Cora Might Provide an Alternative

The Dodgers are reevaluating their plans to improve the club because of shortstop Alex Cora’s strong play and their starting pitching concerns, baseball sources said.

The smooth-fielding Cora has been even better than advertised defensively since being recalled May 31 from triple-A Albuquerque, improving the team’s below-average infield. Cora, 24, covers more ground and has a stronger arm than Kevin Elster, 35, the opening-day shortstop who now shares the position.

And Cora has been a surprise offensively, batting .270 after going 0 for 3 in Tuesday night’s 7-2 loss to the San Diego Padres.

“From spring training to now, he has improved the most of any player I’ve seen on the club,” first baseman Eric Karros said.

“And with the situation he’s in right now as a young player [playing only part-time], he has handled it as well as anyone could.”

Second baseman Mark Grudzielanek agrees.

“He’s definitely improved his hitting, and he’s doing an outstanding job defensively,” Grudzielanek said. “He makes the tough plays, and when he plays he hits.”

Cora has been so impressive that the Dodgers aren’t as interested in pursuing Alex Rodriguez as they were before the season. Many baseball officials expect the Dodgers to aggressively pursue the Seattle Mariner shortstop, considered the prize of the upcoming free-agent class.

The Dodgers still plan to enter the bidding because they want to add another power hitter to a batting order. Dodger Chairman Bob Daly and General Manager Kevin Malone have done big deals with Rodriguez’s agent, Scott Boras, and Fox covets Rodriguez’s TV star power.

Some believe Rodriguez might become baseball’s first $150-million to $200-million player with an average annual salary of more than $20 million. That’s a lot even for a club with a $90-million payroll.

The Dodgers are convinced that Cora will become one of the game’s top shortstops defensively, and productive enough offensively.

Moreover, Cora is making only $220,000 this season and won’t be eligible for free agency until after the 2004 season.

The Dodgers could bolster their rotation with the money they planned to direct toward signing Rodriguez. Several top pitchers will be eligible for free agency next winter, among them David Wells, Mike Hampton, Darryl Kile and Andy Ashby.

Of course, many variables will affect the Dodgers’ final decision about Rodriguez, including whether the club qualifies for the playoffs and how Cora and the rotation perform in the second half.

*

Two National League general managers said the Dodgers are listening to offers for pitcher Darren Dreifort, a free agent after the season, and have initiated discussions with some teams. . . . Sheffield and Brown are expected to be among the All-Star game reserves announced today. Catcher Todd Hundley might also be selected for Tuesday’s game at Atlanta. . . . Reliever Gregg Olson, pitching for Class-A San Bernardino in a rehabilitation assignment, gave up two hits and an earned run in one inning against Lake Elsinore. . . . Right-handed reliever Jeff Shaw, on the disabled list because of elbow tendinitis, rejoined the team in San Diego. Shaw underwent therapy at Dodger Stadium while the club began the trip at San Francisco. He played catch Tuesday for the first time since being sidelined. . . . As expected, infielder Mike Metcalfe was promoted from Albuquerque. The Dodgers purchased Metcalfe’s contract and designated outfielder Shawn Gilbert for assignment.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ DARREN DREIFORT

(4-7, 4.94 ERA)

vs.

PADRES’ BRIAN TOLLBERG

(2-0, 2.79 ERA)

Qualcomm Stadium, 7

TV--Fox Sports Net 2. Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

* Update--Johnson shuffled the rotation to give Kevin Brown an extra day of rest because of the right-hander’s sore back. Dreifort, initially scheduled to start in the series finale, moves into Brown’s spot and Brown will pitch Thursday. Dreifort is 1-6 in his last nine starts.