BASEBALL MISCELLANY : NAMES AND NUMBERS

Wrong Number: Oakland Manager Tony LaRussa calls Jose Canseco’s call-in “service” ridiculous and ill-advised. The daily messages from the A’s right fielder, via a 900 number, cost $2 for the first minute and $1 for each additional minute up to 4 1/2. A reporter who called Thursday heard a yawning Canseco blast room service at the Bond Court hotel in Cleveland, give the wrong score for the A’s game of the previous night and say it has been very boring and uninteresting for the team recently, totally ignoring the division race.

The Express: Nolan Ryan, needing 21 strikeouts to reach 300 for the sixth time in his career, was given the opportunity by Texas Ranger Manager Bobby Valentine to start three more times but Ryan declined, citing the late season toll on his arm. Thus, he will not start against the A’s during a four-game series beginning Monday night. His next and last start of the season--and of his career if he chooses to retire--will be next Saturday night’s in Anaheim. Ryan, who had thrown 222 1/3 innings before today’s start against Seattle, could reach 300 in the fewest innings ever. Sam McDowell of the Cleveland Indians set the mark in 1965 with 325 strikeouts in 273 innings.

Relief: The Seattle Mariners’ Mike Schooler, with 45 saves in 102 major league appearances, and the Baltimore Orioles’ Gregg Olson, with 26 in 71, are threatening to become the quickest ever to 50 saves. Todd Worrell of the St. Louis Cardinals set the record, getting to 50 in 109 appearances.

Support: Baltimore’s Jeff Ballard has an 18-7 record, including 7-1 in his last nine starts. The Orioles have scored an average of 5.96 runs in his 33 starts compared to a 4.01 average for their other starters.

Opportunity Lost: Here’s one reason for the New York Mets’ rampant frustration: They have a 9-13 September record and have lost six times on the same day that the Chicago Cubs lost.