SO WHO’S ON FIRST

Paul Konerko is moving again, but it wasn’t supposed to happen this way.

After spending much of spring training in the outfield, the touted Dodger rookie is now expected to open the season at first base, because veteran Eric Karros will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee today and could be sidelined indefinitely.

This transfer completes a dizzying spring for Konerko, who played three positions as team officials sought to find a place for him in the everyday lineup.

Konerko has willingly accepted the changes and it appears the door has finally opened.

“I’m not concerned at all about playing Konerko at first for however long we have to,” Manager Bill Russell said. “Konerko is a very special young guy. When you watch him play, it’s like you’re watching a veteran player.

“He knows how to play and he knows what to do. You don’t teach what he has--you just let him play.”

Russell and Fred Claire, executive vice president, were excited about Konerko from the start of spring training, and he didn’t do anything to temper their feelings. It was apparent that he would be on the 25-man roster from the outset, even in the early stages of his accelerated course in playing the outfield. There were no announcements, but there were strong hints.

With two games remaining here, Konerko is batting .324 with two home runs, 14 runs batted in and 12 runs scored. On Friday, Konerko was selected the Dodgers’ top rookie in camp.

“The team is trying to open up options for me, and I appreciate that,” Konerko said. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help the team, and I think I’ve proven that. I feel good about everything that’s happened. I just want the opportunity to prove I’m ready.”

Konerko proved he was ready for an opportunity. He hit .323 with 37 home runs and 127 runs batted in--in 130 games--at triple-A Albuquerque last season. He swept the player-of-the-year awards, and was chosen as the Dodgers’ top minor leaguer for the second consecutive season.

Of course, spring training isn’t the real thing. But the Dodgers said they had seen enough.

“This young man is going to have his name written in the lineup one day, and it won’t come out for a long time,” Claire said. “That’s the one thing that’s clear to everyone who has seen him play.

“So from that standpoint, there isn’t any concern about putting him in whatever situation we need for him play to help the team.”

Which explains all the movement.

Konerko, 22, had been a high school catcher when he was drafted in 1994. He has played first and third during his four years in the organization, changing jobs as often as he was promoted through the system.

He continued to work at first, his best position, and third here, starting seven games at first and one at third. But his development in left field, where he has also started seven games, was key because outfielders Roger Cedeno and Todd Hollandsworth suffered hamstring injuries that sidelined them for much of spring training.

Konerko has been working in left field since the beginning of camp, catching hundreds of fly balls and practicing his technique with coaches, and the Dodgers believe he has been better than adequate. He has made the routine plays, which, with his swing, would have been enough to keep him in the outfield.

“He’s looked good for a guy who has never played out there,” Russell said. “But you don’t want to get too far ahead. He still has to get chances in games to get really comfortable.”

Konerko has surprised himself. He didn’t expect to feel so confident, considering he has been an outfielder for six weeks.

“I’m not saying I’m a natural or anything, because I haven’t been tested on a tough play yet, but I haven’t been too bad,” he said. “I just hope I can stick with this for a while and get better.”

Now, he might not have a choice.

The Dodgers obviously hope that Karros will return soon. If he does, they want Konerko to remain in the lineup. So the alternate plan for Konerko, which they kept quiet initially, could go into effect again.

“I purposely shied away from commenting on our plans for Paul initially,” Claire said. “I didn’t want him to read about [another change] before we had a chance to talk with him and explain that this could improve his chances of making the team.

“Here we have this young player who had already switched from catcher, to first to third, and we didn’t want him to find out about yet another change in that fashion. It was very important that this was handled appropriately.”

As it turned out, Konerko wasn’t fazed.

“This isn’t strange for me because I’ve changed so many times,” he said. “I’m not afraid to make a mistake because I’ve been through the whole thing before. I kind of looked forward to this, because maybe it gives me a chance that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”

There didn’t appear to be many opportunities in the infield. Karros and Todd Zeile are the incumbents at first and third, respectively. Mike Piazza plays catcher, so that’s out.

Claire left Karros and Zeile unprotected in the expansion draft, hoping to create an opening for Konerko. But they weren’t selected in the first round, and he protected them thereafter.

The outfield wasn’t wide open either. Hollandsworth and Cedeno were expected to start in left and center. On Sunday, Cedeno was put on the 15-day disabled list, and Hollandsworth might soon join him.

“It’s been my experience, in over 30 years in this game, that you never know what’s going to happen,” Claire said. “All you can do is try to plan as well as you can.”

And right now, Konerko is prominent in the Dodgers’ plans.