Malone Already Leading the Majors in Optimism

The Angels introduced Mo Vaughn to the local media during a luncheon Wednesday at Edison Field. Meantime, Dodger General Manager Kevin Malone had a more subdued lunch at Dodger Stadium but served the same fare: high expectations.

“You’ve got to look at Atlanta and maybe Houston as the teams to beat in the National League,” he said. “But I really do believe we can compete with anybody. I like this team.”

In all fairness, he might be right if the Dodgers sign Kevin Brown. Or if a majority of his players have career years. If both occur, the Dodgers could even advance to the World Series. That’s how the Padres did it.

Otherwise, I think Malone has come down with an early case of spring training fever. Fortunately, it’s not contagious.

As the Dodgers now stand, they’re only marginally better than they were a year ago at this time, with still more question marks than exclamation points.

We will, however, give Malone equal time.

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Catcher: Todd Hundley was the National League’s second-best catcher behind Piazza in 1996 and ’97. Now that he has a rebuilt elbow, he needs to rebuild his reputation.

Malone: “We wouldn’t have traded for him if we didn’t think he was healthy.”

First base: Eric Karros proved tougher than believed last year when he played through painful knee injuries. But even when sound, he has never lived up to all-star expectations the organization had for him. Remember when fans here debated about whether Karros or Piazza was better?

Malone: “He’ll hit 30 home runs and drive in 100 runs. I’ll take that.”

Second base: Eric Young’s on-base percentage of .355 is no better than average for a leadoff hitter.

Malone: “He’s healthy now. His numbers will be better.”

Shortstop: In an era of great young shortstops, none is named Jose Vizcaino or Mark Grudzielanek.

Malone: “Grudzielanek had 201 hits one year and 54 doubles the next. Vizcaino is good defensively. Whichever one we keep will contribute.”

Third base: Touted as a defensive whiz who needs seasoning at the plate, Adrian Beltre didn’t turn heads at third base last season except for his own. He committed 13 errors in 77 games.

Malone: “Every team needs an infusion of youth.”

Left field: Gary Sheffield has already voiced objections about playing there instead of right field. Tick, tick, tick.

Malone: “I’ve heard he has an attitude, but I haven’t noticed it at all in conversations with him. I think he’s changed.”

Center field: When other general managers talk about irresponsible free-agent signings, Devon White is among names mentioned. Three years, $12.4 million for a 35-year-old outfielder whose game is based on speed is an investment not even the spendthrift Arizona Diamondbacks would make.

Malone: “He’s a legitimate center fielder, one of the best.”

Right field: Raul Mondesi demanded--and received--a Sammy Sosa contract but didn’t produce Sosa numbers. He was bothered during the second half of the season by a back injury, which might not have been so debilitating if he’d been in shape.

Malone: “I’m hopeful.”

Pitching: Jeff Shaw is an all-star closer, but the question is whether the rest of the Dodger staff can hang on long enough to get to him. Ramon Martinez is injured. The other starters need psychological help, and Alan Mills, a free agent who played in Baltimore, is the only setup man who was effective last season.

Malone: “Kevin Brown would make a difference, but our pitching is good enough to win without him. The starters are all young and improving and there aren’t many bullpens better.”

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That’s basically the team the Dodgers will put on the field, for better and worse.

Malone, however, points out that pennants aren’t won only on the field but also in the clubhouse. He is counting largely on an attitude adjustment, starting with the man in charge there, Davey Johnson.

“To our manager, losing is not an option,” Malone said.

That is contagious, he said.

“When you played the Dodgers in the past, you knew they had talent but that they weren’t going to get after you,” he said. “They weren’t going to win a dogfight.

“That’s why I’m excited about Todd Hundley, who has a real New York attitude, and EY [Young,] who burns to win, and Devon White, who has three World Series rings, and Jeff Shaw and Alan Mills. They believe they’re going to win and expect to win.

“A laid-back attitude is no longer acceptable. We are going to play with fire and passion.”

Sounds like the Angels, but without Mo Vaughn.

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Randy Harvey can be reached at randy.harvey@latimes.com.