DEJA BLUE

This was a new dawn, the Dodgers promised.

Then why do we feel as wet and chilly as always?

This was a new chapter, the Dodgers proclaimed.

Then why does it seem as if we’ve read it before?

With 143 games remaining, for those players and officials preaching that baseball is a marathon, the Dodgers’ 9-10 start may be nothing more than a mole hill.

To the rest of us, it’s a mountain.

We’re restless. We’re worried. We’ve seen this before. We not only know the script, we carry it in our hearts.

We have watched great Dodger teams start slow. We later felt like fools upon realizing these were not great Dodger teams.

We have heard the April pleas for patience. We have always heard them evolve into October requests for forgiveness.

Yes, we understand baseball is a marathon.

We’ve spent 10 years watching our team finish it on a stretcher.

This year was going to be not just different, but right-away different.

Yet right away, we’re in the same old sweat.

The Dodgers are going to be tougher and smarter.

Yeah, well, they are 2-5 on the road, batting .195 with runners in scoring position, and giving away games with late-inning mistakes.

The Dodgers have the best starting pitching staff in baseball.

Yeah, well, Chan Ho Park hasn’t been the same since nearly hitting Matt Williams with a pitch and igniting a bench-clearing incident in the second game, and Carlos Perez hasn’t been the same since the carefree days of last September.

The Dodgers finally have a left-handed power hitter and a replacement for Mike Piazza.

Yeah, well, hard-working Todd Hundley has obviously not recovered from elbow surgery, is batting .160 and has thrown out only two of 22 base-stealers. And both of those guys were tagged out after sliding past the base.

The Dodgers can afford to lose Scott Radinsky because they can piece together enough cheaper bullpen veterans to get to Jeff Shaw.

Yeah, well, three of those “veterans” are Jeff Kubenka, Onan Masaoka and Jamie Arnold.

The Dodgers are finally going to wrest control of the clubhouse back from the players.

Yeah, well, already pitcher Antonio Osuna has compromised their chances by refusing to undergo arthroscopic elbow surgery, even though the best doctor in the history of pro sports--you’ve heard of Frank Jobe?--ordered it.

If he followed the Dodgers’ advice, Osuna would miss eight weeks and return for the second-half run. Instead, if his idea of working out his elbow pain in the minor leagues doesn’t succeed, he could be gone when the Dodgers need him most.

In many other winning baseball organizations, making a big deal about the first 19 games would be unnecessary, and six months later this story would be remembered with laughter.

However, around here, these stories have always been remembered with sighs.

If we’re nervous, it’s because we have a right to be.

“I understand why Dodger fans are worried, it’s justifiable, I’m a fan and I feel the same way,” said Kevin Malone, general manager. “But remember, this is a new team, new coaches, new idea, new approach. Give us time to come together. We are going to be fine.”

Yet this unexpected start, combined with talk of moving Dodger Stadium out of Chavez Ravine, threatens to have Dodger fans driving away from this season in the second inning.

And this time, with all that’s happened, one suspects they will stay away.

“It hurts me, it bothers me,” Malone said. “But it’s a process. And we’ve got to hang in there together.”

Of course, they can fix it. They can finish the regular season at 152-10. They can set records, capture our hearts, do exactly what they promised.

But it seems they have to do a couple of other things first.

One idea: Admit Hundley is not in playing shape, even if that makes Malone’s trade that brought him here for Charles Johnson look like a bad one.

This might mean putting Hundley on the disabled list to give him a chance at an extended minor league rehabilitation period. And Malone would take huge heat while he is away.

But at least if he came back sound and strong, the entire late-inning strategy wouldn’t be affected by his inability to throw out most runners. And the middle of the lineup wouldn’t be sagging around his struggling back.

Youngster Paul LoDuca was discussed as a capable reserve catcher last winter when the Dodgers resisted signing a Tom Prince-type veteran. Why can’t he do it now?

Another idea: Trade for a veteran middle reliever, even if it means giving up an important part of your bench.

Malone cannot be blamed for not spending much money on his bullpen, not with starting pitchers who should be able to go at least seven innings. It’s not as if the Atlanta Braves spend any money on their bullpen either.

But that strategy has backfired, and changes need to be made. The Dodgers need to find a guy who can handle a bases-loaded situation in the sixth inning of a one-run game on the road.

In fact, veteran baseball people say nothing wins on the road like middle relief. The Dodgers’ poor record there proves it.

A third idea: Bat Adrian Beltre second.

This move, risky because it would test the confidence of a young player, might work because he is one player who could potentially move runners and hit ground balls and do the little things that maximize scoring opportunities.

This lineup has unfortunately been built around guys who only do the big things. So while they are scoring more runs than last year’s team, and have as many dramatic homers as any team in baseball, they can’t seem to score a guy from second with two out.

Devon White is not really a No. 2 hitter. Neither is Mark Grudzielanek. Give the kid a chance, and take advantage of Eric Young’s terrific start.

A final idea: Have Kevin Brown chat with Park.

Already thin in starting pitching after Malone’s too quick move to dump Dave Mlicki’s salary, and further confused by Perez, the Dodgers can’t afford continued struggles by Park, who could learn from Brown’s toughness and resiliency.

As Williams showed, Park is being treated seriously this year by opposing hitters. Nobody is going to let him get away with anything. Brown can help him turn that to his advantage.

A new Dodger dawn? Sure. Why not? It’s still early enough to believe that.

As long these Dodgers understand that, around here, dusk shows up before you know it.

Bill Plaschke’s e-mail address: bill.plaschke@latimes.com.

SPRINGING A LEAK

Comparing the 1999 Dodgers to the 1998 Dodgers. Declining figures in bold (*):

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CATEGORY 1999 1998 Record through 19 games 9-10 9-10 Batting, runners in scoring position .195* .224 Overall batting average .255 .252 On-base percentage .348 .310 Slugging percentage .434 .387 Runs per game 4.68 4.12 Left on base per game 8.1 6.6 Earned-run average 4.57* 3.81 Starting pitchers’ ERA 4.70* 3.72 Bullpen ERA 4.34* 4.05

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