THE WRITING ON (AND OFF) THE WALL : MURDOCH'S TURN TO ROCK AROUND PARK.

Byline: TOM HOFFARTH

The writing is on the wall at Dodger Stadium all right. All over it. Kinda like a freeway underpass. Only better.

Tuesday, when you walk into or view from your TV the new Fox Mini-Mall nestled inside Murdoch's Latrine, the first thing that should catch your eye is a time-line mural they'll have matted on the formally staid, royal blue outfield wall.

Its intent is to honor 40 years of Dodgers baseball - and to get people used to seeing stuff on that part of the stadium.

Stuff like advertisements.

(Just as Fred Claire was feeling like he did something by getting them to pad that old plywood a few years ago when his investment, Darryl Strawberry, rammed a shoulder into it while chasing a misjudged fly ball).

Fox guys say the commercialist bombardment was coming anyway, whether or not the team changed hands from the O'Malleys to the Murdochs. Probably true. Gotta pay Piazza one way or another, which is another reason O'Malley knew now was time to get out, when he wasn't perceived as a sellout. . . .

True-or-false quiz on other D'Stadium transformations expected to gradually take place with the new landowners:

Item 1: Advertising-framed electronic message boards around the stadium for out-of-town scores.

True. Finally. It effectively relieves Ross Porter of his duties.

Item 2: No more grilled hot dogs.

False. Just kidding.

Item 3: In retaliation to Disney's Edison International Field, Rupert Murdoch will power his new stadium with windmills, propane and kerosene.

False. But you know those ridged roofs over each pavilions would be perfect for solar panels.

Item 4: A rotating ad on the backstop screen.

True. Not fair, you say? Of course it isn't. That's why it's in foul territory.

Item 5: A robot will mingle with the fans called ``643DP.''

True. It was going to be named after Billy Ashley - E7 - but he was waived.

Item 6: When Ramon Martinez wins a game, he'll be called ``King of the Hill.'' And in the power alleys there will be ads for ``Ally McBeal.'' Get it?

'Nuf already with the Fox-TV-shows-translated-to-baseball-terminology jokies. Do it again, we'll call the ``Cops!''. . .

There best be an O'Malley throwing out the first ball Tuesday. . . .

Mr. and Mrs. Murdoch are expected to be there to christen the owners box. GM-in-waiting Tommy Lasorda will be there working the cocktail bar like Isaac on the ``Love Boat.'' . . .

Not a must-read, but worth a glance: Inside Sports, April issue, page 62, story on Vin Scully's cemented standing through all these winds of change. . .

More painful than a wisdom-tooth extraction with a rusty pair of pliers is Rick Monday asking a question to Chan Ho Park in a post-game interview. . .

You know that piece of the Lakers that Murdoch's Fox Group is about to get its hands on? It may end up being the share that Magic Johnson has been trying to get rid of ever since he decided it'd be more profitable to get into the player-agent business. NBA rules say you can't rep a player and own part of a team. In case Fox folks were wondering, that rule is in place to avoid a conflict of interest. Now there's a definition of irony. . .

The reason Murdoch might just want to buy little nibbles of the rest of L.A.'s pro sports teams is because of how baseball's owners gave him so much grief over his non-hostile takeover of the Dodgers. You shouldn't have to beg to buy. . . .

Dave Wielinga, who wrote a recent story for the L.A. rebel-rousin' paper New Times on USC athletic director Mike Garrett titled ``Dispirit of Troy,'' was scheduled as a guest on the AM-1150 late show last Thursday - until Garrett caught wind of it. Then, we hear, he made a call to Bill Pugh, the program director for Jacor's stations, and said their budding partnership could be in serious jeopardy if that interview was allowed to take place. USC football and basketball, remember, moves over to XTRA-AM 690 starting next year. The interview didn't happen. . . .

ESPN's Chris ``Yabba-Dabba-Do-Everything'' Berman lost his virginity in the credibility department long before he hosted the Disneyfest prior to the Angels' home opener and appeared on the new/retro MJ 'Ade commercials singing about being like Mike. The only credibility Boomer concerns himself with is whether that stipend check is properly endorsed. After that, he can sing all the way to the Bank One Ballpark for the rest of his larger-than-life existence. . . .

FYI: That new domed stadium out near the Grand Canyon is known to locals as BOB. And BOB has 58 ad signs supporting its infrastructure, excluding ``Lifeguard Not On Duty'' behind the right-field fence. . . .

Note to Edison: Officials of the Arizona park expect the annual electric bill to be in the $2 million range. That's mostly from closing the roof and turning on the air conditioners in the middle of the summer.