Trade for Weathers Being Pursued

Trying to acquire a reliever before the Tuesday trading deadline, the Dodgers have focused their efforts on Milwaukee Brewer right-hander Dave Weathers, baseball officials said Sunday.

Interim General Manager Dave Wallace and Dan Evans, his top assistant, want to bolster the bullpen for a playoff push, and they believe Weathers would be a good fit for the National League West leaders, officials said.

Wallace and Evans want to provide help for setup man Matt Herges, who leads league relievers with 70 2/3 innings.

“We’re looking at the bullpen,” said Wallace, not commenting specifically on Weathers. “There are some things that we’re considering doing there, but we don’t know what’s going to happen.

“That’s why you keep talking until [Tuesday’s] deadline. We’re still talking, so we’ll just have to see.”

Weathers has been one of the majors’ top short relievers this season, going 3-4 with four saves and a 2.06 earned-run average in 51 appearances.

The seven-year veteran has 45 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings and has limited opponents to a .191 batting average.

The Brewers are considering trading Weathers because he can become a free agent after the postseason.

He has a $1.05-million salary and is believed to be seeking a three-year extension plus an option.

Weathers was 3-5 with a save and a 3.07 ERA in 69 games last season. In 371 career games, Weathers is 37-45 with a 4.88 ERA and seven saves.

Weathers is on pace to make more than 60 appearances for the third consecutive season, and the Dodgers believe his durability could be key for them.

Evans, the point man in Dodger trade talks, declined comment about Weathers, saying only that the club is interested in “many relievers.”

However, officials said Evans has been almost as active in pursuing Weathers as he was starter James Baldwin, whom the club acquired Thursday from the Chicago White Sox for two pitching prospects and a journeyman outfielder.

The Dodgers will not trade Herges, second-year starter Eric Gagne or rookie starter Luke Prokopec but apparently are willing to move one of their top pitching prospects to get Weathers, officials said.

Evans is expected to continue talks today with the Brewers.

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Eric Karros, still slowed by back pain, is batting .244 with 10 home runs and 45 runs batted in.

Karros, the club’s all-time L.A. home run leader, is being paid $7 million in the first season of a three-year, $24-million contract that could become a four-year, $32-million deal with a vesting option.

His salary drops to $6.5 million next season and escalates to $8 million in 2003.

Karros will receive $9 million in 2004 if he has at least 500 plate appearances in 2003, and the Dodgers can buy out the option for $1 million if it does not vest.

Manager Jim Tracy said Karros’ commitment to winning has kept him in the lineup--not his big contract.

“To have a veteran guy like that, who all he wants to do is win, I’m totally confident that he’s going to figure out what he needs to do to get himself going, and I want to see him get going,” Tracy said. “I’m sure that he’s not exactly the same that he was a year ago, I’m sure that the back injury has something to do with it, but he’s not saying anything to me, or our medical people, that there’s any type of injury or pain, or anything like that, that’s holding him back.”

Karros is determined to help.

“I feel that I’ve been able to contribute, not necessarily in power numbers, but defensively I’ve held my own this year,” Karros said. “In situational hitting, I think that I’ve probably done a better job than I’ve done in the past.

“There are certain ways you can help this ballclub, and fortunately for me and this club, home runs haven’t been something we’re living and dying with this year. I’ve said it every single year: I would gladly take .250 with 15 home runs and 50 RBIs if we get to a World Series. And maybe this is it.”

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Starter Kevin Brown said he is progressing in his rehabilitation program and still hopes to return to the mound during the regular season.

The right-hander, who has a torn muscle on his pitching elbow, hopes to begin a throwing program soon.