DODGERS NOTEBOOK: `WE NEED SHAWN TO COME AROUND'.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

DENVER - While Dodgers manager Jim Tracy continued his lineup tinkering Wednesday by moving Tom Goodwin out of the leadoff spot for the first time, he revealed that Shawn Green must hit better for the offense to be successful.

``There's no getting around the fact that we need Shawn to come around,'' Tracy said. ``Shawn is a big part of this ballclub. He's a major part of this club. He's a big cog in the wheel as far as our offensive situation is concerned.''

Green leads the Dodgers with 31 RBI, but his production has been sporadic. He's batting .262 but hasn't provided the protection for Gary Sheffield in the lineup the Dodgers had hoped for.

Green ranks in the lower half in several key offensive categories among National League right fielders. Out of the 19 who qualify at the position, he's 14th in batting average, 10th in RBI, eighth in homers (10) and 12th in on-base percentage (.345), a statistic Tracy often calls the most telling.

With Eric Karros out with a strained back, Tracy has looked for more punch in the middle of the lineup. Green usually bats cleanup but hit fifth against the Colorado Rockies' Pedro Astacio in the series finale. A day earlier, Green batted sixth against lefty Denny Neagle. Usually he bats fifth against left-handers.

``(Green's swing) has just kind of been back and forth,'' Tracy said. ``We saw it starting to come to life in New York (this past weekend) and yet he hasn't had quite the success here in this series that I'm sure Shawn would have liked to have had.

``Hitting is something that's a very contagious thing. You have to ride out times like this and trust in the fact that you know what kind of offensive player this guy is, and what he's capable of, and he's got to get going.''

When the Dodgers traded Raul Mondesi for Green after the 1999 season, the Dodgers thought they were getting the same player who batted .309 with 42 homers, 123 RBI and 20 stolen bases that year. He signed a six-year, $84 million deal to consummate the trade.

Management chalked up last season's .269 average with 24 homers and 99 RBI to the learning process of playing at home and in a new league, but there haven't been tangible differences this season.

Green is batting .207 (19 for 92) on the road and is batting .208 (16 for 77) with four homers and 12 RBI in May.

--Medical report: Though it's an off day, plenty will take place today that will have ramifications in the organization. Karros will be examined by back specialist Dr. Robert Watkins, and Sheffield said he plans to have an MRI, which he hopes won't reveal ligament damage in his left index finger. It has been swollen for the last month since he injured it fielding a ball.

``It's an evaluation to see where we're at exactly with his back situation'' Tracy said.

Sheffield had a miserable road trip, going 3 for 31 and driving in two runs in the nine games.

``I want to take extra batting practice, but I can't take it,'' Sheffield said.

--Grissom vs. Goodwin: Even though Marquis Grissom is yet to draw a walk, his on-base percentage was higher than Goodwin's entering the game thanks to a .277 batting average. Grissom also is third on the club with eight homers. But despite having three hits Tuesday, Grissom was on the bench in favor of Goodwin for the series finale.

Goodwin was batting .213 with a .271 on-base percentage, but both have been moved out of the leadoff spot. Grissom, who has 16 RBI, is averaging a homer every 12.6 at-bats, the best ratio on the team.

--Odds and ends: It was a tough day for Rockies leadoff hitter Juan Pierre. He was called out for running inside the baseline on a bunt in the fourth inning, then had a batted ball hit him while running to second base in the sixth inning. ... With runners on the corners and two outs, Dodgers reliever Mike Fetters had Adam Melhuse all but picked off at first with the Little League play of faking a pickoff to third and whirling to first. However, Fetters threw the ball away and allowed a run to score. ... Dodgers reliever Giovanni Carrara walked two in two-thirds of an inning but hasn't allowed a hit in his 7 2/3 innings this season.