DODGERS NOTEBOOK: SHELBY IS FEELING A 1988 VIBE.

Byline: Tony Jackson Staff Writer

DENVER - Dodgers first-base coach John Shelby, the starting center fielder when the team captured an improbable world championship in 1988, said Monday that the personality of this year's club reminds him a lot of that one.

``It's very similar, just the attitude and the way these guys have bonded together,'' Shelby said. ``Just like that team, we're winning a lot of close ballgames and coming from behind in a lot of them.''

Shelby also said that if everything falls right, this team can go just as far as that one did.

``Judging by the teams we have played, I think we have a good chance,'' he said. ``We haven't seen St. Louis yet, but I thought we fared well against the Yankees (taking two of three), who are supposedly the premier team in baseball. I also thought we played well against Boston, even though we lost (two of three), because we had a chance to win that series. Just looking at how we have played against those teams, I think we match up pretty well.''

While the emotional leader of that '88 team was the hyper-intense Kirk Gibson, Shelby said this team doesn't have a single, universally-recognized leader like that. But he also said it doesn't necessarily need one.

``With this team, I don't know if you have a guy like Gibby, but we have a bunch of guys who go out there and don't quit,'' Shelby said. ``We also have a bunch of good guys coming off the bench. We had some great bench players on that '88 team, guys who did a great job of picking other guys up.''

--Alvarez ready: With rookie right-hander Edwin Jackson still on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right forearm and apparently not close to returning, veteran lefty Wilson Alvarez is in the starting rotation indefinitely.

Earlier this season, Alvarez asked manager Jim Tracy to move him permanently to the bullpen because he felt his body couldn't withstand the grind of starting regularly, with the stipulation that he would be available for occasional spot starts. But, with a little more than two months of the season left, Tracy said Alvarez could physically handle staying in the rotation the rest of the season if he has to.

``One thing that helps is the fact Wilson doesn't have to get 21-24 outs every time he goes out there,'' Tracy said.

``Neither does anybody else in our rotation. Six good innings from him, just like six good innings from anybody else in our starting rotation. With our bullpen, that puts us in a pretty good position.''

--Roberts swings: Two days after straining the left side of his neck while hitting in the indoor batting cage at Dodger Stadium, outfielder Dave Roberts took batting practice with the team on Monday. Roberts took several swings and didn't appear to feel pain on any of them.

Roberts was not in the starting lineup, but was available off the bench.

--Miscellany: Since his 4-for-5 effort on July 18 at Arizona, Dodgers outfielder Jayson Werth was 0 for 14 entering Monday's game at Colorado. ... The Dodgers went into Monday with a National League-best 18-4 record for July, their best July since 1901. ... First baseman Shawn Green, who slumped through the first half, entered the day batting .325 (13 for 40) since the All-Star break, with three doubles, four home runs and 11 RBI.

Tony Jackson,[phone]

tony.jackson(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

box

Box:

DODGERS at COLORADO

- Tony Jackson