BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : Ashley Relieves Some Pressure

Dodger coaches and executives met privately with left fielder Billy Ashley to discuss his batting woes.

Fred Claire, executive vice president, Manager Tom Lasorda and hitting coach Reggie Smith told Ashley to relax, that there is no need for him to feel pressure and that the organization is counting on him.

“Our goal as an organization is to do everything we can to take the pressure off him,” Claire said. “This shouldn’t be the seventh game of the World Series. That power is so difficult to come by, we need for it to come out. My objective is to do everything we can do to make sure that happens here.”

Ashley is batting .111 after hitting a two-run home run off Yorkis Perez in the Dodgers’ 6-2 victory over the Florida Marlins at Vero Beach, Fla. He can’t explain his troubles.

“I told myself I wasn’t going to let it [the pressure] happen to me,” Ashley said. “But I’ve been [dwelling] on the fact that I’ve been struggling. That’s not what I’m supposed to be doing here.

“You want to relax, but there’s really not time to relax. I’ve got to go out there and do the job now. They expect it. They want to see it. I’m the one who has to do it.”

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Lasorda said he hasn’t decided on his starting left fielder, but Todd Hollandsworth has emerged as the leading candidate.

“I’m confident in what I can do,” said Hollandsworth, who’s batting .200. “What I’m learning is that I am the one in control of my destiny. I’m in control of my fate.”

“I was kind of curious to know how I would react to the whole situation,” he said. “Every other position is basically signed, sealed and delivered. I knew it would be the topic of the spring.

“We both knew what to expect, and it’s been fun so far.”

At least for one of them.

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The Dodgers sent seven players to triple-A Albuquerque: pitchers Gary Rath, David Pyc and Jody Treadwell; catchers Ron Mauer and Noe Munoz; infielder Oreste Marrero and outfielder Billy Lott. Catcher Paul Konerko and left-handed starter David Yocum were assigned to double-A San Antonio. Left-handed pitcher John O’Donaghue was released. . . . Catcher Mike Piazza left the game early because of a sore right elbow but expects to play today. . . . First baseman Eric Karros, nursing a strained hamstring, probably will not play until next week.