DeShields an Ex-Dodger--and Loving It

Second baseman Delino DeShields sat in the visiting clubhouse Tuesday at Dodger Stadium, thumbed through a newspaper, and couldn’t help but break into an expansive grin.

“I see where they’re still not scoring runs,” DeShields said. “They can’t blame it on me this time.”

DeShields, who spent the last three years with the Dodgers before signing a one-year, $2-million free-agent contract with the Cardinals, says this is the happiest he has been since 1992 when he was traded from Montreal to the Dodgers.

“I have a lot of memories there,” DeShields said. “Some good, most bad. I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be. I feel right at home now.” DeShields, who never was completely healthy during his three-year stint with the Dodgers, said he knew it was time to leave when he was benched the final two games of the 1996 playoffs.

“That was basically it for me,” DeShields said. “That was the low point of my career.”

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The Milwaukee Brewers initiated trade talks with the Dodgers in an attempt to acquire infielder-outfielder Chad Fonville, who was demoted to triple-A Albuquerque a week ago.

The Dodgers are not eager to move Fonville, but will talk again today with the Brewers, who are looking for a middle infielder because of injuries to second baseman Fernando Vina [broken leg] and Jose Valentin [broken finger].

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Dodger infielder Eddie Williams, who set a club record by hitting nine homers in the month of April in triple-A Albuquerque, was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring.