Kreuter Big Plus for Park

Many in baseball believe that the Charles Johnson trade is one of the Dodgers’ biggest recent mistakes.

The Dodgers, who acquired switch-hitting catcher Todd Hundley in the deal, sent the Gold Glove catcher to the Baltimore Orioles in a three-team trade in December 1998. Johnson was traded to the Chicago White Sox in July.

Dodger officials made the controversial move because they wanted a left-handed power hitter to balance the lineup, but they underestimated Johnson’s importance to the pitching staff.

Young starters Chan Ho Park and Darren Dreifort regressed last season, in part because Hundley struggled defensively while recovering from reconstructive right elbow surgery.

Hundley has reemerged as a force offensively, and the strong performance of backup catcher Chad Kreuter has helped the staff.

Kreuter, 36, has been a mentor for Park, tutoring the right-hander during games and between starts.

Kreuter’s defense, receiving and game-calling have instilled confidence in Park after his tumultuous ’99 season.

Park no longer relies exclusively on his 96-mph fastball in jams. He now throws changeups and sliders at any point in a count because Kreuter has convinced him that he can.

“He has been tremendous,” pitching coach Claude Osteen said of Kreuter. “No question about it, he’s been outstanding handling everyone, but especially Chan Ho.

“Chan Ho is at that point in his career where he needs someone to give him the plan. I don’t talk to Chan Ho when I go over hitters, I talk to Chad and then tell Chan Ho to just go out and execute for him.”

Park is 14-8 with a 3.60 earned-run average after going 3-0 with a 1.70 ERA in his last five starts.

Last season, Park was 13-11 with a career-high 5.23 ERA. Scouts said he often appeared clueless on the mound.

Kreuter became Park’s personal catcher earlier this season and they quickly developed a strong bond.

“When we first started working together [in spring training], Chan Ho told me he was uncomfortable throwing certain pitches in counts at certain times,” Kreuter said. “I said, ‘Well, that’s going to change.’ ”

In four starts with Hundley as his catcher, Park has 18 strikeouts and 19 walks. In 24 starts working with Kreuter, Park has 148 strikeouts and 82 walks.

The difference?

“I don’t think it’s anything magical,” Kreuter said. “You have to form a friendship, and in every friendship there is trust. If I want him to throw a certain pitch at a certain time, he’ll do that because of trust.”

Kreuter also has had a positive effect on Dreifort, though they don’t work together frequently.

In nine starts with Kreuter, Dreifort is 5-2 with a 3.25 ERA. The right-hander has 52 strikeouts and only 19 walks in 61 innings.

Beginning play Wednesday, Dreifort was 5-5 with a 5.40 ERA in 16 starts primarily teamed with Hundley. Dreifort had 69 strikeouts and 49 walks in 85 2/3 innings.

*

Gary Sheffield is ready to return.

The all-star left fielder, bedridden with flu since Aug. 22, said Wednesday he was feeling better and plans to rejoin the club Friday for the start of a six-game homestand.

“The last week was hard,” Sheffield said in a phone interview. “I was just real weak and I really couldn’t do a lot.

“But these last two days [Tuesday and Wednesday] have been pretty good. They [physicians] tell me that all I’ll be left with is a chest cold after I finish this bottle [of medication].”

Sheffield said he will work out today at Dodger Stadium for the first time since becoming ill.

“I’m going to go to the stadium [today] so I can get in a couple of days [of batting practice] before Friday,” Sheffield said.

*

Utilityman F.P. Santangelo, on the 15-day disabled list because of torn ligament in his left thumb, said he expects to be sidelined for the rest of the season.

TODAY

DODGERS’

CARLOS PEREZ

(5-6, 5.20 ERA)

vs.

BREWERS’

PAUL RIGDON

(1-2, 5.45 ERA)

County Stadium, 11 a.m. PDT

Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

* Update--Perez pitched 6 1/3 strong innings Aug. 25 in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The left-hander gave up nine hits and a run in his first victory since May 20.