BASEBALL MISCELLANY : NUMBERS

STEVE CARLTON AND JOE NIEKRO: The Minnesota Twins’ American League West title insurance was a combined 4-8 through Thursday and had allowed 64 earned runs in 91 innings for a 6.33 earned-run average. Carlton, who insists that he is healthy and throwing well, continues to do anything but. He is 1-3 and has allowed 22 earned runs in 23 innings since his acquisition by the Twins. His latest excuse: “Being in the American League with these (smaller) parks makes you want to become a sinkerball pitcher. I’ve always given up fly balls. That’s discouraging.” The Twins are said to be pursuing the Atlanta Braves’ David Palmer.

THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS: The National League East leaders are averaging 38,679 in home attendance and need to average only 37,999 for their remaining 25 home dates, including 6 with the Montreal Expos and New York Mets, to join the Dodgers as the only teams ever to draw 3 million in a season. The Dodgers, who trail the Cardinals and Mets in attendance, have led the majors every year since 1976.

MIKE MARSHALL: The Dodger right fielder has missed 44 games with seven different injuries this year. The Dodgers may have had it with him, but who’s going to take him?

THE TEXAS RANGERS: They are Yogi Berra’s favorite team, having come from behind to win 33 games and having come from ahead to lose 33.

PAT TABLER: The Cleveland Indians’ first baseman ripped a two-run single with the bases loaded Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers, enhancing his status as baseball’s premier hitter with the bases loaded. He has 5 hits in 7 at-bats with the bases loaded this year and has driven in 10 runs. In his career, he is 29 for 53 with the bases full--a .547 average--and has 67 runs batted in.

THE OAKLAND A’S: Don’t put a roof over their heads. They were 2-12 indoors this year.

BARRY BONDS: The Pittsburgh Pirates’ sophomore has 22 homers and 24 stolen bases and is only the second Pirate ever to join the 20-20 club. Dave Parker did it in 1978 and ’79.

HOWARD JOHNSON: The Met third baseman has 30 homers, 25 stolen bases and 81 RBIs and hopes to become the first infielder ever to reach 30, 30 and 100. “I read where Juan Samuel was the leading candidate,” Johnson said, referring to the Philadelphia Phillies’ second baseman. “I want to be the first.”

DWIGHT GOODEN: There’s still a night-and-day difference in the performances of the Mets’ Dr. K. Gooden is 51-10 at night and 17-13 in day games. He will face the San Diego Padres this afternoon. “God, how I hate it,” he said. “But I’m not going to duck a start. I hope it’s overcast.”

JOHN CANDELARIA: The Angel left-hander has allowed 175 homers to right-hand hitters in his career but only 20 to left-handers, the 19th and 20th being hit by the Baltimore Orioles’ Fred Lynn Thursday night.

WALT TERRELL: The Detroit right-hander is 9-2 this year and 28-7 for his career in the hitters’ haven that is Tiger Stadium. He is 1-8 this year and 12-25 as a Tiger on the road. No one seems able to explain it.

JOHN MARZANO: The recently recalled Boston Red Sox catcher, a former Olympian, has 15 RBIs in 16 games, three more than Rich Gedman, now on the disabled list, had in 52 games.