BATTLE FOR LEFT STARTS OFF SLOWLY.

Byline: Tim Brown Daily News Staff Writer

If it were a horse race, they might be erecting tents right now on the first turn.

Todd Hollandsworth is batting .200. Billy Ashley .111. Though some in the Dodgers organization believe Hollandsworth will be their left fielder, he's not exactly winning the competition. But Ashley might be losing it.

The Dodgers were never going to settle on a starter after five exhibition games, but the participants knew about this arrangement in October. They both played winter ball. They both arrived 2-1/2 weeks ago, smiling, confident, fit. Hollandsworth is hitless in his past seven at-bats. Ashley went without a hit in his first eight.

"It can't be afforded to me to start slow," said Ashley, who homered Wednesday afternoon against the Florida Marlins for his first hit of spring. "I have to keep my head up. I may strike out. That's going to happen. I'm putting too much on every at-bat."

Basically, it's happening again for Ashley. His desperation to play baseball, to play for the Dodgers, to start in left field, binds his ability. He starts taking strikes and swinging at everything else.

"I could feel it building," he said, "and yet I could feel myself shutting it off more easily.

"I told myself this off-season I'm not going to let it happen to me. I'm not going to let it creep up on me again."

Ashley's home run came on a forkball that hung. He hit it to left-center field, onto the first fairway of the nine-hole golf course that curls around Holman Stadium.

"Who knows," Ashley said, "if it adds any confidence at all. We'll see tomorrow.

"There's no time to be lax and think it's early. I gotta go out and do the job now. In order for me to play left field and make this team, I gotta play."

The Dodgers could very well be setting up for a platoon. Hollandsworth, a left-handed batter, has hit against right-handed pitching in 10 of his 11 plate appearances. In 10 plate appearances, Ashley has seen five left-handers. His home run was off lefty Yorkis Perez.

Hollandsworth is sure that will change, since there are split-squad and B games scheduled later in spring.

"That's going to have a lot to do with it," Hollandsworth said. "At the same time, it's an opportunity for Billy to get in there. I can't argue with that, if that's what they're trying to do."

Though they stand next to each other in the outfield, during batting practice, and even in the clubhouse, where their lockers are only a few stalls removed, they claim to be unaffected by each other. After Wednesday's game, Hollandsworth walked up to Ashley in the outfield and said, "Nice ball."

Ashley's struggles, Hollandsworth said, "is not my business. Billy's business is Billy's business. My business is my business. I'm not going to control that and I'm not going to comment on it."

During late batting practice on Wednesday, Ashley used Hollandsworth's bat and his helmet.

"I don't look over my shoulder," Ashley said. "All that does is slow me down."

Taking their cuts: The Dodgers on Wednesday assigned nine non-roster invitees to minor-league affiliates. Left-handers David Pyc and Gary Rath, right-hander Jody Treadwell, catchers Ron Maurer and Noe Munoz, infielder Oreste Marrero and outfielder Billy Lott were assigned to Albuquerque, the Triple-A affiliate. Infielder Paul Konerko and left-hander David Yocum were assigned to Double-A San Antonio.

Left-hander John O'Donoghue was released.

Notes: The Dodgers defeated the Florida Marlins 6-2 on Wednesday afternoon. Their exhibition record is 4-1. In his second exhibition start, Tom Candiotti pitched four scoreless innings. Closer Todd Worrell pitched a scoreless eighth inning. . . . Mark Davis, the 1989 Cy Young Award winner with the San Diego Padres whose career fizzled after that, is attempting to earn a place in the Marlins' bullpen. He pitched the third inning and allowed two runs on four hits. He is 35. . . . The Dodgers play the Houston Astros today at Holman Stadium. Right-hander Ramon Martinez is expected to start, followed by left-hander Joey Eischen. Eischen, who pitched well in his first appearance, said he has been told he will start Monday's game against the New York Mets.