BASEBALL MISCELLANY : NAMES AND NUMBERS

Bridesmaid: If the Cincinnati Reds finish second in the National League West, it will be for the fourth straight year. They again will have been unable to beat the teams that have finished ahead of them--the Dodgers twice and the Houston Astros and the San Francisco Giants once each--in head-to-head play. The Reds’ composite record against those four in the years they won: 25-47.

Little Relief: The Chicago Cubs’ bullpen has saved 26 games through Friday and blown 26 save opportunities. Lee Smith, traded by the Cubs to the Boston Red Sox last winter, has 17 saves and a 2-0 record in his last 31 appearances.

Coming Up Short: If they fail to get another complete game, the Chicago White Sox will tie the American League record for fewest in a season, set by the 1985 Oakland Athletics with 10.

Keystone Kop: Frank White, the Kansas City Royals’ venerable second baseman, has played 53 straight games without an error and has made only 3 all season. If he plays in seven of the last eight games to reach the qualifying figure of 150, he will break the major league record for second basemen of 5 in a season, shared by Johnny Ray, Ryne Sandberg, Joe Morgan, Bobby Grich and Jerry Adair.

Road Blues: The Baltimore Orioles are 20-58 on the road with 3 games remaining in Toronto next weekend. The Orioles could break the major league record for fewest road victories in a 162-game season, set by the 1977 Atlanta Braves with 21 and equaled by the 1979 Blue Jays.

Boooone: Bob Boone was cited for catcher’s interference in consecutive games of the Angels’ recent series against the Milwaukee Brewers after having been called for interference only once before in his career. Boone may have been anticipating, looking for an edge against the Brewers, who were 15 for 15 stealing bases against him this year.