BASEBALL NOTES : SLOPPY DEFENSE, FEW FANS WORRY ROYALS.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

Fourteen games into what may be a critical year for Kansas City baseball, errors are up and attendance is down, and it needs to be the other way around.

Aside from Opening Day, there still hasn't been a decent crowd at Kauffman Stadium. The weather, until Wednesday, has been unusually cold and miserable even for April.

Although the announced attendance figures were higher, based on the season ticket base, there couldn't have been more than 6,000 to 7,000 people watching the games Monday and Tuesday night against the Chicago White Sox.

Those who did show up, shivering in the evening wind, saw a couple of exciting one-run games, cerebral managerial maneuverings by Bob Boone, and a mixture of youth and veterans who seem bent on leading the majors in errors.

A blustery, warm day brought out a good crowd of 13,350 Wednesday, but that is still off the 20,000-plus the Royals used to enjoy before the strike disenchanted the fans.

The Royals had been charged with 16 miscues through Wednesday night's 3-1 loss to Chicago, which saw an array of butchered grounders and wide-of-the-mark throws.

At this pace, they can't compete for anything more than a break-even record that would leave them hopelessly out of contention come September. And this would do nothing to perk up interest and attendance in a year when the organization is going full-bore with an expensive marketing campaign.

All of that is not lost on general manager Herk Robinson, the man who put this team and coaching staff together.

``Obviously, we could have won a few more games if we'd done a little better job catching the ball in a few cases, and I think that's something that will be dealt with and improved,'' Robinson said.

Newcomer Jose Offerman, famous for kicking the ball around National League infields with the Dodgers, has been the biggest offender with four errors. Young third baseman Joe Randa has three, while infielder Keith Lockhart and catcher Mike Macfarlane have two apiece.

Offerman has been benched for three straight games, although he delivered a pinch-hit single Wednesday. David Howard, who seemingly can play everywhere, has stepped in at shortstop with a hot bat, although he struck out with the bases loaded to end the fourth on Wednesday.

Robinson is not pushing the panic button yet. But his finger is firmly on the button marked ``concern.''

``It's awfully early in a 162-game season to judge anything right now. I think those things will change,'' he said. ``It's something that we can't continue, though. If we don't come out of it, there'll have to be some adjustments. Personnel adjustments. I still think the players will come out of it.''

Griffey on track:With his quick start, at least power wise, Ken Griffey Jr. is on pace to become the seventh youngest player in major league history to hit 200 career home runs.

His five homers entering Thursday's game tied him with Dan Wilson for second place in the American League and brought his career total to 194.

Griffey likely will join the elite group of young sluggers early next month.

The six players to hit 200 long balls quicker than Griffey - Mel Ott, Eddie Mathews, Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Mantle, Frank Robinson and Hank Aaron - have all been enshrined in the baseball Hall of Fame.

Griffey, 26, was the third youngest player to hit the 150 homer mark. The 1994 and 1995 strike shortened seasons, kept him from joining the elite group even sooner.

Griffey has been bothered by a bruise on is left index finger that caused him to miss batting practice Wednesday in favor of some electronic stimulation of the finger.

Klesko hot: Ryan Klesko had to settle for a part-time role with the Atlanta Braves for two years. He couldn't understand why manager Bobby Cox wouldn't play him every day.

``I don't care if it's a left-hander or a right-hander on the mound,'' Klesko said. ``If it's over the plate, I'm going to hit it.''

Cox, though, didn't feel his left-handed slugger was ready to face tough left-handed pitching. When a lefty was on the mound, Klesko usually was given a spot on the bench.

``I might get two, three or four hits and be out of the lineup the next day,'' Klesko said. ``Mentally, that can mess you up.''

Still, he hit 23 homers in only 329 at-bats last season, playing 102 games in left field and another four at first base. He became the first player to homer in three straight World Series road games. That was enough to convince Cox that Klesko was ready to play left field every day for the defending World Series champions.

Klesko responded by hitting seven homers in the Braves' first 14 games, tops in the National League through Wednesday. He hit a two-run shot Tuesday night against the Florida Marlins, showing uncharacteristic patience for a 24-year-old by staying back on a changeup over the outside corner.

``The pitch wasn't on the black, but it was pretty good pitch,'' said Marlins pitcher Kevin Brown. ``Klesko stayed with it. I tip my hat to him.''

Once reluctant to play Klesko every day, Cox likes what he sees.

``He's awfully hot right now,'' the manager said. ``He's hitting everything: fastballs, off-speed stuff, whatever they throw up there.''

Klesko hit 73 homers during five seasons in the minor leagues and stepped up his power once he got to the majors. In his first 635 at-bats with Atlanta, he hit 49 homers - an average of one every 13 times he stepped to the plate.

By comparison, home-run king Hank Aaron, whose locker has been preserved as a shrine in the Braves clubhouse, averaged a homer every 16 at-bats.

``I always hit homers in the minor leagues and I'll hit 'em in the major leagues now that I'm starting every day,'' Klesko said. ``Knowing that I'm going to play every day helps a lot. I'm more relaxed.''

While reluctant to set goals so early in the season, Klesko is supremely confident that he will be one of the Braves' top hitters, even as he facesC more and more left-handers.

``You might think in the back of my mind about 30 or 40 homers,'' he said. ``I feel if I get my at-bats, I will definitely be up there. My job is to drive in runs and hit the ball out of the park.''

CAPTION(S):

Photo: Ken Griffey Jr.is on pace to become the seventh-youngest play er in history to hit 200 career home runs.

Daily News file photo