ST. LOUIS — Colon cancer. Shoulder surgery. Leg problems. A one-year retirement due to a herniated disk in his neck in 1995.

        With all that adversity Eric Davis has endured dur ing his 15-year major-league career, playing right field and batting fourth against the New York Mets in tonight's opener of the National League Championship Series at Busch Stadium ought to be a vacation.

        Not quite, Davis said Tuesday.

        “I'll be nervous just like everybody else,” the former Red said. “If you don't have butterflies, you shouldn't be here. That's just letting everybody know you're human. But after the first pitch, the first at-bat, that first fly ball, the butterflies go away and you're out here playing baseball.”

        At 38, Davis still plays better than most of his counterparts while appearing in a part-time role. He hit .303 in 92 games as one of seven different right fielders St. Louis manager Tony LaRussa used. “He has been terrific,” LaRussa said.

        That has been especially true against left-handers — which bodes well for the Cardinals, since New York will start southpaw pitchers in the first two games, Mike Hampton tonight and Al Leiter in Game 2. Davis batted .390 against lefties this year and owns a .471 (8-for-17) career average against Hampton.

        But Davis insisted that he won't get carried away whether he goes 0-for-4 or 4-for-4. Such is the lesson his crisis-filled past has taught him.

        “There would have been satisfaction had I not gotten to the postseason,” Davis said. “I don't live for baseball the way I used to. It's not the No. 1 priority in my life. My family and my health have been my priorities.

        “This is gravy. That's why I enjoy it so much.”
       

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