Damon Now Central to Dodger Plans

The Dodgers are one of many clubs monitoring the Johnny Damon situation, baseball sources said Saturday.

General Manager Kevin Malone has resumed trade discussions with the Kansas City Royals in an attempt to acquire the center fielder and leadoff batter, who can become a free agent after next season.

The Royals are trying to trade the arbitration-eligible Damon, 27, because he plans to test the free-agent market.

Malone pursued Damon before the non-waiver trading deadline last season, but ended talks because the Royals insisted on receiving right-hander Eric Gagne in a multiplayer deal.

The Dodgers view Damon as the solution to their problems in center and atop the order.

In 159 games last season, the left-handed batter hit .327 with 16 home runs, 88 runs batted in, 136 runs and 46 stolen bases. Damon also had a .382 on-base percentage and only 60 strikeouts.

Sources said the Dodgers still will not trade Gagne, but they would trade right-handers Antonio Osuna, Mike Judd and Al Reyes.

The club has a logjam in center with Devon White and Tom Goodwin but would gladly move one--or both--in a deal for Damon.

The Dodgers raised the names of both players in trade-proposal meetings with many clubs at the winter meetings in Dallas.

White is owed $5.9 million and Goodwin $7 million. The Dodgers would rather not pay part of their salaries to trade them, except in a deal for Damon, who had a $4-million salary last season.

The Dodgers might be in position to negotiate a deal with Damon after next season because White and pitcher Carlos Perez (owed $7.5 million) are beginning the final years of their contracts.

Moreover, Chairman Bob Daly and Malone work well with Damon’s agent--Scott Boras.

Boras represents six players on the club’s 25-man roster--including four-fifths of the rotation--and recently negotiated a five-year, $55-million contract for right-hander Darren Dreifort.