A Showcase? Not to Beltre

Adrian Beltre dismissed the idea that the Dodgers’ weekend series against the powerful St. Louis Cardinals and their National League most-valuable-player candidates is a potential showcase for his own considerable skills, calling it just another series against a good team.

“We know we’re going to have to face some team like that in the playoffs,” Beltre said of the Central Division-leading Cardinals, whom the Dodgers play tonight at Busch Stadium. “We’re fully confident we can beat them.”

Dodger catcher David Ross said it would be unfair to put too much emphasis on head-to-head competition between Beltre and the Cardinals’ Scott Rolen, Albert Pujols and Jim Edmonds.

“Those guys have put up some legitimate numbers over a long course of time, and that’s the most important thing to look at,” Ross said. “Any guy could have a bad series; hopefully, our guy has a good one and theirs have a bad one.”

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An attorney for Milton Bradley declined to say whether he would fight an appellate court’s ruling that upheld a three-day jail sentence Bradley was ordered to serve for driving away while being issued a speeding ticket Aug. 30, 2003, in Ohio. Bradley has 44 days left to appeal the ruling to the Ohio Supreme Court. If the outfielder declines to do so, the municipal court will then set a date for him to serve the sentence.

Bradley’s attorney, Robert McIntyre, has said his client’s offense -- refusing to sign a speeding ticket, rolling up his window and driving away -- did not warrant jail time. Bradley, who declined to comment, pleaded guilty earlier this year to obstructing official business, a second-degree misdemeanor, after driving 52 mph in a 25-mph zone.

Bradley was scheduled to return to Southern California this morning to attend the funeral of his grandfather, Joseph Bradley, who died of cancer. Bradley will rejoin the team Saturday in St. Louis but is not expected to be in the lineup.

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ON DECK

Opponent -- St. Louis Cardinals, three games.

Site -- Busch Stadium.

TV -- Fox Sports Net 2 tonight, Channel 13 Saturday and Sunday.

Radio -- KFWB (980), KWKW (1330).

Records--Dodgers 78-55, Cardinals 89-44.

2003 record vs. Cardinals -- 4-2.

Tonight, 5 PDT -- Jose Lima (11-4, 4.12) vs. Matt Morris (14-8, 4.63).

Saturday, 4:15 p.m. -- Kazuhisa Ishii (13-6, 4.58) vs. Jason Marquis (13-4, 3.59).

Sunday, 11:15 a.m. -- Jeff Weaver (12-10, 3.60) vs. Woody Williams (10-7, 4.06).