DISPOSITION FOR POSITION HERNANDEZ'S FRAME OF MIND RIGHT FOR ROLE AS DODGERS RESERVE.

Byline: Tony Jackson  Staff Writer

TORONTO - Normally, when a major-league veteran and former All-Star goes into the offseason as a free agent, he does so with visions of dollar signs dancing in his head, the only uncertainty being how long he should wait before he ends the bidding and accepts one of what are sure to be several offers.

Jose Hernandez went into last fall with a little more trepidation.

Fresh off two of the strangest seasons any ballplayer has had back-to-back, Hernandez wasn't entirely sure how he would be perceived on the open market, much less how much he stood to make the following season.

While with Milwaukee in 2002, Hernandez had the rare pleasure of playing in an All-Star Game at his home park in a season he still says was the best of his career. But Hernandez finished that year awash in controversy, having fallen one strikeout short of tying Bobby Bonds' all-time, single-season record of 189. He might have surpassed the mark if he hadn't more or less taken himself out of the lineup during a season-ending series in St. Louis.

Then, after signing with Colorado that winter, he spent 2003 with three clubs, finishing with the woeful Pittsburgh Pirates before becoming a free agent again. By that time, the label had attached itself like a tattoo to Hernandez's career, that being that he was entirely too strikeout-prone for a middle infielder - or any other big-league player.

Hernandez isn't an imposing man. He is almost always friendly and engaging. But there were a lot of major-league general managers last winter who were afraid to go near him. Hernandez's agent at the time, former big-league pitcher Juan Agosto, told him early in the offseason that there was plenty of interest, but most of those teams never came up with a formal offer.

Even after Hernandez fired Agosto and hired Scott Boras, ultimately, there were only two firm offers, from the Dodgers and New York Yankees. Neither could do better than a minor-league contract and an invitation to big-league spring training.

The Yankees, who were trying to replace the world's unluckiest pickup basketball player at third base, wanted Hernandez to compete with four other players for the job. The Dodgers wanted him to compete only for a backup infield spot.

Hernandez, thinking it was a better chance to open the season in the majors, took the Dodgers' offer. Since then, he hasn't looked back.

``It's nice to be here,'' Hernandez said. ``I'm not playing every day, but I'm just enjoying watching from the bench because this team is fun to watch. (Manager Jim Tracy) gives everybody a chance to play. Everybody supports each other, and I think that's a big reason why we got off to the start we did.

``I just thank God I made the right decision to sign here.''

The club is every bit as thankful.

Despite limited playing time, Hernandez is hitting .361, with four doubles and four home runs. He has a .583 slugging percentage, and he has done what he can to shake that part of his reputation that haunts him most, striking out just 13 times in 72 at-bats. He also has provided an experienced, professional presence in the clubhouse.

Hernandez has started one-third of the Dodgers' games (18 of 54), which is more than was originally planned. But injuries have created more playing time, and Tracy usually starts Hernandez either at second base or shortstop against left-handed pitchers.

Hernandez has had two four-hit games this season. After each, he began the next game on the bench. But the fact he accepts that as part of his role with the club is another reason why Hernandez is such a valuable piece.

``I know I'm not the everyday second baseman,'' said Hernandez, who has made 13 of his starts at that position. ``Alex (Cora) is going to play every day. I'm just thankful they're giving me a chance to play in the big leagues. I could go 0 for whatever or 5 for 5, and Alex would be playing the next day. I played all three games in Pittsburgh (May 7-9, going 4 for 12 with two homers), and that was nice. But I'm just taking it day by day and waiting for my chance.''

It's a surprising attitude for a player who only two years ago, interspersed with all those strikeouts, was hitting .288 with 24 doubles, 24 homers and 73 RBI. He joined Brewers teammate Richie Sexson on the All-Star team that year, and both received loud, standing ovations at Miller Park. But later, as Hernandez neared the record and the Brewers neared the end of another forgettable season, the Milwaukee fans began to ride him unmercifully.

Finally, on the next-to-last game of the Brewers' final homestand, Hernandez said the fans rose to their feet when he got to two strikes, then booed him for flying out rather than striking out. After that game, Hernandez said he told interim manager Jerry Royster - who along with GM Dean Taylor was clearly on the way out after the season - that he didn't want to play in the home finale the next day, but that he would play on a season-ending trip to Houston and St. Louis.

``He said, 'all right, no problem, no big deal,' '' Hernandez said. ``I didn't think it would make any difference. We were already assured of finishing in last place.''

Hernandez said Royster obliged him until the opener of a four-game, season-ending series with the Cardinals. But when Royster didn't start him that night, an angry Hernandez said he was sitting out the final three, as well.

Even after all that, he hoped to re-sign with the Brewers that winter, but Hernandez said new GM Doug Melvin never made an offer. Hernandez landed in Colorado, was traded June 20 to the Chicago Cubs for Mark Bellhorn, then was traded again July 23 to Pittsburgh, for Aramis Ramirez, Kenny Lofton and cash. He wound up hitting .225 for the season.

What followed was a long winter of uncertainty and, finally, a minor- league deal with the Dodgers, which Hernandez signed Jan. 27. It came with no guarantees, but he had an outstanding spring. That afforded Dodgers GM Paul DePodesta enough flexibility to trade utility infielder Jolbert Cabrera, who went to Seattle for prospects April 3.

Hernandez said he never had a problem with Royster, who now is the Dodgers' minor-league infield coordinator, and that the two spoke cordially during spring training.

``He did what he had to do,'' Hernandez said. ``Like I said, we made the decision that I was going to play those last seven games. But his decision was to give me the day off that first day in St. Louis. My reaction was, '(Forget) it, I won't play at all.' ''

Hernandez has had no such displays of attitude with the Dodgers. Besides being a utility man who can play seven positions, he also is a relative bargain at $875,000, a modest savings of $125,000 off what Cabrera would have made. He is hitting well above .300 against left-handers and right-handers. And, perhaps most importantly, he has done everything Tracy has asked without complaint.

If Hernandez keeps this up, he finally will shed the stigma of 2002, when he not only became an All-Star but almost became a dubious, historical footnote.

Tony Jackson, [phone]

tony.jackson(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Free-agent interest in Jose Hernandez was under par because of a perceived attitude problem. But he's fit in just fine in L.A.

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer

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DODGERS at TORONTO

- Tony Jackson