SOMEBODY HAD TO FINALLY GET THE JOB.

Byline: STEVE DILBECK

Welcome to the crossroads. The Dodgers just turned ... which way is this exactly?

Frank McCourt's circuitous search for a new general manager - which followed Paul DePodesta's equally circuitous search for a new manager, which helped lead to his pink slip - has now ended at the feet of Ned Colletti.

Three zigs and a couple zags, and there you are. Nothing to it.

This is not exactly the vision McCourt was selling the day he canned DePodesta. That day he talked of how he would search for someone with experience, a proven leader, a good communicator and excellent evaluator of talent.

None of those guys were interested.

Pat Gillick said he'd rather be booed in Philadelphia. Gerry Hunsicker said being No. 2 in Tampa Bay looked better to him. John Hart decided to keep advising the Rangers into oblivion. Poor tortured Theo Espstein said he'd rather take a flier on the legendary Washington Nationals.

When your ``A'' list guys take a collective powder, you move on to the ``B'' list. First you have to make one up. It apparently became a short list: Colletti and Dodgers assistant general manager Kim Ng.

Now Colletti, 50, may prove an excellent first-time general manager. The last time the Dodgers gave the GM spot to someone who started in baseball public relations (Fred Claire) it earned them a 1988 World Series title.

Back in those days Colletti was busy trying to sell positive stories in the Windy City as the Cubs public relations director. And just look how beloved those losers are.

He sold himself well to McCourt, who clearly found himself in a bind of his own making.

McCourt obviously had no plans to fire DePodesta when the season ended, or he would not have allowed him to begin that belabored search for a new manager.

And just taking a wild guess here, when he fired DePodesta on Oct. 29, his mind was not racing excitedly to the prospect of hiring Ned Colletti.

But the ``A'' guys weren't interested in these Dodgers, which is telling in itself. Once they were kings. Now they are suspected pretenders to the throne.

If you don't have a real plan when you begin, you make it up as best you can. Welcome to Frank McCourt's world.

At his ``DePodesta Wasn't Such a Great Idea After All'' new conference, McCourt announced: ``The Dodgers are at a crossroads here.''

Yes, indeedy, though it is difficult to know for certain now in which direction they are headed.

Colletti spent the past nine years as an assistant to Giants GM Brian Sabean. He is reputed to be an excellent contract negotiator, which is something. Better to not overpay for pitching and injury-prone outfielders.

He is also given kudos for his communication skills, which you would assume are decent for a former PR guy.

If he has that keen eye for talent, it doesn't come from any background as a player. And if a good leader, he's never been the No. 1 guy.

It is hardly like gambling on a young, stat-infatuated assistant GM like DePodesta, but it is another assistant GM.

McCourt and Tommy Lasorda kept talking about baseball tradition when DePodesta was canned, and it seemed clear the Dodgers were making a dramatic U-turn from a modern numbers guy to a traditional baseball man.

Seems it was more a sharp left turn. Colletti is seen as something of a mixture of the two schools, but with 24 years of front office experience behind him.

His hiring could well signal the naming of Orel Hershiser as the team's manager. Hershiser, remember, did spend an evil year playing for the Giants while Colletti was in San Francisco.

McCourt was apparently smitten with Hershiser during their dinner meeting when Hershiser was interviewing for the manager's job while DePodesta was still GM - and DePodesta was strangely absent from that meeting.

Colletti is no doubt completely aware and on board with McCourt's thoughts on the next manager. Of course, he could go back to San Francisco bench coach Ron Wotus, and then we could all have a little Giants lovefest.

The hiring of Colletti is not going to start them dancing in the streets. He is not a big name, not a proven commodity.

He was also not the direction McCourt envisioned, though that assumes vision. As the days ticked by, one thing no doubt became certain to McCourt: He had to hire somebody.

Colletti is scheduled to be introduced at a news conference today at 9 a.m., with the odds strong he will not be fired by 9:05.

Colletti is bright, personable and certainly deserving of this opportunity. He always seems to have a gleam in his eye, like he knows something you don't.

For his sake, and the Dodger faithful, hope he does.