Shaken but Not Rattled, They Roll

SAN DIEGO â€”  The Dodgers have become a close-knit bunch during their surprising run to the top of the National League West, so it figured the clubhouse would be somber Friday after catcher Paul Lo Duca, reliever Guillermo Mota and right fielder Juan Encarnacion were traded to the Florida Marlins.

Players expressed surprise and concern on learning that three key members of the team with the major leagues’ third-best record had been traded for pitcher Brad Penny, first baseman Hee Seop Choi and double-A pitcher Bill Murphy.

And the shakeup could continue today as the team awaits word on other major deals that would bring pitcher Randy Johnson and outfielder Steve Finley from Arizona, and catcher Charles Johnson from Colorado.

Although General Manager Paul DePodesta’s bold moves might help in the long run this season, the Dodgers were briefly dazed and confused.

They quickly refocused, however, in a 12-3 blowout victory over the San Diego Padres before 42,555 at Petco Park.

The Dodgers kept rolling despite their conflicted emotions.

“It’s a weird feeling,� first baseman Shawn Green said. “Dukie has been such a big part of this organization for so long. He’s a great teammate and the fans love him. Mota has been a big part of this club for a couple of years, and Juan is a great guy and a great player. It’s definitely a huge move.�

Players huddled and spoke softly while discussing the first of DePodesta’s expected major moves before today’s 1 p.m. non-waiver deadline, trying to assess the effect of what had occurred.

Some sat motionless, staring into their dressing stalls while declining to comment on Lo Duca, Mota and Encarnacion, among the most popular players in the clubhouse.

“You lose great character in the guys we’re losing,� closer Eric Gagne said. “You lose great friends. You lose guys who you go out there with every day, and you know they’re going to be there for you.�

The news hit Lo Duca hard. Drafted by the Dodgers in 1993, he became a favorite among fans and teammates and has been considered the heart and soul of the Dodgers since having become the everyday catcher in 2001.

“You know it might happen, but I’ve always dreamt about being a Dodger for my whole life,� said Lo Duca, who shared tears and hugs with well-wishing teammates. “It’s tough because of the people you meet in the Dodger family. You make so many friends, and the fans, that’s the toughest part.�

DePodesta said it wasn’t easy on him either. “These are real people,� said DePodesta, who traveled to San Diego to deliver the news in person. “Paul has been a big part of the Dodger organization, it’s the only organization he’s ever been in, and it kept me up the last couple of nights thinking of us without him....

“It’s certainly not something I relished doing. I know what they all meant to us on the field, I also know what they meant to us in the clubhouse. But the guys that we’re bringing in, we’re adding quite a bit. At the end of the day, I felt it was something we had to do.�

Losing Lo Duca -- who has handled the pitching staff well -- Mota and Encarnacion could adversely affect the team’s chemistry, several players said.

“We’ll see if it’s good or bad,� Mota said. “I was really feeling like this was my house. It’s hard to hear, but that’s what happens.�

Lo Duca said the Dodgers’ chemistry still should be fine.

“There’s a lot of guys in here that can [fill his role], and the chemistry in here is too good not to win,� he said. “I’m not saying I’m going to be the missing link or anything.... They’ve got enough in here.�

Manager Jim Tracy agreed.

“I think chemistry is built by a group of people who are together from day-to-day, but it’s something that is still there,� he said. “With the third-best record in baseball, there are a lot of things that have been done here that make a lot of sense.�