DODGERS NOTEBOOK: BRASS PACIFIES `A NEW' WHITE.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

VERO BEACH, Fla. - A day after voicing concern over his role, Devon White got a better handle on the center-field situation Tuesday from the Dodgers brass.

As position players reported to Dodgertown in preparation for today's first full-squad workout, Dodgers manager Davey Johnson and general manager Kevin Malone, along with senior vice president Derrick Hall, held separate meetings with White.

It was done to ease tension among all sides and give White clarification as to what he needs to do better this season. And White got the message.

``What is in question now is my defense, and when I came into the league I was a defensive player,'' White said. ``I'm not a good defensive player anymore? You tell me. I'm going to go out and give my best effort.''

When healthy, White is one of the top defensive center fielders in baseball. But his 1999 season was blemished with hamstring, neck and groin injuries, not to mention a sore shoulder that kept him from diving for some balls. But White tried to keep that quiet, because he doesn't want to use injuries as an excuse, Dodgers officials said.

White was booed by fans for his play, and questions about his commitment began to leak out when he missed games because of nagging injuries.

``I think Devo is committed to showing the Dodger fans that he's 100 percent this year, and they're going to see a new Devon White,'' Malone said. ``He's going to run more. His legs feel much better. If he's healthy, he wants to prove to the Dodger fans that he's going to have a good year, and he's disappointed that he didn't have the type of year he wanted to in '99.

``He's going to show the fans this year that he's going to be the type of player that he was, a Gold Glover, and run and play the type of game we need played. He's going to play defense.''

In an attempt to settle the issue early, Johnson and Malone both said White is the starting center fielder - but there is one stipulation.

White must be healthy, and right now he's not. His left shoulder, on which he had surgery in October to repair cartilage, is less than 100 percent. But Malone said White would be ready by opening day. Should White not be ready, Todd Hollandsworth is waiting in the wings.

--Looking for a lefty: Left-handers hit .156 off Dodgers lefty Pedro Borbon last season, but he's now in Toronto. The job of facing left-handed hitters late in a close game this season should fall to 22-year-old Onan Masaoka, who was protected by Johnson for much of last season.

''I feel confident enough I could do it,'' said Masaoka, who held lefties to a .217 average last season. ``When I heard (Borbon) got traded, I wasn't happy about it, but I know a spot opened up. If I can fill it, I would take that as a challenge.''

However, since the Dodgers have an surplus of right-handed pitchers, a trade is possible if a left-hander becomes available for the right price.

--Odds and ends: Though it's early and pitchers haven't faced live hitting, the Dodgers are excited about how well Mike Fetters, a Van Nuys native and Pepperdine product, has thrown the ball. . . . Right-hander Antonio Osuna, trying to overcome elbow problems that plagued him all last season, threw off the mound for the first time since undergoing surgery in September.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo: Dodgers executives said Devon White is the team's starting center fielder, as long as he's 100 percent healthy.

Associated Press