Ashley Makes Powerful Bid for Left-Field Job

Billy Ashley, who wondered at times this spring whether he’d still be with the Dodger organization, suddenly has the opportunity to create havoc with the Dodgers’ left-field platoon plans.

With Todd Hollandsworth struggling offensively, and Roger Cedeno being groomed to be the center fielder of the future, Ashley’s play is tempting the Dodgers to play him more frequently. He hit a home run in the third inning against Florida on Saturday to give him a .333 average, three homers and five RBIs in 15 at-bats.

Ashley surprised his teammates Monday by expressing his anger when he was taken out of the game in the sixth inning for defensive purposes. Manager Tom Lasorda and Ashley exchanged words in the dugout. Ashley then made it clear that he was not showing up Lasorda, but simply was angry at himself for not getting a hit off Atlanta starter Tom Glavine.

“My competitive nature got the best of me,” Ashley said. “That’s why I’d love to be out there every day. But I can’t see that happening right now.

“There’s no reason to give up on Todd. They’re just not going to flick a switch that quickly. I think they still like that equation.

“I know what’s expected of me, and if I do my job, everything will work out just fine.”

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Left-handed reliever Scott Radinsky, who spent a year out of baseball battling Hodgkin’s disease, said that he was reminded during his rehabilitative stint last week how fortunate he is to be pitching again, let alone being alive. Radinsky watched pitcher Matt LaChappa of Class-A Rancho Cucamonga collapse from a heart attack while warming up in the bullpen. LaChappa remains in critical condition at Scripps Clinic in San Diego and has yet to regain consciousness.

“What made it so eerie was when they drove him off in the ambulance and they didn’t turn on the sirens,” Radinsky said. “There was never an announcement. People just walked out of the ballpark. What made it worse was seeing his mother and father in the stands.

“It’s something I’ll never forget.”

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Dodger starter Darren Dreifort pitched a simulated game without any problems and is expected to be cleared today to begin a rehabilitative stint in triple-A Albuquerque. . . . Starter Ramon Martinez, who is expected to be out until mid-May because of a torn right groin, has begun walking on a treadmill and played catch for the first time. . . . Just how good was Marlin starter John Burkett’s two-hitter against the Dodgers on Friday? “That was the best game I’ve ever seen him throw,” Dodger center fielder Brett Butler said, “and I used to play with the guy. It was amazing.” . . . All of Chan Ho Park’s starts now will be broadcast back to Korea.