DODGERS NOTEBOOK: ADMIRING EYE FOLLOWS RIPKEN.

Byline: Lee Barnathan Staff Writer

The 3,000-hit countdown ended in Minnesota for Cal Ripken, and some 2,000 miles away a former manager watched and smiled.

Dodgers manager Davey Johnson skippered Ripken and the Baltimore Orioles to the American League wild card in 1996 and to the AL East title the next year.

Orioles faithful might remember Johnson more for wanting to move Ripken to third base than anything else, but Johnson has just positive memories of Ripken, who reached 3,000 career hits Saturday.

``He's already in the Hall of Fame,'' Johnson said before Saturday's Dodgers-Reds game. ``Three thousand hits isn't a criteria for him. His accomplishments are second to none. Anything Cal set his mind on, he was going to accomplish, no question.''

Like many Ripken supporters, Johnson found the Baltimore icon extremely gifted, even when it came to judging personnel.

Johnson privately talked with Ripken about moving him from shortstop to third base. Ripken wasn't in favor at first but told Johnson he would do what his manager asked.

``He said, `Skip, whatever you want to do,' '' Johnson recounted, `` `but I don't think that other guy can play short.' He was talking about Manny Alexander - and he was right.

``When we picked up (Mike) Bordick, he moved.''

The press caught wind of Johnson's discussions, and some interpreted Ripken's hesitation as his attempting to usurp Johnson's authority.

Not so, Johnson said.

``In no way, shape or form did he try to manage or control the ball club,'' Johnson said.

When players would talk to Ripken, said Johnson, ``I told Cal to pass them on to me.''

``Cal certainly held up his end in every way conceivable,'' said Johnson said.

--Dwindling homecoming: Dmitri Young, who attended Rio Mesa of Oxnard, is in town with the Reds. Of course, that means family and friends attend the series, including Young's brother, Delmon, a Camarillo freshman who served as bat boy Friday.

For this trip, however, Young, has left just enough tickets for his parents, three siblings and a handful of friends. That was in stark contrast to 1996, when he made his major-league debut with St. Louis. When the Cardinals first played here, Young left close to 80 tickets.

The difference: The novelty of Young in the majors has worn off. Plus, he only leaves tickets for the people who have shown an interest in him or his family.

``Everyone else, you want to see me, you've got to pay,'' he said.

DODGERS vs. CINCINNATI

Time: 1:10 p.m. at Dodger Stadium 

TV/Radio: Fox Sports Net 2; KXTA-AM (1150), KWKW-AM (1330 Spanish)

Matchup: Right-hander Chan Ho Park (2-0, 4.50 ERA) opposes right-hander Steve Parris (0-2, 10.00 ERA) in the final game of this three-game series. Park is 2-2 with a 3.95 ERA against Cincinnati. Parris is 1-2 with a 2.66 ERA against the Dodgers, but he beat them last year with seven innings of one-earned-run ball in his only start against them.

- Lee Barnathan

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Box: Dodgers vs. Cincinatti (see text)