LosAngeles.Dodgers.MLB.com

By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com

Kim Ng is one of three female assistant GMs in baseball. (Jared Ravich/MLB.com)

But general manager Dan Evans said both positions could be filled by next week.

Vice president and assistant general manager Kim Ng appears to be the front-runner for the farm director's job, vacant since Bill Bavasi resigned in November as director of player development to become the general manager of the Seattle Mariners. Ng took on some of Bavasi's responsibilities when he left.

Evans said he has about five candidates for batting coach to interview. He wouldn't reveal their names, but one of them became apparent Friday when Tim Wallach walked onto the field during the workouts at Dodger Stadium.

Wallach, a five-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove third baseman with Montreal, played four seasons for the Dodgers. He was a hitting coach and manager for the Dodgers' San Bernardino affiliate in 1997-98, an assistant coach at Cal State Fullerton in 2000 and a minor league manager for the Angels in 2001. The 46-year-old Wallach's style is low-key.

Jim Lefebvre, another former Dodger and longtime hitting technician, is believed to be one of the other candidates. Lefebvre was the 1965 National League Rookie of the Year. As part of an all switch-hitting infield, he played eight years with the Dodgers and also managed the Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers. The 60-year-old Lefebvre's style is fiery and intense.

Jack Clark was last year's hitting coach until his dismissal in early August. George Hendrick was promoted to interim hitting coach from Triple-A Las Vegas, but he asked to return to the 51s for 2004 because he makes his year-round home in the Las Vegas area.

As for Kim, she already is considered to be one of the most accomplished female executives in the game, and adding the title of minor league director would only add to her credentials and better prepare her to become baseball's first female general manager.

However, workload could be an issue, because she currently is the point person in contract negotiations with the three Dodgers eligible for salary arbitration -- Eric Gagne, Guillermo Mota and Jolbert Cabrera. Gagne is the one most likely to require a hearing, which would keep Kim busy well into February.

Ng is one of only three females to hold a position of assistant general manager. She was a colleague of Evans with the Chicago White Sox and also was vice president and assistant general manager of the Yankees before rejoining Evans with the Dodgers in 2002.

Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This article was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.