DODGERS NOTEBOOK: DAVEY: LET'S HAVE SOME FUN.

Byline: Steve Dilbeck Staff Writer

Maybe Davey Johnson missed his calling. Maybe the Republicans should have invited him to Philadelphia to liven up things.

Johnson sounded like a man stumping, or at least in need of a good podium, as he settled into the Dodgers dugout prior to Monday's opener against the Brewers and gave a state-of-the-team address.

Entering Monday's game, the Dodgers play 32 of their final 57 games at home. Trades are done. Players are finally healthy. The suspensions almost complete.

And they're in a pennant race.

``I'm proud of where this club is,'' Johnson said. ``We have an opportunity to have some fun from here on in. It's only fun if you win and in a pennant race. It ain't fun any time else.

``There's a pretty good feeling on this club. Some things are going our way and we have to build a little momentum and see where it takes us.''

Johnson said everything that has happened to the Dodgers this season ``has put us in position to play like a championship club. The feeling on this club is that we have a lot to do yet.

``We really haven't played our best ball yet.''

--Welcome home, now win: Right-hander Ismael Valdes is scheduled to make his first start at Chavez Ravine in his second coming as a Dodger on Sunday.

Valdes battled injuries early in the season and won only two games with the Cubs before his unexpected trade back to the Dodgers but returns with a club needing production from the rotation.

Valdes, however, said he feels no extra burden to produce.

``It's normal,'' he said. ``I'm not going to try and do any more than I'm capable.''

If some in the organization privately questioned his tenacity, Valdes said he returns a different man, if not pitcher.

``I got married, I matured,'' he said. ``I had a great experience in Chicago.''

--Stretch it: Johnson is unsure how many innings right-hander Matt Herges will go in his first start, scheduled for Monday.

``He'll probably go 70-to-80 pitches,'' Johnson said. ``Maybe more. He's strong.

``I'd pitch him one night, come back with him the next day. He's pretty stretched out.''

Johnson said Antonio Osuna will takes Herges' spot as the long reliever.

``We've had some trouble with the fourth and fifth spots (in the rotation) all year,'' he said. ``I hate to mess with the bullpen. We finally got it to where it's very functional.''

--A familiar note: Former team owner Peter O'Malley, now president of the Little League Foundation, continues his efforts to promote baseball internationally. O'Malley is in Kutno, Poland, today to take part in the dedication of a new 4,000-seat Little League stadium.

Stan Musial, whom the stadium is named after, and Poland president Aleksander Kwasniewski are also scheduled to participate in the ceremony.

--Odds and ends: Utility player F.P. Santangelo served the second day of his five-game suspension for his involvement in the Wrigley Field incident. . . . General manager Kevin Malone is in Round Rock, Texas, this weekend to scout Double-A San Antonio. . . . The Dodgers lowered the flag to half-staff and had a pregame moment of silence in honor of former club executive Bill Schweppe, who was buried in Anaheim on Monday. . . . Tonight is the annual Hollywood Stars pregame. Autogates open at 4:30 p.m. and the stadium at 5 p.m.

DODGERS vs. MILWAUKEE

Time: 7:10 p.m., at Dodger Stadium

TV/Radio: FSN2; 1150-AM, KWKW-AM (1330 Spanish)

Matchup: Right-hander Chan Ho Park (11-8, 4.08 ERA) will attempt to lower his ERA under 4.00 in the second meeting of this three-game series against Milwaukee. Park is 2-0 with a 4.07 ERA lifetime in four career starts vs. the Brewers. He'll be opposed by one of baseball's hottest starters in right-hander Jeff D'Amico (7-4, 1.81). D'Amico was the NL Pitcher of the Month in July, going 5-0 with a 0.76 ERA in six starts. He has never faced the Dodgers.

- Steve Dilbeck

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Box: Dodgers vs. Milwaukee (see text)