jermaine Dye and closer Billy Koch, according to baseball sources.

The trade could be completed as early as today, but last-minute details could be deal-breakers, sources said.

Oakland general manager Billy Beane wants the Dodgers to absorb some of Sheffield's salary - he's owed $22 million over the next two seasons - and the Dodgers want to include reliever Mike Trombley in the deal. Trombley is owed $2 million in 2002.

Also, Beane is evaluating other trade possibilities, including one that would bring David Justice from the Mets to Oakland, sources said.

The trade would be the first major move of Dan Evans' tenure as Dodgers general manager, and moving Sheffield would mean the last link to the Mike Piazza trade is gone.

The flamboyant Sheffield, who has angered the Dodgers on many occasions because of his outspoken nature and alienated teammates when he demanded to be traded last spring, would be replaced by Dye in left field. Dye has a reputation of being even-tempered and a strong clubhouse influence. Koch, who was dealt to Oakland from Toronto for two minor-leaguers earlier in the day, fills the Dodgers' need for a closer.

``I'm always looking to improve the club by any means,'' Beane said. ``It's something I always do. You always look. But I can't talk about speculation.''

Negotiations stalled in the beginning with the Dodgers' reluctance to include Eric Gagne in any trade, sources said.

``I've worked through the day and into the night with a number of clubs and a number of agents,'' Evans said. ``There's a lot of things going on.''

Dye would be asked to fill an enormous offensive hole left by Sheffield. Though Sheffield is temperamental and created headaches for the Dodgers, he is the nucleus of a lineup with many holes.

Sheffield batted .311 with 36 homers and 100 RBI last season, and batted at least .301 with at least 34 homers and 100 RBI in each of his three full seasons with the Dodgers.

A move to Oakland became possible when the Athletics lost out to the Yankees on Jason Giambi, though Beane is making sure that option is dead before moving on with the Sheffield deal. Looking to bolster the lineup, Beane is trying to move quickly.

Dye, who turns 28 next month, batted .286 with 26 homers and 106 RBI last season with Kansas City and Oakland and is a lifetime .285 batter. Dye's best season was in 2000 when he batted .321 with 33 homers and 118 RBI with the Royals.

Dye is eligible for free agency after the season and the Dodgers do not have immediate plans to negotiate a contract extension, though that's a possibility. Dye is seeking a four- or five-year deal worth about $60 million, sources said. Dye, who made $4 million last season, could make nearly $10 million this season in salary arbitration.

Sheffield has two years for $22 million and a $13 million option left on his contract. Sheffield has a limited no-trade clause, but Oakland was not a blocked team. Sheffield didn't return calls left at his homes in Los Angeles and Tampa.

``Gary understands this is part of the process, that his name was going to be brought up in trade talks and in the papers,'' said Sheffield's agent, Scott Boras. ``He understands it.''

Koch, who turns 27 next Friday, would replace Jeff Shaw as the Dodgers' closer. Koch saved 36 games in 44 opportunities for the Blue Jays last season but the Dodgers believe his ceiling is high. He's making $2.35 million in 2002 and isn't eligible for free agency until after the 2004 season.

In three years closing for Toronto, Koch converted 100 of 117 (85.5 percent) save chances. In Shaw's three full seasons with the Dodgers, he had 104 saves. Evans tried to make a deal for Koch with Toronto general manager J.P Ricciardi, but the sides couldn't agree.

``The reason the deal fell through with the Dodgers is they had no every-day player we wanted for (Koch),'' Ricciardi said.

Also, the Dodgers offered salary arbitration to right-hander Chan Ho Park. He has until Dec. 19 to accept the arbitration. If he does, Park is bound to the Dodgers. If not, the Dodgers and Boras, also Park's agent, have until Jan. 8 to work out a contract. If Park signs with another team that finished with one of the top 15 records in baseball, the Dodgers would receive a first-round draft pick as compensation.

However, the Dodgers declined salary arbitration on right-handers Terry Adams and James Baldwin and infielder Tim Bogar, meaning none can re-sign with the Dodgers until May 1. Ironically, it was only a month ago Evans spoke with the agents of Baldwin and Adams and expressed a desire to retain their services. Instead, the Dodgers are looking to sign either Dave Burba or Kevin Tapani to a free-agent deal, sources said.

In addition, the Dodgers and left-handed reliever Jesse Orosco agreed to a minor-league contract. Orosco went 0-1 with a 3.94 ERA in 35 games for the Dodgers last season.

NEARLY DONE

The Dodgers were near a deal late Friday to send All-Star outfielder Gary Sheffield and pitcher Luke Prokopec to Oakland for outfielder Jermaine Dye and closer Billy Koch, who was obtained from Toronto earlier in the day.

A look at Friday's moves:

DONE DEALS

ATLANTA BRAVES

--Re-signed free agent C Javy Lopez to a one-year, $6 million contract, with a player option for an additional year at $7 million.

HOUSTON ASTROS

--Re-signed OF Orlando Merced to a one-year contract.

NEW YORK YANKEES 

--Traded OF David Justice to the Mets for 3B Robin Ventura

--Signed free agent RHP Steve Karsay to a four-year contract worth a reported $23 million, with a club option for a fifth year.

NEW YORK METS 

--Traded 3B Robin Ventura to the Yankees for OF David Justice

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS 

--Signed free agent RHP Jason Isringhausen to a reported four-year, $27 million deal. The former A's closer turned down a four-year, $30 million offer from the Rangers earlier Friday.

TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS 

--Re-signed SS Chris Gomez to a one-year contract with a club option for an additional year.

ARBITRATION

OFFERED

--Arizona: RHP Mike Morgan, OF Danny Bautista

--Cincinnati: RHP Pete Harnisch, RHP Jose Rijo, RHP Joey Hamilton

--Cleveland: OF Juan Gonzalez

--Colorado: LHP Brian Bohanon, RHP Dan Miceli, RHP Jay Powell

--N.Y. Yankees: 1B Tino Martinez, LHP Sterling Hitchcock, IF Luis Soho, RHP Mark Wohlers

DECLINED

--Angels: RHP Pat Rapp, RHP Ismael Valdes, SS Gary DiSarcina

--Texas: RHP Tim Crabtree, RHP Pat Mahomes, OF Chad Curtis, OF Ruben Sierra

CAPTION(S):

5 photos, 5 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) Dodgers might get: Dye, left, and Koch

(3 -- 4 -- color) Oakland might get: Sheffield, left, and Prokopec

(5 -- color) Gary Sheffield's days with the Dodgers might be numbered. L.A. is working on a deal to trade the All-Star outfielder to the Oakland A's.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) NEARLY DONE (see text)

(2) DONE DEALS (see text)

(3) ARBITRATION (see text)

(4) DODGERS WOULD GET

(5) OAKLAND WOULD GET