DODGERS NOTEBOOK: WHITE'S EFFORT COULD BE COSTLY.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

Devon White caught flack from fans late last season when he didn't dive for balls in center field. Dodgers manager Davey Johnson believes White was thinking about that when he jammed his shoulder diving Tuesday.

The consequences of that attempt to catch Brian Jordan's line drive in the right-center field gap in the top of the ninth inning could be dire: White wasn't available for Wednesday's series finale against Atlanta, and his absence atop the Dodgers' lineup could last for an extended period.

He could end up on the disabled list if the shoulder doesn't improve quickly. He's scheduled to have an MRI today.

``There's a lot of swelling and inflammation in it, and hopefully in the next couple days we'll find out if it's better,'' White said. ``I just hope that it's nothing serious. It feels like I just got out of surgery. That's how bad my shoulder feels. That's how it felt when I had surgery. I couldn't raise it. I couldn't do anything.''

White, a seven-time Gold Glove winner, said he couldn't lift his left arm because of pain in his shoulder. He had surgery in the offseason to repair cartilage, and the shoulder still wasn't 100 percent.

He doesn't usually dive for balls, saying he knows the instant it leaves the bat whether or not it's catchable. But Johnson said he thought White was cognizant of the fans' reaction, and that it probably played into his decision to dive.

``I think he was thinking about that,'' Johnson said. ``It's never been something I requested. As long as his legs are (good), with as much ground as he eats up, for him to be going that fast and then dive . . . he has a longer way to fall. That's not something you want somebody to start doing later on in their career.''

Johnson isn't concerned solely about White. He said he doesn't want anyone diving, including left fielder Gary Sheffield, who missed nearly a week of spring training when he cut his left pinkie diving into third base on a steal attempt.

``When I saw (White) dive for a ball, I didn't think he had any chance to even come close,'' Johnson said. ``Guys that dive for the ball are guys that are 5-8 and close to ground. (Lenny) Dykstra did it all the time. He timed it so he could dive. Big guys diving full out, I'm not a big fan of that.

``I don't want to see Sheffield diving. I don't want to see Sheffield going headfirst. Maybe it looks good, but it's an accident waiting to happen. It may look good, but one play may cost you a long time down.''

--Todd's (limited) time: With White out indefinitely, Todd Hollandsworth moves front and center in a role in which he's still not fully comfortable. Hollandsworth had an opportunity to unseat White in spring training, but White outplayed him.

Hollandsworth said he realizes no matter how well or poorly he plays while White is out, he's not going to win the starting job.

``We all know Devo is the starting center fielder,'' Hollandsworth said. ``You can't defeat yourself and go out there and say you have to save the world.''

--Odds and ends: Dodgers third baseman Adrian Beltre made his team- leading ninth error in the fourth inning. He's tied with Chicago's Shane Andrews for most among National League third basemen. . . . Right-hander Gregg Olson threw a bullpen session before the game and experienced no problem when throwing his change up, which had given him difficulty before. He's scheduled to make a rehab appearance for Single-A San Bernardino on Friday, but then his schedule is unclear. The Stampede then go on the road, and Johnson said he'd like Olson to pitch two innings before being activated.