Dodgers : Guerrero Feeds on Challenge From Lasorda

Motivation can take lots of forms and Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda has found that one effective way to reach a player is through the stomach.

Monday morning, he cajoled Pedro Guerrero, the reluctant third baseman, to play in a loosely structured intrasquad game with Dodger reserves and non-roster players. Guerrero agreed to be a designated hitter, leading off each inning for both teams, instead of playing in the Dodgers’ scheduled game with the New York Mets.

After going hitless in his first five at-bats in the intrasquad game, Guerrero was looking uninterested in the exercise. Lasorda, observing from a perch 20 feet behind home plate, decided that bribery might awaken Guerrero’s bat.

“Hey, Pete, how many hits do you got?” Lasorda yelled.

“I’m 0 for the morning,” Guerrero growled.

“I bet you a dinner you don’t get a hit,” Lasorda said. “I bet you don’t even hit it out of the infield.”

Up strolled Guerrero a few batters later, against right-hander Ramon Martinez. He launched a fly ball that not only cleared the infield but also the fence and a few of the trees lining a nearby golf course.

Guerrero, clearly, was out of his slumber. His home run trot was perhaps the quickest of his career, and after he crossed the plate, he looked up and smirked at Lasorda.

Guerrero later hit a second home run and finished his day 3 for 17.

Lasorda is rotating his outfielders and first basemen, and it was Guerrero’s turn to skip the regular exhibition game. Against the Mets, Mike Marshall played first base, Mike Davis was in right field, John Shelby in center and Kirk Gibson in left.

Some other players have been upset about sitting out, but Guerrero seemed most concerned about the dinner Lasorda owes him.

So, at which establishment will Lasorda be Guerrero’s host?

“Probably McDonald’s,” Guerrero cracked.

“No Pete,” Lasorda said. “It’s that French place, Jacques in the Box.”

Later, Lasorda called Guerrero into his office and handed him two pounds of boxed linguine from Abruzzo, Italy, and two quarts of pasta sauce from Norristown, Pa.

So what might it take to get Guerrero to play third base this season?

More than a dinner, that’s for sure. It might even take an extension of his $1.7-million contract, which expires after this season. Guerrero and his agent, Tony Attanasio, have considered asking for that. But it appears that Guerrero will eventually give third base another try even without it.

“I just work here,” Guerrero said. “I play wherever they want me to. Whatever ‘Sorda told you, that’s it. I don’t comment about this--to you. Wait until (Lasorda) makes his decision. I don’t want to talk about it until then.”

Dwight Gooden’s spring debut for the Mets turned out to be a bonanza for the Dodgers. They knocked Gooden around for five runs and eight hits in three innings. Gibson had a run-scoring double and Davis a two-run single to highlight a four-run third against Gooden. Steve Sax and Marshall also doubled off Gooden.

But was Gooden worried?

“The main thing is to get work in and get prepared for the season,” he said. “Today, I had a real good fastball. One of the things I got to work on is the breaking balls. I liked the fastball. I thought I had good movement on it.”

Dodgers Alejandro Pena and Don Sutton pitched much better than Gooden on Monday.

Pena, trying to find the form that enabled him to have the National League’s best earned-run average in 1984, allowed one run and two hits in three innings.

Sutton, having to prove himself again at 42, gave up only a single to Tim Teufel in three innings of work.

Lasorda on Sutton: “That’s the kind of pitching I expect from him. He had good control and finessed the hitters. He’s still in great shape, it’s amazing.”

Pitching coach Ron Perranoski on Pena: “I think if he has the endurance in his shoulder to maintain his stuff into the seventh and eighth innings, he’d be a tremendous asset in the starting rotation. If he can’t, I think he’d be a tremendous asset every other day as a set-up man.”

Pena said his shoulder feels nearly as strong as before his injury. It has showed in his pitching this spring.

“This is my first time out, except for batting practice, and I feel pretty good,” Pena said. “I’m not going to say I feel like ’84 or ‘83, but I feel close. I haven’t lost too much speed.

“What I want is just one position--either relieve or start. Then, leave me alone in one position during the season.”

Dodger Notes

Mike Marshall on his first spring start at first base Monday: “I didn’t really have any tough chances, but for what I had to do, I felt comfortable. That was the best thing for me, just to get my feet on the ground over there. They’ve given me a pretty good idea that there’s a possibility of playing first. It’s if Pete decides to go to third. I’m pretty sure I can pick it up really quick.” . . . Manager Tom Lasorda was noncommittal when asked whether Pedro Guerrero will do time at third base in a game situation soon. . . . Steve Sax started at third Monday and was 2 for 3. He handled one chance at third with no problem. Jeff Hamilton took the day off after fouling a ball off his ankle Sunday, but he is expected to be available today against the Baltimore Orioles at Vero Beach.

Kirk Gibson’s double Monday was his third straight double over two games. “I’m ahead of where I usually am,” Gibson said. “But I’ve shortened my stroke. I’m handling balls in on me better. Even though my swing is shortened, I’ll still hit long balls. I’ll just drive it more.” . . . Jesse Orosco pitched an uneventful ninth inning against the Mets, his former team. “It was kind of funny the first time,” Orosco said. “But I can’t think about that anymore. It will just be another team I pitch against.”