It’s a Dodger Headache : Guerrero, Duncan Miss Bus, but Lasorda Directs Anger Elsewhere

This Florida city east of Tampa is the new spring-training home of the Cincinnati Reds, but the Dodgers will remember it for slugger Pedro Guerrero’s latest brush with tardiness and another of Manager Tom Lasorda’s outbursts.

The Dodgers’ day Tuesday began when Mariano Duncan and Guerrero missed the bus from Tampa, where the team had spent the night after playing Philadelphia in Clearwater, Fla., Monday afternoon.

Lasorda said that Duncan had called in sick with a migraine and that Guerrero had asked permission to miss batting practice but that he would show up in time for the game.

But Guerrero still hadn’t arrived by game time, so Jeff Hamilton started at third.

Guerrero, who last season missed a spring game in Kissimmee, Fla., saying he had overslept, and Duncan arrived at the top of the fourth inning, about an hour into the game. After meeting with Lasorda and two Dodger coaches, Guerrero emerged in his uniform, then five minutes later delivered a pinch-single that scored the Dodgers’ final run in a 3-2 win over the Reds.

Duncan said he awoke Tuesday morning with a migraine, went back to sleep, then called trainer Bill Buhler at about 9:45, 15 minutes before the bus was scheduled to leave. Buhler said he told Duncan to remain at the hotel until he felt well enough to rejoin the team.

Duncan said he called Guerrero and asked him to buy a package of headache tablets. Guerrero apparently stayed with Duncan at the hotel until “around noon,” when traveling secretary Bill De Lury said he phoned Duncan’s room.

Duncan said that he and Guerrero took a cab from the hotel at 12:15 for what normally is a 25-minute drive. The players arrived at the stadium at 2:10.

“There was lots of traffic,” Duncan said. “There was an accident on the freeway.”

Dodger officials were at first hesitant to talk about the incident and later downplayed it. Guerrero refused to comment and threatened a reporter.

Lasorda said before the game that on Monday night he had given Guerrero permission to miss batting practice.

“He had some friends here. . . . I asked him if he wanted to take the day off. He said no. He’s been working real hard.”

When reporters pressed Lasorda for details, he said: “What is it with you guys? I gave the guy permission to miss batting practice. He said he’d be here for the game. Who (cares) what time he said he’d be here?”

But when Guerrero missed the pregame infield workout, the Dodgers became curious, too. De Lury tried repeatedly and finally reached the missing players at the hotel.

Fred Claire, the Dodgers’ executive vice president, did not arrive in Plant City until half an hour before game time. After learning of Guerrero’s absence, he said it was his understanding that Guerrero was helping the ailing Duncan.

After the game, Claire said that Guerrero had been nursing Duncan back to health and that Guerrero would not be fined.

“It comes down, in my mind, to Pete’s concern with Mariano,” Claire said. “This is something we’ll have to review from an internal standpoint. I’m not thrilled with the way it happened, but I won’t fault Pete for helping a friend.”

Lasorda reluctantly divulged details, then, his conversation sprinkled with obscenities, berated reporters again.

“I saw you guys waiting in the hallway like the CIA,” Lasorda yelled.

“What are you doing, holding a federal investigation? You guys are putting me on the witness stand like Oliver North. Like Jimmy Swaggart. Like Gary Hart. You’re treating this like Watergate. You guys should go out and investigate murder cases down in the slums.

“It’s only a game. I get the feeling you guys are trying to find out if I’m a liar. If I didn’t want to tell the truth, I’d say no comment.”

When he calmed down and returned to his postgame meal, Lasorda gave sketchy details of his meeting with Duncan and Guerrero.

“(Duncan) told me when he came in, he had been vomiting all over the place. (Guerrero) didn’t do anything wrong. He was helping a teammate.”

Guerrero refused to comment, saying: “You guys already talked to Mariano and Lasorda. Why ask me?” and threatened at one point to give one reporter “something really good to write about.”

Lasorda later denied that the Dodgers have a double standard with Guerrero, now hitting .227 in 13 games.

“I don’t think you can say (he’s taking time off),” Lasorda said. “I bet you he’s played more innings than any other player on this team. Pete was the only one who wasn’t here for batting practice because he’s the only one who has asked permission not to take batting practice.”

Some Dodger players, however, were angry over Guerrero’s tardiness.

“Same old Pete,” said one veteran player, requesting anonymity. “He does this every spring.”

Another player called Guerrero a “cancer on the team.”

Kirk Gibson, who earlier this spring walked out on a game after having been the victim of a practical joke, said he tries not to miss a game under any circumstances. But he would not comment about the Guerrero-Duncan episode.

“It’s best for me not to comment,” Gibson said.

Dodger Notes

Tim Leary, who figures to be the Dodgers’ fourth pitcher in the starting rotation, gave up 2 runs and 7 hits in 5 innings in the Dodgers’ 3-2 win over the Reds. Cincinnati’s Barry Larkin led off the game with a home run. Jay Howell eventually replaced Leary with a runner on second and struck out Nick Esasky. Brian Holton gave up 3 hits in 1 innings, and Brad Havens pitched 1 hitless innings, earning the save. . . . Mike Marshall and Mike Devereaux each had two hits. Steve Sax ended his 16-game hitting streak, going 0 for 4.