DODGERS NOTEBOOK : PIAZZA SITS AGAIN, BUT HOPES TO PLAY TODAY.

Dodgers catcher Mike Piazza did not play Friday night because of his sore right knee, though he was optimistic he would play today.

Though his knee has been tender since early in the season, Piazza was diagnosed with a small tear in his cartilage after an awkward slide May 28 in Philadelphia. Since then, he has missed six of 15 games and has left a handful of games in the late innings.

``It's just one of those things where we're going to take an extra couple days to get me as close as possible to 100 percent,'' said Piazza, who is 7 for 33 (.212) since the slide.

His average has fallen from a high of .377 on June 1 to its current .349, second to Eric Young's .354 in the National League. Piazza is a career .130 hitter against John Smoltz, who started Friday's game for the Atlanta Braves. Reserve Tom Prince started in Piazza's place.

Out of right field: Eric Karros, who has hit in fits and starts since spring training, has 32 hits in his past 102 at-bats, a .314 batting average in the past month. He also has seven home runs and 17 RBI in that period.

``He's using the other side of the field,'' said hitting instructor Reggie Smith, referring to right field. ``He's rediscovered that. At the end of the year, he'll be right where he belongs.''

Smith also is impressed with Karros' demeanor through some trying stretches, including a period of 27 hitless at-bats in early May.

``Two years ago,'' Smith said, ``he would have been a basket case right now. He's learned how to deal with a slump.''

Ace in the hole: Ramon Martinez, the Dodgers' ace in name if not by deed, has made only seven starts, one in which he strained his groin and another in the throes of the flu. He is 4-1, and his 10-game winning streak over two seasons ended Tuesday against the St. Louis Cardinals in Los Angeles.

``I'm not going to say this is not my year,'' said Martinez, who by insisting on the Tuesday start also missed pitching here. ``It's just the kind of year I haven't had before. I never missed a start because I was sick. But I still have a chance to help the team. From now on, I hope nothing happens.''

Also: Catcher Carlos Hernandez was outrighted to Triple-A Albuquerque Friday after he cleared waivers. The move leaves 39 players on the Dodgers' 40-man roster. It is likely that Hernandez went unclaimed because of his $375,000 salary. He had the option to declare free agency. . . . Brad Cresse, the son of Dodgers bullpen coach Mark Cresse and a 34th-round pick of the Dodgers, has opted to play for LSU.