Notes on a Scorecard - May 2, 1990

I realize this is a faster-format newspaper, but it still takes me a couple of cups of coffee and a Danish to wade through the sports transactions column because of all those ballplayers coming on and off the disabled list. . . .

“Disabled list?” Dodger eye-in-the-sky Joe Ferguson says. “I didn’t even know what it meant when I came up with the Dodgers at the end of the 1970 season.”. . .

“Thirty, 35 years ago, you had to have something broken to miss a lot of games,” Dodger coach Joey Amalfitano says. . . .

This is not to suggest that today’s big leaguer is dogging it. Some of it has to do with artificial turf, the spring training lockout and the lack of competition for jobs. A guy can sit down for 15 or 30 days and know that he’ll be right back in the lineup when he returns. And he realizes he can play more years--and make more millions of dollars--by taking the proper medical precautions. . . .

There also seem to be more serious injuries than ever--especially to the arms, elbows or shoulders of such players as Orel Hershiser. . . .

“One reason may be that pitchers start throwing in organized games at such a young age now,” Dodger pitching coach Ron Perranoski says. “They’re throwing curves and sliders when they’re 8 years old. All that wear and tear catches up with them eventually.” . . .

As if Perranoski hasn’t had enough problems lately, he was almost removed from the Dodger record book prematurely Monday night. After Mike Hartley struck out his fifth consecutive batter, it was announced in the press box that he had set a Dodger record for relief pitchers. A few minutes later, the correction was made. Perranoski once struck out six in a row. . . .

It has been a banner year for free-agent signees in the American League, where Boston’s Tony Pena, Detroit’s Lloyd Moseby and Cleveland’s Candy Maldonado have been regulars among the top 10 batters. . . .

Tony La Russa may be the reigning genius in the American League, but he leaves himself open to criticism those nights when he drops Mark McGwire to sixth in the Oakland batting order. . . .

Texas didn’t get Harold Baines so cheaply from the White Sox, after all. Included in the deal was outfielder Sammy Sosa, who has been instrumental in Chicago’s fast start. . . .

Glenn Davis, the football player who ran around end, was known as “Mr. Outside.” But Glenn Davis, the baseball player who hits home runs in the Astrodome, should be known as “Mr. Inside.”. . .

The Monday night makeup-for-the-lockout games against the San Francisco Giants have been lousy box office at Dodger Stadium. . . .

Should the Raiders take a chance on Jim McMahon and hope he becomes the next Jim Plunkett? . . .

USC has a chance to sign both the nation’s most highly touted female basketball prospect, Lisa Leslie from Morningside High, and the male considered by many to be the best, Ed O’Bannon from Artesia High. . . .

What great detail those movie makers put into “The Babe Ruth Story.” The Babe--who batted, threw and ate left-handed--indeed signed his autographs right-handed. . . .

Today’s Pick Six carryover of $320,494.40 is the largest in four years at the Hollywood Park summer meeting. . . .

Look-alikes: Marc Wilson and Ronald Reagan Jr. . . .

Jason Netter is to tennis what Willie Cager was to basketball. . . .

It’s business as usual for the Raiderettes, who will stage tryouts Sunday at 8 a.m. at the L.A. Airport Hilton. . . .

The UCLA-USC volleyball rivalry, one of the warmest between the two schools, will heat up even more now that the Trojans have been invited to the NCAA final four and the Bruins haven’t. . . .

Whatever happened to Peter Puck? . . .

Sprint clockings reported for NFL prospects get more ludicrous every year. If you haven’t run 40 yards in 4.3 seconds, you’re nothing. Bob Hayes, who was voted the fastest human ever in a poll of track and field reporters, says he never ran faster than 4.3. . . .

A seat near first or third base is OK, but the best place to judge fly balls is from behind home plate. . . .

I’ll take Edmonton over Chicago and Boston over Washington in the semifinals, and the Bruins over the Oilers for the Stanley Cup. . . .

Mike Tyson didn’t look very trim on TV the other day, not even next to George Foreman. . . .

Tokyo Rose: The Mizuno Japanese Baseball Newsletter reports that pitcher Masumi Kuwata was suspended for the first month of the season and fined the equivalent of $66,000 for “making a false statement concerning his relationship with a man known to have been a habitual gambler.”