THE WORLD SERIES : New York Mets vs. Boston Red Sox World Series Notebook : Boston Hoping It Can Win One for the Nipper

The closest that Boston pitcher Al Nipper has come to the spotlight in the playoffs and World Series is his Fenway Park locker, which is next to Roger Clemens’. That results in some media fallout for Nipper, one of Clemens’ closest friends.

In fact, on the day that the Red Sox clinched the American League East championship, Nipper and Clemens appeared on a local television station’s late-night news show. They wore dark glasses and displayed a madcap effervescence.

Now, the lesser known of the Blues Brothers gets his moment. He starts Game 4 of the World Series tonight, giving both Bruce Hurst and Clemens a fourth day of rest before they pitch again--if needed.

Said Nipper, sounding like Dennis (Oil Can) Boyd: “I can’t wait to get at the ball. I’ll be possessed out there, I guarantee you that. I hope to pitch the game of my life.”

The 27-year-old right-hander hasn’t pitched since the last weekend of the regular season when he faced the New York Yankees in a meaningless game. He won only two of his last eight starts en route to a 10-12 record and a 5.38 earned-run average.

This was the year that Nipper’s career almost came to a jarring end. He was 3-4 with a respectable 3.68 ERA on May 18 when he suffered a deep cut above his right kneecap in a collision at home plate with the Texas Rangers’ Larry Parrish.

“A quarter-inch the other way and there would have been serious damage to the ligament,” Nipper said. “I’m lucky my career isn’t over. It took a lot of hard work to come back, so my attitude has been, ‘Hey, I’m fortunate to be here.’ I wanted to pitch, but I understood going with the three guys (Hurst, Clemens and Boyd).”

There was a moment in the playoffs, however, when the news angered him some.

That was when Manager John McNamara bypassed Nipper to bring Clemens back with three days’ rest in Game 4. Nipper accepted that part of it, but he didn’t like hearing it from a reporter rather than his manager.

“I was disappointed and kind of down,” he said. “But it was just a breakdown in communications. I understood (McNamara’s) thinking. You’ve got to come back with the ace who brought you here. I razzed Roger and told him he took my start away, but there are no ill feelings. He knew I wanted to pitch.”

Now, Nipper will get his chance.

“He’s been working in the bullpen almost every game,” McNamara said. “My only concern is that he may have thrown too much down there. We talked about that, and he says he’s fine.”

Said Nipper: “I feel good. I feel strong. I’ve had good stuff in the bullpen and that’s a positive indication. I’ve been through some highs and lows this year--mostly lows--and that’s given me a good perspective on how I’ll have to keep my emotions in balance tomorrow.”

The New York Mets’ Ron Darling will come back after three days’ rest to face the Red Sox tonight. He said he has always been more effective pitching with three days’ rest. But what about the pressure of pitching in what was his hometown park when he was growing up in nearby Millbury?

“I’m sure I’d feel more pressure if I had a lot of the people I grew up with here,” he said. “But they only give you five tickets, so that’s not a problem. There was more pressure throwing that first pitch of the World Series to Wade Boggs in the first game. I felt kind of strange, but I don’t think I’ll be nervous here. It’ll be easier having faced them once.”

Of Fenway, he said: “I’d get Little League group tickets and watch the Red Sox from the right-field bleachers. I thought the (left-field) wall was great then because it meant I’d see a lot of home runs. Now that I’m pitching here, I don’t think it’s so great. Of course, the home runs I give up are home runs anywhere, so I’m not going to worry about it.”

The Times learned that Commissioner Peter Ueberroth, at a staff meeting Monday, said he will probably pursue a compromise with the TV networks regarding the starting times of future Series games.

Ueberroth is apparently concerned that the 8:30 EDT starting time is playing havoc with the print media, that the colder temperatures affect play and that parents seem discouraged now from bringing their children.

Ueberroth suggested that he will attempt to move up the starting times and may even attempt to play weekend games during the afternoon again.

Met Manager Davey Johnson reiterated that he canceled Monday’s workout because his team was still tired from the playoffs. Was there no reason for the Mets to acclimate to the idiosyncrasies of Fenway Park? “If we have to become real proficient playing balls off the wall, we’re in trouble,” Johnson said.

John McNamara was surprised to open the Boston Globe sports section Tuesday and find a full page ad for the Bank of Boston featuring his picture in a corner of the dugout.

The copy read: “Time in the spotlight for the man in the shadows.”

It went on: “He gave everything to fans who expected nothing. He believed in young players. And second chances. He honed their instincts. And taught them to trust their intuitions. Then he stood back and let them play ball. Thanks, John McNamara. Your opponents are still scratching their heads. But you’ve taught them something, too. It’s the quiet ones you’ve got to look out for.”

Said the quiet one: “It was very nice and very touching.”

Bill Buckner joined the Red Sox in 1984 after he grew sour with life as a Chicago Cub and requested a trade. Cub General Manager Dallas Green dealt Buckner to Boston in May of that season, sending the first baseman from an eventual division winner to a team that would finish 1984 in fourth place.

Buckner says he didn’t mind.

“My wife and I made a list and Boston was No. 1,” said Buckner, who claimed no vindictiveness on Green’s part. “Dallas didn’t do it on purpose. If he had, I’d have gone in just the opposite direction. I’d have been in Seattle.”

Staff writer Mike Penner contributed to this story.