They Are a Fourgone Conclusion

The Braves in four.

As in, “Fore!” which Atlanta’s long-hitting team should shout when taking the field Wednesday against the burrowing Dodgers.

As in, “What for?” which fans might be asking about these playoffs after one of the franchise’s biggest collapses in the post-Bobby Thomson era.

Four, the total number of runs scored by the Dodgers in 30 innings last weekend.

Four, the number of consecutive games the Dodgers lost to end the regular season, the worst finish in baseball by anyone outside of Detroit.

Four, twice the number of hitters in the Dodger lineup currently capable of driving in a run after the sixth inning.

Four, the number of players usually left in the Dodger clubhouse 20 minutes after the end of a game.

Four, the number of prongs in the average fork. And you know where that belongs.

The Braves win this five-game series in four.

A prediction the Dodgers could take as a dare, or accept as their destiny.

Come Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Dodger Stadium, who knows how they will react?

Who knows anything about them anymore?

“In these situations, one of two things happens,” said injured Brett Butler in the morbidity of the Dodger clubhouse Sunday. “Either you burst out and go nuts and play tremendous . . . or you fall right off that cliff.”

An assessment that brings to mind three words.

Look out below!

In the last week, the Dodgers have shown like that house down the street with the eternal “For Sale” sign in the front yard.

Great curb appeal. But once inside, oh, those bathrooms and that kitchen.

While admiring baseball’s deepest starting pitching staff, it’s easy to overlook that their catcher has ceased breathing.

You are awed by the toughness of most of their bullpen, so you forget that few others on the team can stomach those late pressure innings.

From the stoic nature of Manager Bill Russell, to the on-field presence of Joe Amalfitano and Manny Mota, to the organist and straw hats, and Tom Lasorda being cheered as he walks down the concourse . . . the Dodger mystique is everywhere.

But spend a few minutes after a game with a team that scatters like diplomats at the end of a well-choreographed summit, and that mystique is nowhere.

“We’re coming in Tuesday, and there’s going to be a different vibe in here,” claimed Scott Radinsky, a reliever and punk rocker who should understand such things. “This is the playoffs. There is something entirely different about it. All the momentum starts again.

“If it doesn’t, then something is wrong.”

That’s the biggest question surrounding a team that should be good enough to play in a World Series--this year’s World Series.

Is something wrong? And if so, are two days enough time to fix it?

Yes, and probably no.

The Braves in four.

One game for every commonly accepted reason that the Dodgers cannot pull this one off.

* Mike Piazza is whipped: His final two at-bats Sunday against the San Diego Padres were simply awful, making one wonder whether he will ever drive another ball in this calendar year.

Leading off the seventh inning, he took a 2-0 fastball down the middle and eventually struck out swinging. Batting in the ninth with runners on first and second, he took four wild swings, striking out again.

That dropped the final homestand average of the Dodgers’ best player to .174, which is no less shocking than if he shows up Wednesday with blond hair and a shave.

Piazza obviously has a sore, if not badly injured, knee.

He played only two short of 150 games, a catching landmark reached by only 18 others in baseball history.

He has every excuse. So did Ken Caminiti.

Piazza hit .353 against a Brave team that held the Dodgers to a .221 average. If he doesn’t find a way this week, nobody will.

* Delino DeShields has left the building: In his final days with the organization, one wonders how he wants to be remembered.

For throwing dugout tantrums whenever he is removed for a pinch-hitter?

Or for providing veteran leadership by advancing runners, knocking down grounders, any number of things that can be done even while collecting only 11 hits in your last 73 at-bats (.151)?

Many worry he has already made that choice.

* The substitutes are poor substitutes: Tim Wallach for Mike Blowers. Wayne Kirby and Chad Curtis for Brett Butler.

After performing adequately since they began arriving at midseason, the Dodger third baseman and center fielders combined on eight for 47 (.170) in the final homestand with only three RBIs.

The Dodgers perhaps could have had Todd Zeile at third, and either Brian McRae or Jim Eisenreich in center field, but Vice President Fred Claire refused to trade young center fielder Roger Cedeno.

He did the same once with a kid named Raul Mondesi, so pipe down until next year.

Then rip him.

* A fraternity of strangers: During a day off in Pittsburgh this summer, 21 Padres played golf together.

“We’d have trouble rounding up a foursome,” said one Dodger.

Togetherness does not make winners. But it does prevent winners from allowing tough times to turn them to losers.

You’ve heard how a dozen Padres, on their own, showed up at their stadium on their day off last week to workout and talk baseball.

The Dodgers also had a day off that week, but stayed away.

Some say the last time this mix of nationality-based cliques truly got together, it was to play the traditional prank of cutting up the suit of rookie Chan Ho Park at the end of a trip.

Park was enraged and refused to don the substitute disco outfit. He wore his uniform on the flight home. And that was that.

At least Claire was one Dodger who showed some teamwork Sunday, publicly challenging all those who claimed the Dodgers would not do their best to win the game.

The problem was, they did do their best. And they still didn’t win.

“I’m just speechless,” said DeShields. “I just want to go home.”

The Braves in four, because it appears some of the Dodgers already have.