DODGERS NOTEBOOK: BLISTER SHELVES PARK.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

CINCINNATI - A day after stabilizing the starting rotation, again there is concern. This time it centers around Chan Ho Park, whose next start is in question because of a bad blood blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand.

The blister is about the size of a dime in the middle of the fingerprint on the middle finger of his right hand. It knocked Park out of his start Saturday after five innings despite his pitch-count being low and the Dodgers well on their way to a 16-2 rout of Cincinnati.

``They drained the blister and took some of the skin off,'' Dodgers manager Davey Johnson said. ``I'm hopeful it will heal in time and he won't miss a start, but I believe he'll probably miss a start. That's very critical to his pitching. It was a huge blood blister.''

However, Park, who recorded his 50th career win, said he plans on starting Thursday in Atlanta. He's hoping to either skip or push back his day to throw in the bullpen in an effort to have the finger heal.

``No, I don't think I'll miss a start,'' said Park, who improved to 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA. ``It was hard to grip the fastball and curve.''

It seems an annual ritual for Park to be afflicted with a blister, but this is in a worse area. Usually, blisters are on the side of the finger and cause problems on certain pitches. Park's blister is in the middle of the finger, and Dodgers physical therapist Pat Screnar said it's ``almost unavoidable'' not to have the ball touch the blister area on every pitch.

Park actually tore the blister in the fourth inning, but Dodgers trainer Stan Johnston treated the finger and Park, despite the pain, finished the inning and then completed the fifth.

If Park can't go, Orel Hershiser could slide into the spot. Hershiser was sent to the bullpen Friday to make room for Kevin Brown's return Tuesday.

``(Park) is going to get every kind of treatment he can get to make him available, but I can't see him throwing on the side so we'll have to see what happens,'' Johnson said. ``I hope he's not going to be too bad. Between pickle juice and everything, hopefully it'll toughen him up.''

--Brown's pen pleasing: Brown could take the final step toward his return with a successful bullpen session and batting practice today. He threw in the bullpen Saturday for the first time since breaking his right pinkie April 8 trying to bunt in New York.

Brown will throw again today in the bullpen before an official decision is made, but barring an unforeseen setback he is slated to be activated and pitch Tuesday in Atlanta against Tom Glavine and the Braves.

``You know it's there, but I don't think it's bad,'' Brown said. ``Just a matter between today and tomorrow getting a little work in, trying to get a feel for everything: the ball, a release point and stuff like that.''

Brown said the swelling in his pinkie would probably exist for a few more weeks, but since he doesn't use the finger much when pitching it shouldn't be a huge distraction.

``It didn't affect his stuff,'' said Davey Johnson. ``He was nasty.''

--Goggle-eyed Gagne: Johnson occasionally jokes about the goggles- looking glasses that right-hander Eric Gagne wears when he pitches, but he better get used to it. Gagne's thinking about getting the corrective laser surgery, but he's years away from it.

``You can't get that until your vision stops changing,'' Gagne, 24, said. ``My eyes get worse every week. I need new glasses every three or four months.''

--Odds and ends: Catcher Todd Hundley needed a triple to complete the cycle Friday. In other words, he had no prayer. ``Triple wasn't going to happen. No way,'' Hundley said. ``They (the outfielders) would have had to fall down or die. Just ain't going to happen.'' Hundley's last triple was in 1997. . . . Right-hander Alan Mills walked with the bases loaded in the ninth inning for the first RBI of his nine-year major-league career.

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Photo: Dodgers trainer Stan Johnston examines Chan Ho Park, who developed a blister on his right middle finger on Saturday.

Al Behrman/Associated Press