BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : DeShields: Nobody Believes I’m Hurt

Second baseman Delino DeShields, benched earlier this week, believes he no longer has a future in the organization.

Calling it the most frustrating year of his career, DeShields said he will retire after the season if his left leg pains continue.

“I’m 26 years old, I’ve got my house and car paid for and I’ve accomplished a lot of things in this game,” DeShields said. “I’m grateful for the time I’ve had, but I might decide I don’t want to play anymore.”

DeShields, who’s batting .234 with an on-base percentage of .324--six percentage points lower than Billy Ashley’s--said perhaps the most frustrating aspect is that he senses no one believes he’s injured.

“The feeling I get from the guys here is they still don’t think I’m hurt,” he said. “I just want them to finally believe me.”

Dodger trainer Charlie Strasser, however, said he never has doubted DeShields.

“When he says he’s hurting, we have him checked out,” Strasser said. “I think he’s just frustrated right now.”

Said Manager Tom Lasorda: “I believe him, and I told him that. I want him to sit down until his leg is healed.”

DeShields says no one has told him why he’s out of the lineup or when he might return.

Fred Claire, executive vice president, said the Dodgers will refrain from addressing DeShields’ future until the off-season, and Lasorda said, “How do I know what his future is when I don’t know what my future is?”

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The Dodgers plan to keep rookie center fielder Todd Hollandsworth batting leadoff until he proves he can’t adapt. The Dodgers’ leadoff hitters are batting a cumulative .244 and have scored a league-low 38 runs, 19 percentage points and 10 runs below the league average.