Oliver Traded for Matuszek; Buddy Bell Next?

Al Oliver, miscast as a Dodger from the moment he arrived in Los Angeles, was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays Tuesday night.

In exchange, the Dodgers received another first baseman-outfielder, Len Matuszek, who was hitting only .212 with two home runs and 16 runs batted in while being platooned by the Blue Jays as a designated hitter.

In another development, Buddy Bell, the third baseman the Dodgers have long sought, has asked the Texas Rangers to trade him, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Reportedly, Bell may come to the Dodgers in a three-way deal with Pittsburgh.

But early Wednesday morning, Dodger Vice President Al Campanis denied knowledge of Bell’s request. “I have nothing (working) with the Pirates,” Campanis said. “Nothing but the talks I’ve had in the past with Texas.” Campanis added that he spoke with Ranger officials on Monday.

Of the Oliver trade, Dodger catcher Steve Yeager said in jest: “Just what we needed, another first baseman.”

Greg Brock, the incumbent first baseman, stopped Manager Tom Lasorda in the Dodger clubhouse after the team’s 8-3 win over the Pirates Tuesday night.

“I get three hits,” Brock said in mock anger, “and you trade for a first baseman.”

On the Dodgers, Matuszek, 30, isn’t likely to be anything more than a pinch-hitter, a role in which he excelled last season for the Philadelphia Phillies. In 1984, he led all National League pinch-hitters with a .417 average. He had three pinch home runs and 10 RBIs.

“I don’t care whether he’s a first baseman or an outfielder--we need a left-handed pinch-hitter, and that’s what we’re getting,” Lasorda said. “I was impressed with him in Philadelphia, and if anything happens to Brock, we’ll have him in reserve.”

Oliver, 38, figured to be a pinch-hitter, too, when the Dodgers acquired him from the Phillies in February for Pat Zachry. Instead, he wound up as the left fielder on opening day despite a bad throwing shoulder. The experiment was destined for failure from the first night of the Freeway Series in April, when Oliver played left field as if it was a class in self-defense.

In all, Oliver started 17 games in left field, but only two since April 30. He was also on the disabled list from May 18 to June 6 with a pulled left hamstring.

In his last at-bat as a starter, June 28 against Atlanta, Oliver grounded into a rally ending double play. In his last at-bat as a pinch-hitter on July 5 at St. Louis, he took a called third strike.

Oliver, who has been on more teams in the last two seasons (4) than he has hit home runs (0), batted .253 for the Dodgers in 35 games and had 8 RBIs. As a pinch-hitter, he was 4 for 17.

So, what was to have been a glorious last chapter to “The Real Scoop,” the book being written by Oliver’s wife, Donna, becomes a mere footnote. Oliver, who hoped to join the 3,000-hit club, got only 20 hits closer with the Dodgers. He’s still 306 hits short of 3,000.

The role of a part-timer was one that Oliver said he couldn’t accept in Los Angeles. And just as the Dodgers accommodated Steve Howe’s desire for a change of scenery last week by releasing him, so they gave Oliver a chance to play every day in Toronto.

“I’ll have an opportunity to DH and be more of a part of a contending team,” Oliver said. “I guess I can help to spark a team that has every chance in the world to make the World Series.

“And I’ll probably have the chance to see my ex-teammates in the World Series.”

Which ex-teammates are those?, someone asked Oliver, now going to his seventh club.

“I’m talking 1985,” Oliver said. “The Dodgers showed me a lot . . . the way they’ve jelled in the last few weeks.

“But this was a tough role for me. I told Tom (Lasorda) on Saturday that I didn’t think I could do it all year long.”