Don’t Look for Malone to Make a Major Deal

Reluctant to trade their few promising young players, the Dodgers will not make a major deal before the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline, General Manager Kevin Malone said Friday.

“It just doesn’t look like it’s going to happen,” Malone said in an interview in his office before Friday’s 6-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants. “While we are constantly working the phones and listening, the reality of the situation is we have severe prospect limitations that [prevent] us from making big deals.

“I’m an optimist, I always believe things are possible, but we can’t ignore the situation either. With where we’re at in rebuilding the farm system, we’re two to three years away from having the depth that we need to make the big trade come July 31.

“As one general manager told us, after he made a big deal, ‘You guys don’t have the minor league weapons.’ We’re making strides, but we’re not there yet. That’s just a fact.”

Malone’s attempts to acquire a proven starter or top-of-the-order batter have stalled because clubs want rookie right-hander Eric Gagne or third baseman Adrian Beltre, in addition to top prospects, included in the deal.

Beltre is not available in any trade, and the Dodgers would only consider moving Gagne for Mike Mussina of the Baltimore Orioles or Curt Schilling of the Philadelphia Phillies, who have no-trade clauses.

The Dodgers have been told Mussina will not be traded. Schilling has agreed to waive his trade veto for six teams, but the Dodgers are not on his list.

With the potential impact pitchers unavailable, Malone said the Dodgers will try to make minor moves to bolster the 25-man roster.

He still hopes to acquire a veteran starter, and Chairman Bob Daly has approved increasing the club’s $90-million payroll if an all-star caliber player becomes available before the deadline.

“Would we like to have another front-line guy? Yeah. Are there any available? No,” Malone said. “We might be able to pick up a guy here and there, and continue to fine tune and make some adjustments to get better, but that’s really about it. You can’t force teams to get rid of people they don’t want to trade. And pretty much with us, in talking about the real quality players, clubs weren’t willing to go further unless we were willing to talk about Gagne and Beltre.

“And again, we just can’t do that for the guys who are available because we have to think about the future. One of the reasons we’re in this problem is because . . . I’m not dwelling in the past, but in looking on a go-forward basis, we have to develop from within. If we really felt that the guys we would get in return for [Beltre, Gagne and prospects] would help us win a World Series championship, then, yeah, we would make that commitment. But at this point, that’s not the case.”

There has been speculation that the Dodgers will move right-hander Darren Dreifort because he struggled in the first half and can become a free agent after the season.

Malone acknowledged many teams have made proposals for Dreifort, but that tells him something.

“It’s amazing,” Malone said. “Here we are with everybody saying we need to get another pitcher, and my phone is ringing off the hook for the pitchers we have. If everybody is in such demand for our pitchers, why would we even think about moving them?

“If everybody wants Eric Gagne, and a lot of people want Darren Dreifort, why would we be trying to replace them? The guys out there may be a little more consistent, they may have a little more of a track record, but they don’t have the stuff, they don’t have the potential and they can’t dominate a game like these guys can.

“So instead of saying, ‘We need this, we need that,’ we’ve got to figure out what to do to help our guys be more consistent. That’s really the bottom line because it’s just not possible to get guys with better stuff and potential. I wish it was possible, but it’s not.”

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The agent for shortstop Kevin Elster plans to speak with Malone this weekend about a contract extension. Patrick Elster, who represents his brother, hopes to reach agreement on a one-year deal. Elster, 35, was the opening-day shortstop after being out of baseball last season. Batting .228, he is making $300,000, and can earn another $400,000 in incentives.

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Center fielder Devon White was one for two with a walk for Class-A San Bernardino in his second rehabilitation appearance.

White is on the disabled list because of a partially torn left rotator cuff. The Dodgers plan to activate him Sunday.

TODAY

DODGERS’

ERIC GAGNE

(1-5, 5.35 ERA)

vs.

GIANTS’

LIVAN HERNANDEZ

(8-7, 4.37 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 1

TV--Channel 11

Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330)

* Update--Gagne got a no-decision July 2 in San Francisco’s 6-5 victory at Pacific Bell Park. The right-hander gave up six hits and four runs (three earned) in five innings. Hernandez has worked at least six innings in 13 of his last 14 outings. He is 1-3 with a 4.32 ERA in his career against the Dodgers.