BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : For Openers, DeShields Gets to Bat First

It was only the first intrasquad game of the season, but Manager Tom Lasorda led off with Delino DeShields batting in front of Brett Butler, followed by Mike Piazza, Darryl Strawberry and Eric Karros, indicating the lineup for next season.

“Tommy (Lasorda) sat me down and asked me where I should hit,” Butler said after Saturday’s game at Vero Beach, Fla. “And I said where I want to hit is first, but where I should hit is second behind Delino, that’s the way it has to be. Delino gets on and with his speed, Tommy can utilize what I do well and that’s bunt him over. This is the lineup to come.”

Jose Offerman, who batted second most of last season, was in the eighth spot.

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Mike Busch, who has been touted as the Dodgers’ third baseman of the future, has been working out at first base and played the position Saturday during the game. The switch to first--Busch’s original position--leaves the Dodgers without a strong prospect at third base, a situation the club has become familiar with since the departure of Ron Cey.

“I feel good about the move, there are four or five third basemen in camp and they really only have (Eric) Karros at first,” Busch said. “I know that Eric has the job locked up, but I can’t worry about that. I just need to swing the bat the best I can and try and make the team.”

Busch, 6-foot-5, hit 40 home runs during the last two minor league seasons, causing the Dodgers to look ahead, see Karros at first, and move Busch’s power to third. But Busch had trouble making the adjustment defensively, committing 40 errors.

This spring the position is Tim Wallach’s to lose, with Dave Hansen the closest challenger. Behind Hansen is Henry Blanco, 22, who is highly regarded defensively, but hit .195 last season at double-A San Antonio, and Ron Coomer, whom the Dodgers acquired in a trade with the Chicago White Sox in December.

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Pedro Martinez summed up his first three days as a Montreal Expo as “horrible,” saying he knows it will get better, but for now, he’s lonely.

“I’m glad I’m here with the Expos because it is a good opportunity for me,” Martinez said. “But being here (in spring training camp) is almost like going back to the Dominican (Republic), the only difference is it’s a major league team.

“It’s way different here (than Dodgertown). You finish your practice and you have to find your way to get home and find your way to eat. I will get used to it, but for now, I don’t really know anyone here, and the guys I do know are married or are not staying in the hotel. I know I am really going to miss (brother) Ramon. It’s kind of boring for me when practice is over. The last three days here have been horrible.”

The Expos train in West Palm Beach, sharing a stadium with the Atlanta Braves. Unlike Dodgertown--where the players can stay right next to the clubhouse, are fed three meals a day in the dining room and clubhouse and even have a special activity room--the Expos’ facility has a clubhouse, stadium and practice fields.

“I can’t wait until the season starts,” Martinez said. “I would rather be here because of the opportunity. But I wasn’t thinking I was the right one to be traded.”