Centennial Highlights Offer Inspiration

Over the course of 100 years, a lot of Dodgers have come and gone. There was Zack Wheat, who played in 2,322 Dodger games, and there was John Tudor, who played in a couple. There was Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier, and Rick Sutcliffe, who broke his manager’s furniture. There was Casey Stengel, who didn’t only manage the Yankees and Mets, you know, and there was Babe Ruth, who coached first base.

The Dodgers have played Shirley and Fairly, they have been Grim and Leary, they have utilized Podres and Brewers, and they have had Wills to Wynn. You could look it up.

Once upon a time, Wee Willie Keeler was saying “hit ‘em where they ain’t” to the gentlemen of the press. Saturday, in a television special commemorating a century of Dodger baseball, Mickey Hatcher was interviewed by Susan Anton. Hey, things change.

Some things never change, however, and that includes the Dodgers’ searching for exactly the right lineup that will win them a pennant for the 22nd time. When you consider some of the communities that have never been witness to even one World Series--Anaheim, Atlanta, Montreal, Seattle, Toronto, suburban Texas--or the ones that haven’t won one for what seems an eternity--Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Milwaukee--the mind boggles at the Dodgers’ success even more.

“I was watching those highlight films yesterday--you know, from the first 100 years,” third baseman Lenny Harris said Sunday, after helping the second century along by driving in both Dodger runs in a 2-0 win over Houston. “And I kind of pictured myself up there on the screen, jumping up and down, celebrating a championship.

“It kind of sends a shock through your system. A guy like me’d like to know what that feels like.”

So, how about it? How about the second hundred years of Dodger baseball?

Is there a 1990 flag in Chavez Ravine’s future, or are the Cincinnati Reds going to run off and hide? Does the latest effort of Ramon Martinez mean that the Dodgers have more than enough pitching to get through the summer, or do the continued failures of Fernando Valenzuela balance the scale? Is Juan Samuel the real leadoff man, Harris the real third baseman, Kal Daniels the real No. 3 hitter? Is Jay Howell the true stopper . . . or is Don Aase, of all people?

Tom Lasorda sounds happy and unconcerned. Then again, Tom Lasorda was born sounding happy and unconcerned. He is the original happy camper.

“I like the way the team’s playing,” the Dodger manager said. “One outstanding quality that I see in this team was something I noticed in San Diego. We were four runs behind, but fought back and got the winning run up at the plate in Jeff Hamilton. A team has to maintain that feeling of never being out of any game, of believing that you can always come back and win the damn thing.”

Was that something lacking in the Dodgers last season?

“It wasn’t that that was lacking,” Lasorda said. “What was lacking was an outfield (Kirk Gibson, John Shelby and Mike Marshall) that went from 220 runs batted in to 84. That’s what was lacking.”

The Dodgers took the field Sunday with an all-new outfield. In center and right field were newcomers Samuel and Hubie Brooks, both of whom already have made major donations to the Dodger cause. These guys have pop in their bats, and Samuel has speed. If they can field, they will be great, great guys to have around.

In left field was Chris Gwynn, who is trying to do more than just mark time while waiting for Daniels to reclaim his position. The Dodgers are in a no-Gwynn situation. If Daniels or Gibson can play, Gwynn can’t. But Chris considers himself too good a hitter to linger and rot on anybody’s bench. He has tried to make the most of Daniels’ absence, but has yet to do anything dazzling, except in spring training.

Gwynn needs more chances, and not just the kind he’s been getting. At San Francisco, on a frigid day, Mike Munoz took a strike at the plate, whereupon Lasorda turned to Gwynn and said: “Get ready. If Munoz gets two strikes, you’re going up there to pinch-hit.”

Before Lasorda’s last word to Gwynn was spoken, they heard the umpire shout out: “Steeee-rike two!”

Gwynn unbundled, peeling off several layers of warmups and shirts. He stepped to the plate as rusty as the Tin Man and ended up fanning. Yet on another, similar occasion at San Francisco, he delivered a big single against Dan Quisenberry, driving in a run. The kid can hit; he just needs at-bats.

For now, the Dodger infield is pretty much set, but much depends on Harris and how he handles his responsibilities as injured Jeff Hamilton’s replacement. Harris would prefer to think the assignment is permanent. He isn’t eager to hand Hamilton his job back, or to see Brooks taking grounders there during infield practice. Harris wants to stay and play.

“Tommy’s giving me a chance, and I’m not going to let him down,” Harris said.

Maybe he knows that 78 people, from Dick Gray to Jim Gilliam to even Steve Garvey and Eddie Murray, have occupied third base for the Dodgers, just in the time that the team has been located in Los Angeles. Lenny Harris doesn’t figure to appear in as many games as Zack Wheat. He just hopes to still be appearing next week.

“Maybe 200 years from now,” Harris said, “somebody can see a highlight film of me.”