DODGERS BEING SAVED BY BULLPEN.

Byline: Kevin Acee Daily News Staff Writer

They know people are impressed. And they don't care.

They are the members of the Dodgers bullpen. And they don't scare.

A mix of veteran relievers, wannabe starters and downright mellowness makes up baseball's best bullpen. What was hypothesized in the spring has come to fruition:

``The thing that makes these guys so tough is their bullpen,'' Pittsburgh Pirates manager Gene Lamont said of the Dodgers. ``Their bullpen gives them the advantage over other teams.''

Granted, the season is 11 games old. But the Dodgers bullpen is tops in the major leagues with a 0.62 ERA. Sunday's earned run given up by Darren Hall, with the Dodgers ahead by too many runs to matter, was just the third earned run scored against the relievers in 43-2/3 innings this season. The bullpen has allowed 19 hits. Just one of seven inherited runners have scored.

The bullpen is 4-0 with four saves. And the pitchers don't care.

``Everyone is making a big deal out of it,'' said Scott Radinsky, who leads the major leagues with seven appearances. ``Nobody in the bullpen has even talked about it.''

Ismael Valdes is talking about it. He will start tonight's game against the New York Mets. He will leave that game with no worries.

``You get to relax because you have the best bullpen in the big leagues,'' Valdes said. ``That gives you confidence. It doesn't matter if it's a close game, a long game, they can do it.''

They can do it, whatever it is.

Dodgers manager Bill Russell can - and has - called on his relievers in so many different situations this season, it is laughable. Laughable for the Dodgers. Not too funny for the opponents hitting .122 against the Dodgers bullpen.

``We will go through a period where roles are defined,'' Mark Guthrie said. ``When everyone is going good like what's happening right now, whoever has the most rest gets the ball.''

There's plenty of quality arms to go around. That is the point.

``There's enough depth,'' pitching coach Dave Wallace said. ``You don't have to rely on one guy all the time. All these guys can set up, finish a game or give you two or three innings whenever you need them to.''

Here is how that has happened:

On April 2, Guthrie started the eighth inning in place of starter Hideo Nomo. The left-hander got two outs and allowed two hits before Darren Dreifort relieved him. On April 3, he struck out the only batter he faced to end the eighth after Hall and Radinsky had combined to put two runners on. On April 4, he pitched the entire eighth inning. Three consecutive days; three different roles.

His eight innings tie him with Tom Candiotti for tops in the bullpen.

Candiotti closed out the Dodgers' Opening Day loss with a perfect ninth. Three days later, he relieved starter Pedro Astacio at the beginning of the sixth inning with the score tied 2-2. He pitched two no-hit innings and got the victory. He got his second victory after pitching a perfect 14th inning against the New York Mets on April 9.

He has allowed two hits and walked one in eight innings.

Dreifort pitched 1-1/3 no-hit innings in the Dodgers' first victory of the season on April 2. Four nights later, he pitched three innings (the sixth through eighth), allowing one hit and getting the win against the Pirates.

Opponents are batting .053 against him.

Hall has been the scariest. The run against the Pirates on Sunday, however, was the first he allowed. He has given up a bullpen-high seven hits and walked five in 6-1/3.

Radinsky comes close to having a role, without having a definite role.

After going two innings on Opening Day, he has either pitched two-thirds of an inning or a full inning in his appearances. He has relieved the starter three times and replaced Candiotti twice. The left-hander has pitched in the eighth inning six times.

Closer Todd Worrell is the one with a defined role.

He earned three saves with three perfect innings in a span of four games. He also closed out the Dodgers' 5-3 loss to the Mets on April 8 with a perfect ninth.

His only misstep was a blown save - on a walk, a stolen base and a single - against the Mets on April 9. His fellow relievers closed down New York the next five innings as the Dodgers won.

No one can forget Astacio's contribution to the relief corps. He closed out the Dodgers' 3-2, 15-inning victory over the New York Mets on April 7 with three innings of one-hit ball.

Now Chan Ho Park will join the bullpen temporarily. Park's starting services will not be needed at least until May 1. There is little doubt, after his performance in the bullpen last season and his effectiveness in two starts this season, that Park will not bring down the bar.

``I don't (worry) about the bullpen,'' sad Park, who gave up a run on two hits in seven innings in his April 9 start. ``I have experience there. I can relax.''

Park can join Guthrie and Candiotti in meetings of Starters Anonymous.

Guthrie desperately, but quietly, wanted the chance to make the starting rotation in spring training. He has abandoned those aspirations until at least the end of the season.

``You've got to give guys credit for accepting their roles,'' Wallace said.