Osuna Asks Lasorda to Trade Him

Antonio Osuna believes he should be a closer, but he won’t remain in that role with the Dodgers because Jeff Shaw was acquired Saturday from Cincinnati for Paul Konerko and Dennis Reyes.

So Osuna wants out. The right-hander said Sunday he requested to be traded in a meeting with interim General Manager Tom Lasorda.

“I would like to stay here--but I want to be a closer,” Osuna said through an interpreter. “Shaw is coming here [signed] for three years, and I don’t think they’re going to give me the opportunity to be the closer.

“I asked Tommy why he was bringing in someone to take my place, and he asked me if I was happy with the change. I said, ‘No, I wasn’t,’ and he said, ‘Well, do you want a trade?’ I said, ‘Trade me.’ ”

Osuna said he prefers to play for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Lasorda acknowledged his request. But Osuna shouldn’t hold his breath.

Although Osuna is coveted by many teams, Lasorda probably won’t trade the hard-throwing reliever.

Osuna, whose fastball has been clocked consistently at 95 mph, has proven that he can close during the last month. He has converted his last six save opportunities and has pitched 14 2/3 scoreless innings.

The 24-year-old was being groomed for the closer role the past three seasons while serving as the primary right-handed set-up man for Todd Worrell, who retired in the off-season. And signaling their confidence in Osuna, the former management regime rewarded him with a two-year, $1.5-million contract in spring training, although he wasn’t eligible for arbitration until next season. The club holds two option years that could push the total package to $5.5 million for Osuna, who made $300,000 last season.

“I waited three years to get this opportunity, and I think I did the job, and now they’re taking the ball away from me,” Osuna said. “To be honest, I feel really bad, because I don’t think they have any trust in me.”

Osuna wonders why Lasorda would trade for Shaw after seemingly being among his strongest supporters in the organization.

“They wanted me to gain confidence [in the closer role], and I’m pitching with more confidence now,” said Osuna, who is 4-0 with a team-low 1.59 earned-run average. “I think I’m at my best now, and I’ve been waiting and waiting for this.”

Manager Glenn Hoffman spoke with Osuna in an attempt to defuse the situation. The results were mixed.

“We had a good, long talk,” Hoffman said. “I told him there will be days when Jeff won’t be able to do it, and he will get opportunities. But Shaw is the guy with 42 saves last year and 23 this year. Come the ninth, he’s getting the ball.”

Osuna stressed that his effort won’t wane despite his feelings about his personal situation. He will continue to seek a trade.

*

After initially being disappointed, Shaw has accepted that Los Angeles is his new baseball address.

“I was shocked more than anything,” Shaw said during a phone interview Sunday from his home near Cincinnati. “[Reports about the deal] had been in the papers for over a month, but I still didn’t think it would happen, so I was shocked.

“Jim [Bowden, Cincinnati general manager] said the deal had been on the table for a week to 10 days. He said he felt he had to make the deal because he was looking for younger players. I signed below market value because I thought I could stay in Cincinnati, but now that the trade has happened, I have to stick to my guns.

“All I am concerned about now is saving games for the Dodgers. I am going to do the same thing I was doing for the Reds.”

Shaw plans to wear a Dodger uniform for the first time in Tuesday’s All-Star game at Coors Field in Denver. He was the Reds’ only All-Star representative before Bret Boone was named Sunday to replace the injured Sammy Sosa.