Reuschel, Once Set to Start Game 4, May Be Through

Unless the Giants find a way to prevent an Oakland sweep, Rick Reuschel, San Francisco ace and National League All-Star game starter, is through for the World Series.

Originally scheduled to pitch Game 4 on Saturday, Reuschel was bumped Thursday by Manager Roger Craig in favor of Don Robinson for health reasons. Besides getting hit in his pitching shoulder by a stray line drive the other day, Reuschel has also been bothered by the flu.

Craig said Reuschel is now only tentatively set to start Game 5, if necessary, on Sunday. “It’ll be either him or Mike LaCoss,” Craig said.

Reuschel lost to Oakland’s Mike Moore, 5-1, in Game 2 on Oct. 14.

Meanwhile, Robinson, who hasn’t appeared in a game since the NL playoffs, can only wonder what the layoff will mean to him.

“The only thing I’m worried about is whether that cortisone shot has worn off,” said Robinson, who had his right knee injected with the pain-killer on Sept. 28. “It usually lasts four to six weeks.”

Then, again, Robinson noted, “the layoff is going to hurt the hitters more than the pitchers. They’ve got to get their timing down while I know I’m going to throw strikes. I can throw strikes in January.”