DODGERS NOTEBOOK : DREIFORT SHOWING GOOD PROGRESS.

Byline: Eric Noland Daily News Staff Writer

There was a time when Darren Dreifort might have been frustrated to distraction by the circumstances in which he's embroiled.

The Dodgers, after all, are down a starting pitcher because of the injury to ace Ramon Martinez, and that's the duty Dreifort is preparing to perform. But if a 13-month recovery from major elbow reconstruction has taught the young right-hander anything, it's patience.

So he avoids agonizing over the present and what could have been, and instead marks his progress in small increments - such as the satisfaction of pitching freely and easily in a 55-pitch simulated game, as he did Tuesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium.

``I feel really good about what happened today,'' said Dreifort, whose post-op condition kept him out all last year and forced him to open this season on the disabled list. ``My arm feels great. . . . As long as I keep recovering well from these simulated (games) and bullpens, I'm satisfied.''

By all accounts, he's making steady progress and should be back honing his abilities in game competition - albeit at Triple-A - in a few weeks.

``He's come a long ways,'' said infielder Chad Fonville, one of three batters to hit off Dreifort in the mid-afternoon session. ``In spring training, he was pretty good, but today he was throwing hard. He was up in the 90s (mph), with a lot of movement on the ball. He was tough to hit.''

This was an important step because rather than just throwing in a bullpen, Dreifort was facing hitters while working off a major-league mound (first time he's been on this one since June '94). Also, after throwing about 30 pitches, he sat down for a spell - an attempt to recreate game conditions - before returning to throw the equivalent of another inning.

Dreifort threw only fastballs and changeups, staying away from his breaking ball (he calls it a ``slurve'') because of the strain it places on the elbow. But he's encouraged that his arm not only feels good while he's pitching but recovers quickly, too.

``In the spring,'' said physical therapist Pat Screnar, ``he'd be stiff the next day. The real good sign now is how well he's bouncing back.''

Adjustment period: Shortstop Greg Gagne, who spent the first 13 seasons of his career in the American League, is adjusting to a game in which there is no designated hitter. The Dodgers are batting him eighth, just ahead of the pitcher's spot. ``Hitting there,'' Gagne said, ``the pitcher might be trying to pitch around me. I might have to swing at a bad pitch if we have the pitcher coming up (with two outs).''