BASEBALL MISCELLANY

Numbers:

--Rick Rhoden continues to make it difficult for the Pittsburgh Pirates to trade him. He’s 7-1 in his last eight starts, pitching three straight complete games. He also has 12 hits in his last 23 at-bats.

--Roger Clemens and Ted Higuera are the only American League pitchers who have worked more than 100 innings and have an earned-run average of less than 3.00.

--Bret Saberhagen’s 4-10 record includes losses to Allen Anderson, Eric Plunk, Mark Portugal, Joe Cowley, Neal Heaton, Curt Young and Ed Whitson.

--The July 4 milestone: Ten of the 28 division leaders in the last seven years have gone on to reach the playoffs.

--The Kansas City Royals just can’t help digging a first-half hole. They were 7 1/2 out on July 21 of last year and 8 out on July 18 of ’84. Said Steve Balboni: “There’s no guarantee we’re going to do what we’ve done the last two years. For one thing, the pitching hasn’t been as overpowering. I don’t think we can afford to get too far behind.”

--The St. Louis Cardinals, who lost only 27 games at home last year, have been swept in six Busch Stadium series this year. Said Danny Cox, when the club fell 20 games behind: “It could be made up, but it would be a miracle. It would be like me trying to part the Red Sea.”

--The traditional view has been that the Boston Red Sox can’t win on the road. In the ‘80s, however, the Red Sox are 265-222 on the road, contrasted with 261-234 at Fenway Park.

--Kelly Paris, who was sent down to the minor leagues Saturday, became the 16th player to appear at third base for the Baltimore Orioles since Brooks Robinson retired.

--At 27, Ty Cobb had stolen 485 bases and Lou Brock 220. Rickey Henderson, at 27, has 620. Henderson, under contract to the Yankees through 1989, has another goal in mind. “I wouldn’t mind playing in the National League some day, maybe for the Dodgers or Padres,” he said. “I’d like to play in a league where the pitchers come after you instead of throwing breaking balls.”