WINTER MEETINGS PREVIEW: DODGERS: YEAR LATER, CALM PREVAILS.

Byline: TONY JACKSON Staff Writer

Last year at this time, Ned Colletti had been a general manager for barely two weeks, during which time he hadn't slept more than an hour or two at a time. He was in the midst of a managerial search that had been ongoing for more than twomonths, he had a roster to dramatically overhaul and he still hadn't found a place to live in Los Angeles.

It was amid that dizzying chaos that Colletti went to Dallas for the winter meetings, his first as GM of the Dodgers. The night before flying in, he attended a college hockey game with his daughter in Oxford,

Ohio, but he spent most of the evening on his cell phone in the concourse, alternately talking scout Vance Lovelace out of jumping to Tampa Bay and Atlanta-based agent Paul Kinzer into accepting a three-year, $39million contract on behalf of his client, shortstop Rafael Furcal.

When he finally did arrive at baseball's annual flea market, Colletti only got busier. He formally introduced Furcal. He finalized the hiring of Grady Little as manager. He signed Sandy Alomar Jr. to be the Dodgers' backup catcher. He began laying the groundwork for a trade that would send outfielder Milton Bradley to Oakland for prospect Andre Ethier, who would become a key figure in the Dodgers' run to the National League wild card.

A year later, the chaos has given way to calm. But the urgency still is there.

Today, Colletti will fly from the Dominican Republic, where he has been watching Dodgers prospects, to Orlando, Fla., where this year's winter meetings kick off Monday. He will go having already bolstered the team's starting rotation with the signing of veteran left-hander Randy Wolf, having strengthened the top of the lineup with the addition of center fielder Juan Pierre and having held onto a key figure by re-signing infielder Nomar Garciaparra.

Colletti still hopes to add one more starter. One possibility is re-signing veteran Greg Maddux, although that will require Maddux and his Los Angeles-based agent, Scott Boras, to lower their asking price.

A power hitter clearly is the most urgent need. Because most of the prime free-agent position players already have been snatched up, it probably will have to come via trade.

``The power bat is probably off the market,'' Colletti said. ``There's another hitter or two I probably have some interest in.''

The most prominent name being tossed about is Boston leftfielder Manny Ramirez, although the Dodgers aren't going to part with top outfield prospect Matt Kemp to get him.

The Dodgers still need a backup catcher, although they have control over the discontented Toby Hall.

There is no guarantee the Dodgers will fill any of those needs. Until they do, the question is whether they can make it back to the playoffs in 2007 with what they currently have, and that isn't out of the question considering the sad state of the NL West.

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