Dodger Notebook : Treated Both Foul and Fair

The Dodgers couldn’t use scout Ralph Avila’s radar gun Monday. It doesn’t measure weirdness.

Weird occurrence No. 1: In the second inning of the Dodgers’ 4-1 loss, Howard Johnson of the Mets lined a foul ball off the pitching rubber.

You read that right. The ball, after narrowly missing pitcher Bob Welch, caromed off the rubber and rolled beyond the foul line.

Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said he’d never seen that happen. Vin Scully said the same thing. So did everyone in the Dodger clubhouse, with one exception--Vice President Al Campanis.

“I saw it happen in the Vermont collegiate league,” Campanis said. “I was playing in the infield.”

Lasorda chuckled when told what Campanis had said.

“Chief saw it, huh?” he said.

“They didn’t have rubbers in that league,” pitching coach Ron Perranoski said.

According to the definitions listed in Rule 2.00 of the official baseball rules: “A batted ball not touched by a fielder, which hits the pitcher’s rubber and rebounds into foul territory, between home and first or between home and third base, is a foul ball.”

Welch, who had been struck on the outside of his right foot by Tim Corcoran of the Mets just the inning before, said he knew that the ball was foul.

“Yeah, he learned that in the Mark Cresse Baseball School,” said Mark Cresse, the Dodger bullpen catcher.

And what of Johnson? After returning from first base, shaking his head all the way, he popped weakly to Welch for the final out of the inning.

Weird Occurrence No. 2: Lasorda had a new locker-mate in the visiting manager’s office at Al Lang Field: Ken Landreaux.

“He’s rooming with me,” Lasorda said.

The new arrangement was unveiled the day after Landreaux had publicly complained about being unappreciated.

“He didn’t mean that,” said Lasorda, adding that he had talked to the Dodger center fielder after reading Landreaux’s comments in the Vero Beach Press-Journal.

“We want him to feel really wanted. (Dodger coach Joe) Amalfitano said he’s been in the big leagues for 30 years, and Willie Mays never got to dress along with the manager.”

Then, as if to demonstrate his sincerity to the reporters who had gathered in his office, Lasorda offered Landreaux half of the grapefruit he was eating. Landreaux declined.

“Can I get you a Coke or something,” Lasorda asked.

“I already have one,” Landreaux answered.

Lasorda said later that Landreaux was frustrated at his lack of hitting this spring--he went hitless in four trips Monday and is now batting .132 (5 for 38)--and also resents the idea of platooning with rookie Reggie Williams.

“The guy wants to play. Ain’t nothing wrong with that,” said Lasorda, who may not make any best-dressed lists but was cloaked in cleverness Monday.

Landreaux presumably will be dressing with the rest of the team today when the Dodgers play the Phillies in Clearwater.

Dodger Notes Bob Welch allowed the Mets just one run on five hits in six innings. “I feel very good,” said Welch, whose last spring turned into a period of pain that left him unable to pitch more than five innings in the first two months of the season. “My arm wasn’t even getting stiff or tight.” . . . Newcomer Ed Vande Berg relieved Welch and gave up four straight hits, followed by an error by Mariano Duncan. That all resulted in three Met runs. “I’m not really concerned,” said pitching coach Ron Perranoski, adding that Vande Berg had an outstanding curveball but wasn’t sharp with his fastball. Perranoski said that Vande Berg probably will start the season as the Dodgers’ left-handed short reliever.