Dodgers : Hershiser Decides Not to Place Million-Dollar Arm in Jeopardy

It didn’t matter to Orel Hershiser that Sunday’s game was nationally televised. This still was only spring training, and the Dodgers’ million-dollar right-hander was not going to continue pitching with a pronounced tightness in his elbow just for the exposure.

So, after giving up five runs and four hits in two innings of the Dodgers’ 11-5 loss to the New York Mets, Hershiser motioned to the bench that he could not continue. He left the field, soaked his elbow in ice for nearly a half hour and later said his withdrawal was merely a precaution.

In fact, Hershiser partially blamed his stiffness on the pregame delay caused by NBC’s coverage.

“I never got loosened up,” Hershiser said. “It was that six or eight minute delay for TV that did it. There wasn’t really pain, just stiffness. I’ve been throwing an awful lot lately, but this was the first time I’ve felt this.

“If it had been a regular-season game, I might have stayed in there pitching. But not at this point.”

After retreating to the clubhouse, Hershiser was examined by Dr. Frank Jobe. “He said my elbow was still intact, so I feel better,” Hershiser said, smiling.

Hershiser said he has been thinking a lot about injuries to pitchers because his brother, Gordon, a Dodger minor leaguer, recently learned he needs a second elbow operation.

“At the forefront of my mind is not getting hurt,” he said. “I just found out my brother has to have elbow surgery again. When it’s your arm, you can never be too safe. I’m pretty cautious when it’s my elbow.”

Early Sunday morning, Ron Davis made the long walk from the minor-league locker room at Dodgertown to the major league clubhouse for the last time. Carrying his possessions in a manila envelope, Davis strolled down the narrow corridor, past the washing machines and a refrigerator, then turned left at the plastic utensils.

Once in the luxury of the clubhouse, Davis curtly said his goodby’s and was gone. Such departures are not unusual for nonroster players, and Davis had been expecting his almost since the start of spring training.

“I knew it would happen the first day of the spring,” Davis said. “No, the second day. I was dressing over there, where nobody but minor leaguers knew I existed. And it wasn’t until the second day when Tommy (Lasorda, the manager) saw me on the field and told me I could sit in on the morning meeting.”

The 32-year-old Davis, struggling to regain the form that made him a solid relief pitcher early in the 1980s, had given up 4 runs in 9 innings while using a submarine delivery suggested to him by Dodger management. The new delivery was effective, but Davis still was not able to revive his fastball.

Sunday morning, Davis was called into the office of executive vice president Fred Claire and given the following options: (a) he could accept a Dodger triple-A contract for $25,000; or (b) get his release via a $50,000 buyout.

Davis, an American League All-Star in 1981, selected plan B.

“I felt insulted by that offer,” Davis said. “I can make that much carrying garbage. I won’t play for that. I wasn’t able to talk to any other team until this morning, but I know there’s somebody out there who’d want me.”

Davis’ contention was that the Dodgers did not give him ample opportunity to win a place on the pitching staff, which is overloaded with candidates who are on the 40-man roster. He also said the Dodgers did nothing to make him feel welcome.

“I knew I wasn’t going to make the team when nobody talked to me about my pitching or anything,” Davis said. “I never really saw Tommy or Ron Perranoski (the Dodger pitching coach). I saw them in the meetings, but I don’t think they saw me pitch much, which is important. You have to be seen.

“I think the only time anyone said anything was when (minor-league pitching instructor Dave) Wallace came over and said they wanted me to throw underhanded more.

“Like I told Fred (Claire) this morning, I’m not an athlete who complains or gets ticked off. But I told him, for future reference, that he should treat his nonroster players better. At least, make them feel wanted or seen. In every camp I’ve been to, the teams at least let the invitees dress with the major league guys and include them in things.

“I told Fred it was a waste of time. When they took me off the roster in November (after making four appearances with the Dodgers in late summer), I could’ve been a free agent a lot sooner. I’ve lost 30 or 40 days when I could have been somewhere else.”

Perranoski defended the Dodgers’ handling of Davis. He pointed to a pitching chart, which showed that Davis had as many appearances as other pitchers on the cusp.

Said Claire: “I told Ron that, even though he was a nonroster player, we watched him pitch every time. We gave him a lot of consideration. He certainly has the right to his opinion, but I’m sorry he feels that way.”

Dodger Notes

With 10 days of spring training remaining, the battle for spots on the pitching staff continued. Rookie William Brennan improved his chances by pitching three solid innings. Brennan allowed two runs and six hits and impressively pitched out of a bases-loaded situation, striking out Darryl Strawberry and Gary Carter. “Every time I pitch, I see it as a huge opportunity,” Brennan said. “I think I’ve got as good a chance as anyone of making the team.” Shawn Hillegas and Ken Howell, who have seen their chances fading, each pitched in a triple-A game Sunday. Hillegas gave up one run in four innings, Howell pitched two innings. “I was tight before I started, so I only went two instead of three,” Howell said. “I don’t see my chances as being good to be on the club. I’m just trying to pitch strong.” . . . In the regular game, Jay Howell pitched two innings and gave up one unearned run. . . . Mike Marshall missed Sunday’s game with what the Dodgers called “a touch of the flu.” Marshall said he expects to return today, when the Dodgers play the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater. . . . At the request of Executive Vice President Fred Claire, Dr. Thomas Kepic talked to Dodger minor league players about the dangers of smokeless tobacco.