THE WORLD SERIES: ATHLETICS vs DODGERS : FIRST SHOT FIRED : Baylor Says His Former Teammate, Jay Howell, Can’t Handle Pressure

If making it to the World Series was not motivation enough for the underdog Dodgers, more was provided Thursday when veteran Don Baylor of the Oakland Athletics strongly criticized Dodger reliever Jay Howell in an interview published this morning in the San Jose Mercury News.

Baylor, who was a teammate of Howell’s with the New York Yankees in 1983 and 1984, told Bud Geracie of the Mercury News that he is looking forward to facing Howell, who was traded to the Dodgers from the A’s in a six-player deal last winter.

“What’s he ever done?” Baylor told the paper. “He couldn’t save games over here (in Oakland), so they got rid of him. We want him in the game, all right.”

Baylor also questioned Howell’s ability to handle pressure. Last season, when Howell slumped while nursing a right elbow injury after getting 14 saves in his first 15 opportunities, he was the target of fan abuse in Oakland. Howell, in fact, was booed by his home fans during introductions before the 1987 All-Star game at the Oakland Coliseum.

Howell and the Dodgers have been targets of criticism since postseason play began. After Game 1 of the playoffs, in which Howell was the losing pitcher, New York Mets pitcher David Cone called Howell a “high school pitcher” in a guest column ghostwritten under his name in the New York Daily News. The Dodgers said they used the column as motivation in beating Cone and the Mets in Game 2.

Baylor suggested that Howell’s 2-day suspension during the National League championship series for using pine tar in his glove spared him from facing the New York Mets in pressure situations.

“He was right where he wanted to be in Games 4 and 5 (during the suspension) at New York,” Baylor said. “He didn’t want to be pitching with all the people screaming at him. He can’t handle that. He couldn’t handle it when he was in New York with the Yankees. I know, I played with him.”

Asked if he was making the inflammatory statements to try to fire up the A’s or perhaps psych out the Dodgers, Baylor replied: “That’s all they have to play on is stuff like this.” Neither Howell nor Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda could be reached Thursday night. But Fred Claire, Dodger executive vice president, said that he did not want to comment on Baylor’s remarks.

“I know Don Baylor,” Claire said. “It doesn’t sound like Don Baylor to me. But if he said that, and that’s what he believes, so be it.”

Claire said he has confidence in Howell, who led the Dodgers with 21 saves this season, “whether he’s pitching in Oakland or anywhere else we play.”

Baylor, usually one of baseball’s most diplomatic players, said he was just speaking his mind.

“I’m tired of being diplomatic,” he said.