DODGERS NOTEBOOK: SHORT REST AN OPTION IF ROTATION IS SQUEEZED.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

If the National League wild-card race comes down to the final weekend of the regular season, or even beyond, the Dodgers should be well armed.

Manager Jim Tracy said Sunday that if necessary he will use starting pitchers on three days' rest in the final week, an idea to which he has been lukewarm in the past.

That would likely mean Kevin Brown pitching the season finale Sept. 28 at Pacific Bell Park and Hideo Nomo throwing a possible one-game wild-card playoff the following day, both on short rest. If the Dodgers make the postseason without needing a single-game playoff, Nomo would pitch Game 1 in the division series.

``Obviously those loom as possibly very, very important games,'' Tracy said. ``We've spent a lot of time talking about this.''

Tracy's plan also would involve pitching Wilson Alvarez on three days' rest during a Sept. 27 doubleheader, along with Odalis Perez. Under a best-case scenario for the Dodgers, they would have the wild-card spot wrapped up before the final days and could scrap the short-rest plan.

``Who knows, we might have a lead, to the point where we can entertain going back to Edwin Jackson and rebuild our arsenal,'' Tracy said. ``We're going to react to the circumstances around us, I think that's the best way to put it.''

Brown and Alvarez both pitched on short rest in mid-August, when Andy Ashby fell ill during a series at Florida. Alvarez allowed one run on four hits in six innings and Brown allowed three runs on five hits in seven innings.

Nomo, who usually has high pitch counts in his outings, has not pitched on three days' rest since rejoining the Dodgers last season. Tracy did not use any of his starters on short rest last September when the Dodgers fell short of the wild-card spot.

--Getting there: Fred McGriff, slowed by previous groin and knee injuries and the general problems of being 39 years old, sat out Sunday's game even though he has hit safely in seven of nine games this month and looked good scoring from third on a shallow sacrifice fly Saturday night.

``He's not only been swinging the bat well but moving around well,'' Tracy said. ``We just can't push that envelope so firmly to the point that we incur another problem.''

--Taking advantage: The success of Paul Lo Duca and the return of veteran Todd Hundley from injury have limited the playing time of catcher David Ross. But on Sunday, Ross showed the Dodgers that he can be a valuable contributor.

In just his second start since Aug. 21, Ross hit solo home runs in the third and sixth innings and walked in the eighth.

``You just play and do the best you can,'' Ross said. ``If it works out that I'm meant to be up here, then that's great.''

Ross saw extended time this season when the Dodgers had injury problems and Lo Duca spent some time at first base and in left field. Ross has shown power potential but is also prone to strikeouts. For the season, Ross is hitting .248 with nine home runs, 17 RBI and 41 strikeouts in 113 at-bats.

``We've never questioned his ability to catch and throw and his mental approach,'' Tracy said. ``He has as much raw power as anybody in our order. What we're seeing here is a young guy ... who has been given some opportunities and is taking advantage of them.''

Rich Hammond, [phone]

rich.hammond(at)dailynews.com