DODGERS NOTEBOOK : THIS TIME, PARK FEELS READY.

The novelty factor was extreme the last time Chan Ho Park walked onto the Dodger Stadium mound for a major-league game. That was in 1994, when Park not only was the first Korean player to appear in the big leagues but was the rare player to make his debut without having spent any time in the minor leagues.

Park sensed the magnitude of the moment. In fact, he says today that in nearly squashed him.

``When I first played in the major leagues, it was so big. I was thinking about the fans, every Korean, the newspapers. I couldn't concentrate, so I got tired,'' said Park, who returns to that mound today as the Dodgers' starter against Florida - exactly two years and three days since his last and only appearance at Dodger Stadium, a rocky relief appearance against the Braves.

``Now I know a lot. I have more experience. My mind's ready to play in the major leagues.''

His American pro experience was fleshed out over 20 games in Double-A ('94), 22 in Triple-A ('95) and two in the major leagues at the conclusion of the '95 season. The payoff came last Saturday at Chicago with four innings of shutout ball in relief of the injured Ramon Martinez, an effort that produced Park's first big-league victory.

Park says he anticipates a reaction in Los Angeles' Korean community that could exceed the mania over Japan's Hideo Nomo, because ``they know for the last year about Hideo Nomo. So they're ready for me.''

In the face of this, he said, ``I have to keep my concentration on baseball.''

The importance of that approach was impressed on him the last time around.

Nearly ready: Scott Radinsky, the left-handed reliever out of Simi Valley High School, is eligible to come off the disabled list Friday. Radinsky, fighting off tendinitis in his left middle finger, was dominant in his second rehabilitation outing Tuesday night, striking out three in 1-2/3 perfect innings for Class A San Bernardino.

Taking the lead: The Dodgers are batting Delino DeShields in the leadoff spot ahead of Brett Butler this year. Atlanta's Marquis Grissom, who saw DeShields occasionally handle the duty as a Montreal teammate in 1990-93, thinks he'll comport himself well.

``You've just got to remember he can hit,'' Grissom said. ``He knows how to do his job. It's just a matter of him relaxing and finding himself.''

Grissom agrees that DeShields brings a high degree of intensity to his business - to the point of getting down on himself when things don't go well. DeShields was clearly distressed last year when a hip injury bothered him, his performance slumped, and questions arose about the '93 trade in which the Dodgers gave up pitcher Pedro Martinez for him.

``That's just the competitiveness in everybody,'' Grissom said. ``But you have to let it go sometimes. . . .

``The No. 1 thing, he has to have confidence in himself. He's got to go out and play hard, not worry about he said, she said.''

DeShields, who had a solid on-base percentage of .353 last year, was at .317 entering Wednesday night's game, and was a perfect 6 for 6 as a base-stealer.

SOURCE: - Eric Noland