DODGERS NOTEBOOK: AMONG ALL THOSE UNRESOLVED ISSUES, THERE'S MONDESI.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

Dodgers manager Davey Johnson does more than dabble a little bit in real estate. He used to be a realtor, which is why he quantified right fielder Raul Mondesi's plight with the club in those terms.

``Do you ever want to trade a player when he hasn't peaked? No,'' Johnson said. ``It's like selling your house during the depression.''

But it brings to light another question Johnson didn't want to answer: Has Mondesi peaked already? Some scouts answer in the affirmative. His teammates, particularly Gary Sheffield, say no way. The front office doesn't want to answer.

In what has been the most rocky season of Mondesi's career, his last game for the Dodgers may have been Sunday's 9-4 loss to Houston that ended with Mondesi striking out.

In keeping with his mantra since blasting management during an August tirade, Mondesi didn't want to talk about his future with the Dodgers. He certainly didn't want to recant his demand to be traded.

``I just feel like a player with his ability, the sky is the limit,'' said Sheffield, who added the Dodgers should hold onto Mondesi. ``Players like that . . . it's up to him to see how good he can be. As an organization, it makes it tough to trade a guy like that. Mondy doesn't even know half of what he can do.''

Even in a subpar season, Mondesi reached the 30-30 mark. He hit 33 homers, stole 36 bases and drove in 99 runs, all career highs.

``He's been confused most of the season about the kind of player he could be,'' Johnson said. ``He could turn the corner and it would be as dramatic as (Sammy) Sosa hitting home runs and not striking out.''

Coaches' corner: The decision on the Dodgers' coaching staff sits with the front office, and should be hashed out in the next few days. Sources said manager Davey Johnson wants the coaching staff to return intact, though he wouldn't talk about it. However, the first-year Dodgers skipper did speak about the staff in general.

``Anytime a group of coaches comes together, it takes a little while for everybody to understand the positions of the coaches,'' Johnson said. ``We all have different job descriptions and different areas of expertise. I feel this has been a good group of guys, a good group of coaches.

``The bringing of them together was kind of fragmented from different sources. People with the Dodgers before I came in here have done a good job. People I brought in, people (general manager) Kevin (Malone) brought in have done a good job. Our relationship, our working relationship, has been good.

``To me, it has to start with player performance and player personnel. Those are the things in which I have some impact.''

FYI: Center fielder Devon White will undergo arthroscopic surgery Tuesday on his left shoulder to shave a piece from his AC joint. White is expected to be ready in time for spring training. The procedure will be done by Dr. Lewis Yocum at Centinela Medical Center Hospital. . . . Mark Grudzielanek went 2 for 5 and finished the season batting .326, establishing a club mark for shortstops.