DODGERS NOTEBOOK : SOME PIAZZA COUNTERPARTS SQUAT FOR A FEW MORE INNINGS.

A 10-day slump by Mike Piazza was attributed by Piazza, in part, to the innings he must catch because he is so much a part of the offense. A check of two fellow All-Star catchers with some offensive responsibilities - Pudge Rodriguez of the Texas Rangers and Todd Hundley of the New York Mets - suggest that Piazza's load with the Dodgers is not so heavy.

In addition to his .343 batting average, 27 homers and 74 RBI, Piazza has caught 867 of the club's 1,030 defensive innings, or 84 percent. Some of it has come on an ailing right knee.

Rodriguez, who is batting .320 in the No. 2 spot for the Rangers, has caught 85 percent of the Rangers' innings. And Hundley, whose 34 homers and 90 RBI are among the National League leaders, has caught 896 of 1,017 innings, or 88 percent of the possible innings.

``Todd Hundley,'' Piazza said after he saw the numbers, ``he's my hero. He's a good player.''

Hustle back: There were two scratches from Wednesday night's Dodgers lineup. Raul Mondesi was benched because he was 10 minutes late to batting practice and third baseman Dave Hansen was benched because his wife was early.

Hansen left the ballpark Wednesday afternoon and flew to Los Angeles to be with his wife, Julie, who went into labor with the couple's second child.

Hansen, who plays against the occasional right-hander, was due to start against Pittsburgh Pirates righty Jon Lieber.

Butler improving: Dodgers center fielder Brett Butler has had three good workouts with trainer Mackey Shilstone in New Orleans, where Butler is attempting to return to playing shape. On Tuesday night he had his first solid food in weeks, and his weight is up to 150 pounds.

``He's doing well,'' Brett's wife, Eveline, said Wednesday. ``Mackey has him on a great program. The only problem he's really having is the sores in his mouth.

``I'm amazed he's doing as well as he's doing.''

These are difficult days for Butler, whose mother died of brain cancer a year ago Thursday. Today was to be her 60th birthday.

From one of the best: Pirates manager Jim Leyland, on the retirement of Tom Lasorda: ``I think it's a shame that he never got credit for being an in-game manager. The guy never missed a trick. His blaze of glory should include that.''

Add Leyland: On why, after several losing seasons, his peers continue to rate him as the game's best manager: ``I think they just want to keep me in the league so they can keep kicking my ass.''

Also: In the second start of his rehabilitation assignment for the Single-A San Bernardino Stampede, Dodgers knuckleballer Tom Candiotti is scheduled to pitch Friday at Rancho Cucamonga. He allowed two runs in three innings Tuesday night.