MONDESI IN CENTER OF A STORM : ARIZONA 4, DODGERS 2.

Byline: Matt McHale Daily News Staff Writer

After five months of upheaval and disarray, the Dodgers already might have their first disaster for next season.

Raul Mondesi said after Monday night's 4-2 Dodgers loss to the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks that he doesn't want to play center field anymore.

Mondesi, who has developed into perhaps the National League's best all-around center fielder, has missed the past three games with soreness in his lower back. He said one is related to the other.

``I can't do this anymore. I want to go back to right field where I won two Gold Gloves,'' said Mondesi, who said he hopes to play tonight against the Diamondbacks. ``That isn't too much to ask. That is where I am best.''

It is fine for the final 17 games of the season, since right fielder Gary Sheffield is gone for the year with a sprained left ankle. And once the Dodgers are mathematically eliminated, Mondesi might shut it down as well.

But who plays right could be the first problem to be addressed in spring training.

Sheffield is in the middle of a six-year, $68 million contract. That figure was raised from $61 million when he waived his no-trade clause after the May 15 deal with Florida involving Mike Piazza. Sheffield was the Dodgers' only All-Star and was leading the team in average and RBI when he sprained his ankle Aug. 30 against the New York Mets.

Mondesi is in the second year of a four-year, $36 million contract, which has two option years that could push the deal to $60 million.

The Dodgers would like to build the team around Mondesi and Sheffield. But Mondesi, who leads the Dodgers with 29 homers and has tied Sheffield with 85 RBI, has completely broken down.

Before spending the past three days in the trainer's room, Mondesi went 2 for 18 with no homers and two RBI in his previous five games. But manager Glenn Hoffman was encouraged when Mondesi took batting practice Monday for the first time since last Wednesday. Hoffman said if Mondesi is ready, he will start in right field tonight, with Trenidad Hubbard in center.

``I know the demands of the position are enormous,'' Hoffman said. ``You back up every play, you're running all the time. But the guy is our center fielder. He's one of the best in the game.''

Mondesi also is missing, and his absence was evident throughout Monday night's loss to the Diamondbacks' Andy Benes (12-13), who came in just 5-9 lifetime against the Dodgers.

Arizona took advantage of mistakes by Dodgers right-hander Dave Mlicki (8-7), who allowed three of the Diamondbacks' runs to score with two outs.

Mlicki gave up a two-out homer to shortstop Tony Batista in the first inning and a two-out, two-run single to left fielder David Dellucci in the fifth. Mlicki, who entered the game 7-2 since joining the Dodgers on June 4 as part of the Hideo Nomo trade with the Mets, didn't help himself by allowing a single to Benes.

``He really didn't throw that bad a game, but you look at just a few pitches in key situations and he didn't get it done,'' Hoffman said. ``He's been one of our best, but tonight he didn't make some big pitches.''

Any loss is bad to the expansion Diamondbacks, who actually have a better record (58-87) than two established NL clubs, Montreal and Florida.

But this could have been worse. Eric Karros hit his 22nd homer of the season to open the ninth off Gregg Olson. It extended Karros' hitting streak to nine games, but Olson retired the final three batters to record his 27th save of the year and 200th for his career.

When asked where the Dodgers should play Sheffield next season, Mondesi said, ``They could do something.''

Sheffield began his career as a shortstop and played left field during one-plus seasons with the San Diego Padres (1992-93).

But he has developed into one of the better all-around right fielders and a definite plus during this sorry season.

Mondesi acknowledged he enjoys the adulation he has received over making a successful switch to center. But the back pain flared up just before the All-Star Game and has lingered ever since.

``I made the move because of the trade; I wanted to help the team,'' Mondesi said. ``But the running has worn me out. I'm not helping the team. I've never had back problems before, and now this. It's time to put me back where I belong.''

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Photo

PHOTO Dodgers pitcher Dave Mlicki (38) tags out Arizona's David Dellucci after Dellucci tried to score from third on a wayward pitch.

Ken Levine/Associated Press