DODGERS NOTEBOOK: NUMBERS THERE FOR KARROS, BUT HE'S HARDLY THRILLED.

Byline: Steve Dilbeck Staff Writer

Eric Karros is a long-haul kind of guy. He knows it, too. He might not dazzle you with his daily athletic brilliance, but by the end of the season, his numbers are always there.

Few players have averaged 30 home runs and 102 RBI over the past four years like Karros. And this year he is again on pace for another typical Karros season.

After he hit two home runs Sunday in the Dodgers' 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, he was left with 12 home runs and 36 RBI (both third on the team) in 66 games.

Not that he's getting too worked up about it.

``I don't think anybody can say they're having a good season, because we're not winning,'' Karros said. ``To say I'm having a good season because I'm hitting a lot of home runs is (baloney).

``Nobody is having a great season. That's evident in the win-loss column, not individual stats.''

Rotation shuffle: That big shakeup of the rotation has turned into a minor tweaking. Left-hander Carlos Perez, banned to the bullpen after his latest disastrous outing, has been given a quick reprieve.

Dodgers manager Davey Johnson said Perez (2-8, 7.38 ERA) will likely start the Dodgers' second game in San Francisco on Friday, the next time a fifth starter will be needed.

Right-hander Darren Dreifort was originally going to be bumped from the rotation, too, but ended up taking his turn Saturday, holding the Phillies to one run in 6-2/3 innings.

Johnson said Perez has been working with pitching coach Claude Osteen since his infamous last outing Wednesday, trying to build arm strength and loosen his delivery.

Rescue Squad: Hey, it was fun while it lasted. Like one entire game.

But one day after Johnson filled his lineup with reserves and they responded with a 13-hit, 8-1 victory, it was back to the regulars Sunday. Only Gary Sheffield and his sore knee remained out of the lineup.

``When we don't score runs, I reserve the right to mess with it again,'' Johnson said.

Johnson wanted to give Raul Mondesi his first day off of the season Sunday.

``Yeah, but he didn't want it,'' Johnson said. ``He wanted to play and we have (today) off. I'll get him some rest, though.''

FYI: Sheffield said he expects to return to the lineup when the Dodgers open a three-game series at home Tuesday against the Padres. Sheffield said the right knee has bothered him occasionally for the past two years, and he aggravated it diving for a ball. . . With Kevin Brown's eight-inning start Sunday, the Dodgers starters reached at least the seventh inning in four consecutive games for only the third time this season. . . More hope for a struggling rotation: In the three games against the Phillies, Dodgers starters allowed just five runs in 26 innings.

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PHOTO CARLOS PEREZ

The lefty has received a quick reprieve from bullpen duty and should start on Friday against the Giants.