Sense of Spring Still in the Air for Recuperating Hundley

Although the Dodgers are three games into the season, catcher Todd Hundley feels he’s working on a slightly different schedule.

“I’m still kind of in spring training,” said Hundley, who was held back in February and for most of March because he had muscle soreness in his throwing elbow, which underwent reconstructive surgery in September of 1997.

His elbow, he said, “is as good as to be expected. It’s just a matter of getting into it and getting sharp.”

Because it’s so early in the season--and he considers it even earlier on his own timetable--Hundley said he’s not concerned about his slow start at the plate. He had only one single in his first 10 at-bats and struck out six times.

“It’s only two games into the season, 10 at-bats,” he said before going two for three with a home run Wednesday. “I’ve got 400 at-bats ahead of me. I’m not too concerned.”

Manager Davey Johnson isn’t worried, either.

“It’s timing, getting comfortable and seeing the ball,” Johnson said of Hundley’s hitting. “He’s almost too excited. He gets all into it and I don’t think he’s comfortable yet.

“He’ll be fine. I’m not really concerned about him. I’m pushing him a little bit to get into better shape. I don’t think he’s in as good shape as he can be. He’s done a good job behind the dish, and he’s always a threat. He’ll catch his breath: I’m going to give him a day off [today] so he can get a breather.”

Johnson also said he considers Hundley’s elbow to be “pretty close” to 100%. Hundley was 0 for 2 when challenged by base runners in his first two games behind the plate.

*

Maybe it’s a cultural thing, but pitcher Chan Ho Park claimed he was surprised to see Diamondback third baseman Matt Williams move toward the mound in the sixth inning Tuesday after Park had thrown behind Williams.

“We don’t charge the pitcher,” he said of baseball in his native Korea. “You can’t be like that. . . . We throw a lot inside but we really have respect for all the players. The younger players are always respecting the older players, especially.”

Park asserted he didn’t intend to hit Williams, because putting Williams on base in a tie game would have been like giving up a hit. “It was a two-seam [fastball] and that’s why it moved, and maybe I missed it,” he said.

Before the game, Park watched a tape of his idol, Nolan Ryan, who was known to throw a purpose pitch or two in his career. Park also has a book about Ryan that he brought with him to America, as well as a video of Ryan’s seventh no-hitter. He met Ryan once, while Park was pitching for double-A San Antonio and Ryan was in town to pitch in a charity softball game that was rained out.

“I asked him about his pitching and mechanics,” Park said. “We talked a lot about his younger self. I couldn’t believe he had the same kind of problems I have. I think of him as God, as history.”

ON DECK

* Opponent--Colorado Rockies.

* Site--Dodger Stadium.

* Tonight--7.

* TV--Channel 5 tonight, Fox Sports West 2 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

* Radio--1150 AM, KWKW 1330.

* Records--Dodgers 3-0, Rockies 1-2.

* 1998 record vs. Rockies--6-6.

* Tickets--(323) 224-1HIT.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ CARLOS PEREZ (11-14, 3.59 ERA in ‘98)

vs.

ROCKIES’ BRIAN BOHANON (7-11, 2.67 in ‘98)

* Update--Perez had a so-so spring, compiling an 0-1 record with a 5.72 earned-run average in seven starts that encompassed 28 1/3 innings. He allowed 18 earned runs and 36 hits, but struck out 17 and walked six. Perez set career highs last season in games (34), innings pitched (241) and strikeouts (128). Bohanon, who spent the second half of last season with the Dodgers, signed with the Rockies as a free agent in November.

* Friday, 7 p.m.--Darren Dreifort (8-12, 4.00 in 1998) vs. John Thomson (8-11, 4.81 in 1998).

* Saturday, 4:30 p.m.--Kevin Brown (0-0, 7.94) vs. Darryl Kile (1-0, 2.70).

* Sunday, 1 p.m.--Chan Ho Park (0-0, 2.57) vs. Pedro Astacio (0-1, 6.00).