DODGERS NOTEBOOK: GIANTS-DODGERS OPENER IN 2000?

Byline: Brian Dohn Daily News Staff Writer

When the San Francisco Giants open Pacific Bell Park next April, they want to play the Dodgers. Giants general manager Brian Sabean said the club has petitioned the National League to play the Dodgers in their home opener next season.

``The request has been put in,'' Sabean said. ``It makes sense.''

The Giants are playing their last season at Candlestick Park (or 3Com Park, for the non-traditionalists) after calling it home since 1960.

The rivalry between the Dodgers and Giants, dating back to the borough battles of the New York days, is rich. When the Giants moved from the Polo Grounds to San Francisco, they played the Dodgers in the Seals Stadium opener. The Dodgers also played the Giants in their Coliseum opener in 1958.

Another chapter to that story will be added at the end of the season when the Giants and Dodgers conclude the regular season, and perhaps Candlestick's baseball history, Sept. 28-30.

Dodgers general manager Kevin Malone said he couldn't think of a better way to start the 2000 season than christening Pacific Bell Park.

``It sounds great to me,'' Malone said. ``I'd be in favor of it. I know the rivalry we have with them. I respect Brian Sabean and (manager) Dusty Baker, and I think it would be fun. I think it would be exciting.''

Major League Baseball will announce the 2000 schedules later in the season, but before they are compiled, questionnaires are sent out to each club. Organizations are asked whether they would prefer to play at home or on the road for the season opener, the end of the first half of the season, the start of the second half and the end of the year.

Sabean said the Giants don't necessarily want the season opener at home, but when that home opener rolls around, they want to play the Dodgers.

However, that could mean Dodgers right-hander Kevin Brown would get the start, which wouldn't bode well for the Giants. Brown is 6-0, including a 1997 no-hitter, with a 0.58 ERA lifetime against the Giants. He's 4-0 with a 0.25 ERA in Candlestick.

Sheffield day-to-day: Dodgers left fielder Gary Sheffield, who was taken out of Thursday's game after experiencing soreness in his right hip, said he expects to play today.

``It's a little sore, but not as sore as (Thursday),'' Sheffield said. ``It's coming around better than I expected.''

Sheffield said he initially hurt the hip chasing a fly ball hit by the game's first batter, Darryl Hamilton. Manager Davey Johnson said he would pinch-hit Sheffield in the ninth inning if Sheffield felt fine, but his first choice was to give him Friday off.

It left the Dodgers with three outfielders - Jacob Brumfield, Raul Mondesi and Devon White. Johnson said infielders Tripp Cromer or Dave Hansen or catcher Paul LoDuca could play the outfield in an emergency. However, Johnson wouldn't rule out using Sheffield as a pinch-hitter late in a tight game.

``Sheff's a little tender so there's no sense pushing it,'' Johnson said. ``He's day-to-day.''

In a pinch: Scott Livingstone had the better spring hitting the baseball. He did so by .144 points on his batting average on cut-down day. The Dodgers still chose Hansen to be their primary left-handed pinch-hitter.

Through four games he was 3 for 4 with a homer. His lone out was a line drive to second that turned into a double play.

``Pinch-hitting, it's all adrenaline,'' Hansen said. ``It's nice to have a little confidence, too. I learned early, you can't cram four at-bats into one. You have to be aggressive, but you have to be smart and be aggressive.''

Balks, walks and chalk: Utility infielder Jose Vizcaino made his first start of the season, in place of Mark Grudzielanek at shortstop. Johnson said it had nothing to do with Grudzielanek's start at the plate. He's hitting .154 (2 for 13). . . . The Dodgers entered Friday as the only NL team yet to commit an error. . . . If the Dodgers have a good weekend at the gate, they could go over the 100 million mark in attendance since Dodger Stadium opened in 1962. The Dodgers entered Friday 121,198 fans short of 100 million.

COLORADO vs. DODGERS

Time: 4:35 p.m., at Dodger Stadium.

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

Matchup: The Dodgers have a strange late-afternoon start because FSW2 is airing a Clippers game tonight. The start will mark the second for Dodgers right-hander Kevin Brown (0-0, 7.94 ERA), who gave up three homers in 5-2/3 innings in his opening-day start against Arizona. The magic number for runs is three when Brown starts. The Padres were 18-2 when scoring more than three runs in Brown starts last season. The Rockies counter with Darryl Kile (1-0), who won the opening-day assignment in Mexico against the Padres after a dreadful spring. Kile was 1-5 with a 9.67 ERA in the Cactus League, but responded with 6-2/3 innings of five-hit ball against the Padres. He allowed one earned run.

- Brian Dohn

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Box: COLORADO vs. DODGERS (See text)