Maybe He’ll Change His Mind Now

Before getting the winning hit Saturday night, second baseman Delino DeShields said he might retire at the season’s conclusion if he doesn’t step up his play.

“I don’t want to go through this again,” said DeShields, 27, who entered Saturday’s game batting .236, but has made only one error. “If I’m not going to play like I can play, I don’t know if I want to keep going like this

“I love to play ball. I’m an athlete. But I want to enjoy myself. I don’t know what I’ll do. We’ll see what happens.”

DeShields, thrust back into the leadoff spot, realizes his importance to the Dodgers’ success.

“I don’t want to put any extra pressure on myself,” DeShields said, “but if I can play, we’ll win. Some days, I just don’t feel like I got it. But if I play up to my capabilities, I like our chances.”

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Ramon Martinez, saying he can’t remember feeling that sick in his life, returned to the team Saturday after a three-day flu bout and is tentatively scheduled to start Tuesday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Chan Ho Park will start Monday.

“I didn’t sleep for three days,” Martinez said. “It was bad, real bad. But if I feel the way I do now on Tuesday, I can pitch.”