Now, Here’s the Real Deal With Karros

Yet another trading deadline passed Saturday. And there was Eric Karros on Sunday, still in a Dodger uniform, having survived another round of trade rumors.

But he figures enough is enough.

“Get me out of here or shut it down,” said the first baseman of the constant trade talk on a day when the Dodgers, powered by catcher Todd Hundley’s three-run homer, beat the Arizona Diamondbacks, 4-2, at Dodger Stadium. “This organization at some point could say this guy is not available. You could put an end to it [the trade rumors] if you wanted to. Either do it or don’t do it. If they did try to get rid of me, I could probably play somewhere in the big leagues.

“At this point, of course, everybody on this team is available. I accept that. But seems like I’m always either coming or going. Maybe it’s something I’m going to have to deal with my whole career, but I think that’s ridiculous.

“Am I going to have a .420 on-base percentage or hit .320? No. I am not going to give you 50 home runs, I’m not going to hit .350 or drive in 145 runs. But I’m also not going to have a year where I hit .220 with 12 home runs. What you are going to get is the same thing every year and that’s not bad.”

Not bad at all. From 1995 to 1997, Karros hit more than 30 home runs and drove in more than 100 runs each season. Last season, after being sidelined the first 21 games after having arthroscopic knee surgery, Karros still hit 23 homers and drove in 87 runs.

This season, with a third of the season still to go, Karros has surpassed last year’s home run total with 25 and has 67 runs batted in.

“With me, they know what they are getting,” Karros said. “I would think that would mean something . . . [knowing] what you are getting instead of hoping to get something.

“I am very aware of what has been going on [recently], but it does not impact the way I play. If there was ever a time when it would impact me, it might have been now, but just look at the last month.”

In July, with Karros’ name constantly in trade rumors, he hit 12 home runs--a career best for a month--and had 26 RBIs--one short of a career best.

Karros, 31, is due to receive $5 million next season, the final season on a four-year, $20-million contract.

“The contract I signed,” he said, “was with an ownership and management group that is no longer here. This group didn’t make a commitment to me.”

Not that he didn’t know what the chances were of having longevity with one team in an age of constant player movement.

“Last year’s trade of Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile was kind of a shock,” Karros said. “Especially Mike. Nobody’s irreplaceable, but if you ever thought there was anybody who was going to be a Dodger for life, it would be Mike Piazza. It just shows nobody’s immune.”

Would Karros prefer to play for a contender?

“Ask any player if they would rather be on a contender as opposed to not being on one,” Karros said, “and if anybody tells you they don’t want to play for a contender, I would not be on a team with that player.”

Dodger General Manager Kevin Malone doesn’t deny that Karros’ name came up in trade talks. One of the teams he talked to was the San Diego Padres. Karros went to high school in San Diego.

Malone said he has kept Karros informed of the trade possibilities.

“We had a good straightforward talk,” Malone said, “and I told Eric that if a good situation presents itself, we would have to look at it. But I’m very happy with Eric. He could have been moved. There were teams that were interested in him, but I’m not just going to give him away.

“Eric Karros is not the problem. Eric Karros is a grinder. He’s prepared and he always gives his best effort. That might not always be enough to get the job done, but you can’t argue with the effort.”

Can Karros at least take some comfort from the fact that he has survived another non-waiver trading deadline?

“It only means,” he said, “that I’m here one day longer than I was yesterday.”

Times staff writer Jason Reid contributed to this story.