DEMOTION COULD COST HOLLANDSWORTH CASH.

Byline: MATT McHALE

Todd Hollandsworth got more than a wakeup call Friday when he was sent to the minors less than eight months after winning the National League Rookie of the Year award.

He received a lesson in baseball economics.

Although Hollandsworth was technically a rookie last season, he had two years of service time because of injuries in 1995.

That means Hollandsworth would be eligible for salary arbitration after this season, which was the reason he turned down a three-year contract between $4 and $5 million last winter.

No one is suggesting we've seen the last of Hollandsworth. No one is comparing him to Joe Charboneau, the Cleveland outfielder who quickly flamed out after winning rookie of the year in 1980.

And no one is saying the Dodgers are trying to save money by holding down his service time and keeping him from the arbitration process. The Dodgers are desperate to win with this group of players.

The windfall of five straight rookies of the year will fall flat this season if they don't make a real push toward the World Series. The Dodgers' visit to Oakland this past week was a vivid reminder that the club has not won a postseason game since beating the A's in the 1988 World Series.

And with the ownership transition from Peter O'Malley to Rupert Murdoch coming this summer, everyone is on a one-year deal, even top department heads who were given personal service contracts last month.

Manager Bill Russell was quick to point out Friday that he was sent down early in his career and came back to play 16 more seasons.

But the Dodgers clearly want to send Hollandsworth a message and take a look at 21-year-old prospect Karim Garcia. They need left-handed power in their lineup and Hollandsworth, with two homers and 18 RBI, hasn't done the job. He also has struck out 38 times and walked just 14.

Hollandsworth missed six games with a knee injury, but claims he was healthy after three. He just isn't playing at the same level as last season.

That is not uncommon. Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, the American League's top rookie is struggling after a quick start.

It's called the ``Sophomore Jinx,'' but every time Hollandsworth was asked about it this season, he replied, ``this is my third year.''

In 1995, Hollandsworth, whose intensity led to comparisons with Kirk Gibson, played 41 games. Four more and it would have been his rookie year. He came back last season and batted .314 with nine homers and 43 RBI in his past 84 games and had four consecutive multi-hit games in mid-September.

Salary arbitration, the bane of every general manager since it leads to monstrous pay raises, kicks in after three seasons. The top 17 percent of second-year players are eligible for arbitration, but raises usually come based on favorable comparisons with other players. The two-plus players get raises, but not one as good as a player with three full years.

Another player who has fallen into this gray area is right-hander Rick Gorecki, whom the Dodgers drafted in 1992. He received two years major-league-service time even though he never has thrown a pitch in the big leagues. He was on the disabled list for two years with shoulder problems.

This year, Gorecki is at Single-A San Bernardino and will need one full major-league season to qualify for salary arbitration.

If Hollandsworth stays in the minors for 20 days or less he will get all his service time back. One Dodger who lost service time this year was Antonio Osuna, who didn't make the Opening Day roster despite a full season as the Dodgers' setup man in 1996. Osuna is back, but no longer dominant, giving up a game-winning homer Saturday to Seattle's Russ Davis.

REMEMBERING THE PAST

Colorado high school outfielder/running back Darnell McDonald, selected No. 26 in the first round by Baltimore, is considered by many to be the best athlete in the recent amateur draft. He must choose between baseball and a two-sport education at the University of Texas.

Colorado Rockies manager Don Baylor faced a similar situation 30 years ago when he was coming out of high school in Austin, Texas.

But after Texas football coach Darrell Royal told him he couldn't play two sports for the Longhorns, Baylor signed a professional contract with Baltimore in 1967.

Looking back, Baylor says he made the right choice, playing 19 seasons in the big leagues and in three World Series.

``I would have gotten hurt playing football,'' said Baylor, a tight end and defensive back in high school.

``I really respect guys who play in the NFL and play baseball. That's a grueling schedule. I have a lot of respect for Bo Jackson. He was a world class player at both. If Deion Sanders was a running back, he wouldn't be where he is today playing baseball.''

Baylor still draws considerable respect as probably the toughest man in baseball. During his career he was hit by a pitch a record 267 times.

During a recent batting practice, Baylor was turned away from the infield when he was struck in the back by a Vinnie Castilla line drive.

``At the crack of the bat, I knew the ball was coming at me,'' Baylor said. ``But I wasn't going to turn around. My back is a lot stronger than my face.''

After Baylor was hit, he turned to Castilla and said, ``Is that all you've got?''

``He acted like a mosquito had just bit him,'' Castilla said.

EXTRA INNINGS

Orioles left-hander Jimmy Key is a good bet to make the American League All-Star team, but he already has plans. Key, who opened the season 8-0, is getting married July 8, the day of the game in Cleveland. ``I'm not going to it whether I'm picked or not,'' he said. ``I told (AL manager) Joe Torre that a month ago.'' When teammate Jesse Orosco asked if he could take Key's place, Orosco was told the Orioles' Scott Erickson probably would be the replacement. ``In that case,'' Orosco said, ``Can I go to the wedding?''

Lost in the attention surrounding Ken Griffey Jr.'s chase of Roger Maris' single-season home run record is Tony Gwynn's run at George Sisler's staggering 77-year old mark of 257 hits in one season. Gwynn already had 102 through Friday and is on pace for 259.

The Texas Rangers dropped to third this past week after spending 23 days atop the AL West, but it's not as if there weren't warning signs. They were 9-11 when they were in first. Another sign of trouble. After 60 games, Rangers leadoff hitters were batting a combined .215 with a .304 on-base percentage, 29 runs and three stolen bases, all last in the league. Good news: Mark McLemore, out a month with a torn ligament in his right hand, tripled in his first game back.

Eleven weeks into the season and Toronto's Benito Santiago is batting .216 with 15 RBI. Santiago, who could make $10 million over the next three years, threw a tantrum Wednesday when reserve Charlie O'Brien started back-to-back games for the first time since April 29. . . . Since starting the season 3-1 with a 2.81, Philadelphia free-agent pitcher Mark Leiter has gone 1-5 with a 7.56 ERA.

``If (Kenny) Rogers thinks Irabu is making too much money, I read somewhere that maybe Rogers should give some of his money back. I didn't say it first, but, hey, maybe he should. He's one of the reasons we need Irabu.''

- George Steinbrenner

- Yankees owner, on his pitcher being upset with the signing of Hideki Irabu.

LOS AT SEA

Toronto's Roger Clemens lost 5-1 to Seattle last Wednesday after an 11-0 start. His record against the Mariners this year and the rest of the American League:

Date Result IP H R ER ERA

4/25 N/D  7 9 6 6 7.71

6/11 Loss 7 7 5 4 5.14

Rest 11-0 83.2 53 11 11 1.18

Note: Ken Griffey had two homers in first meeting against Clemens, a two-run double Wednesday. Griffey is 22 for 53 with five homers lifetime against Clemens.

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos, Box

Photo: (1) The Dodgers Todd Hollandsworth had just two home runs and 18 RBI before being sent down to the minors on Friday.

Daily News File Photo

(2) no caption (Jimmy Key)

(3) CLEMENS

(4) GRIFFEY

Box: EXTRA INNINGS (see text)