BASEBALL MISCELLANY

Numbers:

--The pitchers the Houston Astros have used as their fifth starter have combined for a 5-14 record this season, which is why the Astros are negotiating with the St. Louis Cardinals for Bob Forsch.

--Those 9-8 and 13-11 losses to the Texas Rangers Wednesday and Thursday showed that the Baltimore Orioles won’t survive long without relief ace Don Aase, now resting a strained elbow and back. Aase has contributed to more than half of Baltimore’s wins with his 28 saves and 4 victories.

--In winning his 10th game Wednesday at Chicago, reliever Roger McDowell became the fifth New York Mets pitcher to reach double figures. The Angels are the only other major league team with more than two pitchers who have 10 or more wins. The Angels have three in Kirk McCaskill, Mike Witt and Don Sutton.

--Baltimore’s Storm Davis ran his record against Texas to 10-0 Tuesday night. Said the Rangers’ Larry Parrish: “We were saying when we got here that he would probably have a limousine waiting for us at the airport (to make sure they get to the game).”

--Oriole Manager Earl Weaver, whose offensive philosophy is built around the three-run homer, is now promoting the grand slam. Baltimore has hit 43 in the last six years, 14 more than the Angels, who rank second for that period.

--In a 17-game stretch through Friday, Texas outfielder Gary Ward was 24 for 63, a .381 average and .381 slugging percentage. All 24 hits were singles.

--Kansas City’s 48-61 record through Friday projected to 71-91, which would be the Royals’ worst since 1970, when they were 65-97.

--Atlanta’s 3-2 victory over San Diego Tuesday night represented the first major league win for Cliff Speck, who spent 13 years in the minors after having been the Mets’ top draft choice in 1974, and the first major league save for Ed Olwine after seven years in the minors.

--Bo Jackson, climbing toward .270 with the Memphis Chicks, is obviously learning about the breaking pitch but not humility. In his fourth week, he told the Kansas City Star:

“I don’t have anything to prove to anybody. If the public has their doubts about me, that’s their problem because I’m going to get my sleep tonight. I just tell them to sit back on their cans and watch. There’s nothing that makes me feel better than sitting up and making somebody wrong.”