Deal takes 51s’ Malette to Tokyo

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Monday, April 7, 2003 | 9:48 a.m.

The Las Vegas 51s' Brian Mallette yielded two runs over the first four innings of Thursday night's Pacific Coast League opener against Salt Lake, earning him a trip to Japan today in which he will actually land in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Mallette, who worked out at Cashman Field over the weekend, was not upset or angry about being sold by the Dodgers' organization, said 51s president and general manager Don Logan and manager John Shoemaker.

Shoemaker added that a deal had likely been in the works for a while.

Logan said the transaction, orchestrated by Dodgers senior vice president Tom Lasorda and director of Asian operations Acey Kohrogi, had not been completely finalized. But Logan said he did not expect any glitches.

Mallette, 28, will get a two-year deal worth approximately $1.75 million from Osaka, Logan said, and the Dodgers would net about $200,000.

Mallette saved 25 games in Indianapolis, the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, in 2002.