DODGERS NOTEBOOK: PEREZ: I'VE PROVEN I DESERVE FIFTH SPOT.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

VERO BEACH, Fla. - If you ask Odalis Perez, the competition for the No. 5 spot in the Dodgers' starting rotation has been decided.

Perez, the favorite in the competition that includes Omar Daal and Eric Gagne, threw an impressive four shutout innings in Thursday's 4-1 loss to St. Louis. The left-hander allowed just two hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out two, demonstrating why the Dodgers insisted he be included in the Gary Sheffield-Brian Jordan trade.

``I think I have proven it,'' Perez said. ``I think I deserve to be in the fifth spot. But it's like I said, nobody can say anything because you don't know. Nobody knows.''

Well, the Dodgers know. Right now the brain trust says it is analyzing the situation, but Perez came to spring training as the leader for the fifth spot in the overcrowded rotation and has done nothing to change that.

Perez is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 13 spring innings. He's struck out 11, walked one, allowed 11 hits and has shown a splendid changeup.

``I prefer not to use him in the bullpen,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. ``I will not say I won't, but I would prefer not to.''

Gagne also has a strong argument for the fifth spot. Opponents are batting .105 against him and he's yet to allow an earned run in 12 spring innings. However, Perez gives the Dodgers another lefty in the rotation, in a division dominated by left-handed power hitters.

``If I do a good job here in spring training, they have to do something good for me,'' Perez said. ``They have to give me the opportunity to pitch, to put me in the bullpen or anything is fine with me because I don't want to go back to the minor leagues. I think I have good-enough stuff to be in the big leagues, but nobody can say anything right now.''

--Ashby looks for answers: For the second consecutive start, Dodgers right-hander Andy Ashby was unhappy because he gave up two-out runs and was unable to put batters away despite being ahead in counts. He allowed two runs with two outs in the first inning Thursday on Albert Pujols' homer, then was touched for an 0-2 homer by Mike DeFelice in the second inning.

Ashby also added a new concern. The velocity on his fastball was consistently 87 to 89 mph, a dropoff from the past.

``I don't feel like I have velocity,'' Ashby said. ``They say that's the last thing to come. That's another thing I'm trying to do, go out and force it. If I could get it back to 91, 92 (mph), that would be great.''

--Brown still targets opener: The Dodgers said staff ace Kevin Brown could miss the first week of the season as he returns from right-elbow surgery, but the right-hander said he still plans on pitching opening day.

``Nothing (has) changed as far as I'm concerned,'' Brown said. ``I got moved back one day. That's it.''

Brown was supposed to pitch Thursday but, after experiencing stiffness in his elbow after Sunday's start, was pushed back to today against Florida. Pitching coach Jim Colborn said Brown could be ready to pitch the first week of the season, but that was ``probably a perfect world.''

The Dodgers open the season April 2 against San Francisco, which gives Brown less than three weeks to get ready. He is scheduled to pitch only two innings today against the Marlins.

--Odds and ends: Brian Jordan, the expected left fielder, made his spring debut in center while Tom Goodwin played in left. Tracy intends to experiment with Jordan in center field to create options. ... Union head Donald Fehr spoke with players for nearly two hours before the game against St. Louis, updating them on the negotiations with ownership. The sides don't have a collective-bargaining agreement, have met six times since the beginning of spring training and there is no solution in sight. ``I don't want to categorize progress or lack of progress. I think all I can say is we have a lot of work to do,'' Fehr said. ...

Dave Roberts, a center-field/leadoff-hitter candidate, is bothered by a strained right thigh muscle and will miss the next few days. ... The Dodgers will pitch Kazuhisa Ishii and Hideo Nomo this weekend against the Yankees, who counter with Sterling Hitchcock and Roger Clemens. Both games are to be televised in Los Angeles, but the Yankees won't be bringing their best. Alfonso Soriano and third-base prospect Drew Henson also will make the trip. However, the Yankees won't stay in Vero Beach because of a lack of hotels. Instead, they will stay 45 minutes away in Melbourne.

DODGERS vs. ATLANTA/FLORIDA

Time: 10:05 a.m., Disney's Wide World of Sports; 4:05 p.m., Holman Stadium.

Radio: (For Florida game only) 1150-AM, 1330-AM (Spanish).

Matchup: LH Terry Mulholland starts in the early game against Atlanta RH Jason Marquis. RH Kevin Brown and LH Omar Daal will pitch against the Marlins. RH Ryan Dempster pitches for Florida.

Thursday's result: The Dodgers are winless in their last five games after a 4-1 loss to St. Louis. Andy Ashby allowed three runs, including two homers, in three innings.

- Brian Dohn

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Dodgers left-hander Odalis Perez threw four shutout innings Thursday in a 4-1 loss to St. Louis. Perez has a 2-0 record with a 2.08 ERA in 13 spring innings, striking out 11 and allowing 11 hits.

Doug Murray/Associated Press

Box:

DODGERS vs. ATLANTA/FLORIDA (see text)