DODGERS NOTEBOOK: LAROCHE MAKES A BIG IMPRESSION.

Byline: Tony Jackson Staff Writer

VERO BEACH, Fla. - From the moment the Dodgers signed veteran third baseman Bill Mueller to a two-year, $9.5 million contract three months ago, it was clear nothing would be handed to Andy LaRoche.

It didn't matter that LaRoche was the club's top third-base prospect or that he already had been a Baseball America cover boy, because the only way LaRoche was going to reach the big leagues after Mueller's signing was to force his way there.

On Sunday, he officially began that process.

In the Dodgers' 16-2 pounding of a laughably depleted New York Mets split squad in front of 4,856 at Holman Stadium, LaRoche entered defensively in the top of the sixth, then drove in six runs in the bottom of that inning. He began with a bases-loaded single off Jason Scobie to score two, then capped the Dodgers' 11-run outburst with a towering grand slam off Juan Perez.

The ball was hit so high that fans initially remained silent, assuming it was an inning-ending, flyball out. But it continued to carry, eventually landing about halfway up the berm in left to give the Dodgers a 15-0 lead.

LaRoche, who has appeared in all four of the Dodgers' Grapefruit League games and gone 3 for 9 with the home run and seven RBI, has no shot at the Opening Day roster. He has logged just half a season at Double-A, never higher. But he already has made an impression on the new brass, a fact that could benefit him when September callups are doled out.

``I think the label put on this kid ... is that he's a gamer,'' Dodgers manager Grady Little said. ``He's not really a guy who is going to light up your eyes during batting practice or defensive drills. But once the game starts, he really puts on a show.''

Moreover, if LaRoche has another season like last year, when he hit .305 with 30 homers and 94 RBI, he might render Mueller expendable.

``My mindset right now is just to learn as much as I can from these big leaguers while I'm here, hopefully play as well as I can and try to make a good impression,'' LaRoche said. ``After that, I'll let the pieces fall where they may.

``If they send me to Jacksonville, fine. If they send me to (Triple-A Las) Vegas, fine. I would like to think that if I play the way I'm capable of and play hard every day, sometime this year, hopefully, I'll get to the big leagues. But if not, that's fine. It's whatever they need me to do to help the team.''

--Good starts: Derek Lowe and Odalis Perez, who pitched a simulated game against each other last week, made their Grapefruit League debuts. Lowe began the game with three perfect innings, and Perez followed with three scoreless innings in which he allowed only a bunt single by Carlos Gomez and a walk.

Neither pitcher was scheduled to go more than two innings, but each was allowed three because his pitch count was so low. Lowe threw just 29 (22 strikes), and Perez, who is slated to throw up to 65 for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic against Italy on Thursday, threw 43.

``He's different than a lot of pitchers,'' Little said of Perez. ``He throws a lot of offspeed pitches. As far as taxing your body, that's not the same as throwing fastball after fastball.''

--Not ready: Little said it will be at least another week before Rafael Furcal (knee surgery) appears in a game.

Tony Jackson,[phone]

tony.jackson(at)dailynews.com

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photo, box

Photo:

Odalis Perez threw three scoreless innings in the Dodgers' spring training game against the New York Mets on Sunday.

Rick Silva/Associated Press

Box:

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

- Tony Jackson