Things Might Not Be So Peachy for Strawberry Out of Big Apple

Marty Noble of Newsday, on the desire of the New York Mets’ Darryl Strawberry to become a Dodger, expressed last fall: “Strawberry was naive to think life as one of Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda’s huggees would be substantially different from what he has experienced thus far in the major leagues.

“It might be different for Willie Randolph, but not for Strawberry. His every move and his every word would be recognized and examined as it has been (in New York) since 1983. Such is the relentless and unforgiving side of his celebrity. Strawberry would have to play baseball on another continent under an assumed name--or in Seattle--to be relatively inconspicuous.”

Add Strawberry: Steve Jacobson of Newsday, on the atmosphere of underachievement that seemed to surround Strawberry during the season: “There was no presence in the clubhouse to make it uncomfortable to be satisfied with the status quo. There was no voice to snarl into his locker: ‘We’ll get ‘em tomorrow.’ To the contrary, the overwhelming emotion was: ‘Ho-hum, we’re so talented we can do it tomorrow, if we feel like it.”

The gravy train: Who will be the most overpaid player in the major leagues for 1989? Richard Justice of the Washington Post notes that the San Francisco Giants signed journeyman reliever Karl Best to a $105,000 contract last spring. “Best threw only two rounds of batting practice before undergoing elbow surgery and spending the entire year on the disabled list. Thus he’ll be paid a full playoff share--about $105,000. Not all of the Giants are happy about that. Player rep Brett Butler said, ‘Half the guys in here don’t know who he is.’ ”

Trivia time: Dave Stewart of the Oakland Athletics, Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers and Jack Morris of the Detroit Tigers have totaled how many Cy Young awards?

Constructive behavior: The off-track parimutuel handle at Laurel in Maryland has come close to equaling the handle for live racing at Pimlico recently. Jim Mango, a Pimlico director, was asked by Dale Austin of the Baltimore Sun if the off-track handle might exceed the live handle. Mango said it might, on a rainy day. “It’s unbelievable how much construction is going on in the Laurel area,” Mango said. “When it rains, the construction crews don’t work and lots of them go to the races.”

Add horse racing: The Sands Hotel in Las Vegas is offering 5-2 odds on Southland-based Sunday Silence to win the $3-million Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 4. Easy Goer is the 6-5 favorite at the Sands.

What price glory?: Quarterback Randall Cunningham of the Philadelphia Eagles, asked if he’d made a 95-cent phone call to vote for himself after he was nominated for making one of the best passes on Monday Night Football: “No, it cost too much money.”

Add Cunningham: Chicago Bears defensive tackle Steve McMichael: “I’d go so far as to say he’s the best athlete in NFL history to play that position. I’d much rather play against an old guy like Joe Montana. He goes down when you breathe on him.”

Trivia answer: None.

Quotebook: Former Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver, 59, on retirement in Miami: “When you have enough money to do what you want, then everything’s beautiful.”